Just 12 weeks to have your say in park debate - John McLellan

​They don’t really do riots down Duddingston Village way, but the new outline strategic plan for Holyrood Park from Historic Environment Scotland (HES) could send the skittles flying at the Sheep Heid bowling alley.

HES has revealed its preference for the end of through traffic in Holyrood Park

Dealing with through traffic has severely divided opinion amongst residents for years, some favouring a ban which would undoubtedly turn the historic streets into sleepy dead-ends, but drivers objecting to the long detours it creates. A long closure caused by rock falls a couple of years ago provided a taster, and now HES has revealed its preference for the end of through traffic. In seeking to make active travel, “the dominant travel mode through and to the park” HES appears to place little weight on the views of nearby residents compared to park users who could be from anywhere, with a clear commitment to “improve the quality of user experience in the park”.

The plan is to “very substantially reduce, or remove all, vehicular through traffic from the Park”, which will almost certainly mean closure at Duddingston Loch, but possibly all access roads including Horse Wynd and Holyrood Gait. Very short drives from Duddingston to St Leonards will become diversions through already very busy junctions, and as vans ignore the commercial traffic ban and taxis don’t count, the impact of displacement on surrounding streets could be huge. Judging by the consultation document tone, HES has already decided, and the anti-car lobby are already out the blocks. There is now 12 weeks for those affected to have their say and bring some balance to the debate.