Edinburgh Airport slip road to be restored to two lanes amid fears of traffic chaos

ROADS bosses are to do a speedy U-turn on their controversial decision to narrow the A8 slip road to the airport.
The airport sliproad will be closed overnight to allow the work to be carried outThe airport sliproad will be closed overnight to allow the work to be carried out
The airport sliproad will be closed overnight to allow the work to be carried out

They will carry out emergency work overnight tonight to restore the busy exit route to two lanes after warnings its reduction to a single lane would lead to chaos when the Royal Highland Show opens later this week.

Residents and local politicians claimed a series of changes to the layout of the A8 near the airport, aimed at improving safety, had made the road more dangerous.

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As well as narrowing the slip road, causing queues to back up onto inside lane of the A8, the council removed the filter lanes from the A8 into and out of Gogarstone Road, forcing motorists to reduce speed and make sharper turns.

Airport bosses - who say they were not consulted about any of the changes - are also understood to have raised concerns about the slip road.

Now the council is to close the westbound slip road from 7pm tonight until 4am tomorrow to reverse the changes.

Motorists heading for the airport from the city centre or Corstorphine between those hours will need to go to Newbridge and go back on the eastbound side to get to the airport.

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A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “The emergency work to return the sliproad to the previous layout is welcome as the changes have caused issues for drivers, but it’s disappointing we weren’t consulted ahead of the initial changes as we would have been able to express our concerns about potential problem which have since come to fruition.

“We know other groups and communities have concerns and we look forward to constructive dialogue with the council and those parties so we can best to manage the traffic flow towards the airport.”

Susan Webber, Conservative councillor for Pentland Hills, welcomed the decision to put the slip road back to two lanes.

And she said the council had agreed to set up cameras to monitor driver behaviour at the Gogarstone Road junction. They would operate 24/7 for seven days to gain a rounded picture of the situation. If the exercise could not be carried out before the school holidays it would be delayed until after the schools resumed to ensure the evidence was gathered for a typical period.

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Councillor Webber said: “They will then put together some options and share the results of the survey with councillors and others.

“I’m delighted the council has taken this approach at long last and I hope it will find a solution that addresses the problems for all road users.”

Transport convener Lesley Macinnes said the changes were intended to make it safer and easier for pedestrians and cyclists to cross Gogarstone Road and help traffic adhere to the new 40mph speed limit on this section of the A8, but concerns had been raised.

“We’ve already agreed to reinstate inner lane of the slipway off the A8 westbound to make sure traffic doesn’t get too backed up. And we’ll continue to explore short and longer term adjustments so that the road is as safe as possible for all road users.”