Leith Walk-London Road traffic chaos: Don't blame confused drivers, blame Edinburgh Council – Hayley Matthews

They say "you see some right sights on Leith Walk" and, more so now than ever, this saying is utterly relevant.
Edinburgh campaigners and Councillor Susan Rae form a human shield at the Leith Walk to London Road junctionEdinburgh campaigners and Councillor Susan Rae form a human shield at the Leith Walk to London Road junction
Edinburgh campaigners and Councillor Susan Rae form a human shield at the Leith Walk to London Road junction

Drivers wanting to make an illegal left turn onto London Road from Leith Walk earlier in the week found this out the hard way. Several people stood on the road to block them. Sick of drivers doing what they want, the human bollards seemed to be putting their own safety at risk but for what?

The sheer fact these protesters are annoyed at the drivers, assumes the drivers are meant to know what they've done wrong and, to be honest, I don't even think that the Edinburgh Council planners could tell you what you can and can't do on Leith Walk at the moment. With the signs changing weekly, lanes opening and closing by the day, red and white bollards popping up, then disappearing, as well as the bus routes being a hit or a miss, who actually, really, genuinely, can say what you can and can't do on Leith Walk?

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The bigger picture is the planning, organisation and delivery of the tram works on Leith Walk and for that the protesters should be shifting their efforts to Waverley Court, expressing their annoyance with the way the traffic is flowing – or not flowing. Standing on Leith Walk stopping people from trying to get down a road that they could drive down last week, but can't now (try and keep up please) is about as effective as punching smoke!

In short, don't take it out on the drivers, take it out on the council.

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