Edinburgh council elections 2022: Greens launch manifesto pledging wide range of transport measures

Edinburgh Greens have published their council election manifesto, proposing a fully-connected city-wide cycle network, a congestion charging scheme, an overall reduction in car parking, an extension of the trams and more park-and-rides.

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Other pledges include exploring the potential to introduce a free public transport pilot in the city, more low traffic neighbourhoods and a Vision Zero action plan to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on Edinburgh’s roads and footways.

They say they would also publish a fully-costed action plan to build 20,000 socially-rented homes within the next council term, aim to freeze or reduce council rents and challenge bad landlords in the private rented sector with an Edinburgh Tenants’ Charter.

Green councillor Claire Miller said the manifesto set out an ambitious plan to deliver a Green recovery from Covid-19 and a just transition to a net zero city.

“We’re excited to be launching our manifesto, showing detailed Green plans to tackle the climate emergency as well as making our beautiful capital city a place where everyone can afford to live, learn and work. Since first being elected in 2007, our councillors have shown the difference that having Green voices in Edinburgh council can make; successfully winning investment in safer cycling, greater transparency in the council, and increasing the rights of renters.”

The Greens back a tourist tax and the workplace parking levy and want local authorities to be given more power to design and set their own taxes.

They rule out new building on the green belt and propose a "much more robust" policy to encourage brownfield development, including use of compulsory purchase powers where appropriate. And they say they would Increase the proportion of affordable housing required in new developments to 40 per cent.

Claire Miller says Green councillors have shown they can make a difference.

The manifesto commits to protecting public libraries and community hubs, opening or refurbishing public toilets where they are most needed, a fly-tipping action plan, extra environmental wardens and robust action to tackle litter, graffiti and dog fouling.

Other policies include a new and affordable bike hire scheme, more on-street bike storage and giving pedestrians highest priority by widening pavements and creating longer pedestrian crossing times.

The manifesto says the party would tackle the “pothole scourge” and create a plan for “a fully-connected, city-wide 500km segregated cycle network which will enable safe travel by bike on main, direct routes”. It would also “consult on and introduce a congestion charging scheme” and “create an action plan to reduce overall car parking spaces in the city each year while extending the controlled parking zones, and support conversion of parking spaces to green corridors, green spaces, pocket parks and play areas”.

The Greens say they would better regulate commercial use of landmark spaces like the Meadows, Inverleith Park and Princes Street Gardens and campaign to have Edinburgh’s private parks opened to the public. And they want Edinburgh Leisure to increase ease of access to facilities and reduce fees for gyms and sports facilities for disadvantaged communities.

There are also commitments to protect youth work from future spending cuts, establish a standalone Gaelic secondary school on a central site and have parent and pupil representatives with voting rights on the education committee. Other policies include promoting a new, permanent covered traders’ market and ensuring social care workers are paid at least £15 an hour.

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