Edinburgh traders hit by roadworks in Roseburn Terrace appeal to councillors for help

Traders who say their businesses are under threat because of roadworks outside their shops will appeal directly to councillors for help on Thursday.

Let us know what you think and join the conversation at the bottom of this article.

And the full council meeting will debate a call for a compensation scheme to help the businesses in Roseburn survive.

The roadworks on Roseburn Terrace began early last month for the £19.4 million cross-city cycle route known as the City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL).

And some of the shopkeepers have complained their trade has dropped by up to 70 per cent because there is nowhere for customers to park and the barriers deter people from coming to their premises.

Now they are to mount a deputation to Thursday’s full council meeting to detail their plight and seek support.

The same meeting will also consider a motion tabled by Corstorphine/Murrayfield Tory councillor Scott Douglas which asks transport convener Lesley Macinnnes to hold an urgent meeting with the businesses on Roseburn Terrace to discuss the effect of the CCWEL works on their income and calls for consideration of a compensation scheme.

Councillor Douglas said: “I've been speaking to these businesses for the last few weeks and it's clear they're in severe trouble and it's a direct consequence of the CCWEL work.

Roadworks for the CCWEL project on Roseburn Terrace

“Some of them are trading 50-70 per cent down on where they were previously and they're going to struggle to survive the length these works will take, so it's incumbent in my view on the council to protect them.

"They are vitals parts of the Roseburn community, we can't afford to lose them as a result of this cycle path being built so it's up to the council to step in and alleviate the situation and come up with a solution that will work.

“They've offered several elements so far - social media campaigns and banners - but that's not enough. The traders are unhappy with those measures, they want financial support – that's what they're going to need to get through this period.

“Hopefully by them bringing a deputation forward they can appeal to the administration directly, speak first hand about the difficulties they're experiencing and finally get the help they desperately need.”

Work on part of the street has been halted following the discovery of asbestos cement on the roofs of cellars underneath the pavement immediately in front of the Roseburn Bar and Roseburn Pharmacy.

But the council said work on the rest of the street was continuing, the footway had been lifted on much of the rest of the eastern half of the south side of Roseburn Terrace, and the team was constructing the footway build-outs for the new parking and loading area on the western half of the south side.

Councillor Macinnes said: “We are well aware that a scheme of this scale is likely to have an impact on traders and residents, and have taken this into account as part of our planning for the project. We have continued to liaise with businesses and have introduced temporary loading and unloading areas for deliveries as well as minimising the work site wherever possible.

“We also want to continue to promote all that’s on offer in the area and our open for business campaign incorporates paid social media, outdoor advertising and banners on works site barriers to attract people to Roseburn, as well as sharing all the active travel links available. There’s more currently being developed as we progress with the works.

“There is no doubt this project, once complete, will be really positive for all those along the route, supporting safe travel by foot or bike into the city centre and a much improved environment for spending time.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.