Traffic control on Leith Walk - your views online

Edinburgh reacts to drivers flouting 'no left turn' on Leith Walk

Glyn Ednie

We used to regularly drive into Edinburgh to shop. We abandoned that about six or seven years ago because of road restrictions and exorbitant parking prices. For us Livingston has better access, superior shopping centres and the plentiful parking there is still the same 50p an hour it was six years ago.

Jennifer Clabbie

This really doesn’t help the people who have mobility issues, the disabled that need to park. The council have ruined Leith, the roads are a disgrace. I used to love being in Leith regularly but it’s just awful. So closed off and horrible for people now. It’s terrible.

Ronnie Young

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Nobody should break the law by turning left, but it is a terrible decision by the clowncil to block all left turns off Leith Walk and force all transport to go around a gridlocked Picardy Place to then get onto London Road.

Paul Cuthbert

The place is just a nightmare and making people fed up and avoiding town in cars. It’s the businesses I feel for who relied on people quickly parking and nipping into shops up and down Leith Walk! Pilrig Motors, for example, has been there as long as I’ve been alive, changing bulbs and batteries for people outside the shop. Now they can’t. These trams have disrupted so many lives the vast majority didn’t want when we had an award-winning bus service for years. I love Leith but now just hate going anywhere near it. All the no left turns up Leith Walk just add to the misery. When you finally think we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel after years of misery disruption you get this. If you think it’s busy and congested now, just wait until the tram is running and getting priority at all the traffic lights, stopping at stops and no traffic can pass. Leith will be a ghost town for businesses soon.

Stuart Young

It’s the junction that’s wrong. Same as the rest of it all. It’s a mess. People will be at risk with whatever it is they’ve constructed all down Leith Walk where there was once a safe, normal pavement.

David Storie

There's no reason why it shouldn’t be a left turn. It's ridiculous to send traffic that has limited options to turn left from anywhere on Leith Walk all the way up to an already congested junction at Picardy Place. Just another example of an inept council.

Steves Garden Services Kirknewton

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So the council wants to infuriate the motorist. They want the car out of the city to implement more tram lines and build on tourism which provides millions. They don’t care about the people, just money. High parking prices and introducing exclusive retail areas. Princess Street will no doubt become more hotels and bars. I worked for a company in Edinburgh and had to drive around to do my job. It was very difficult.

William Odonnell

The council don't mind the gridlock it causes on Queen Street to York Place then Broughton Street. Their action is deliberately making people drive past the Playhouse, now part of the low emission zone, so forcing fines on cars. They don't care how locals feel. Maybe need to form a human chain across Baxter’s Place and let people know it’s a low emission zone.

Artisan Stitch

The impact of the resulting traffic congestion affects businesses along London Road as far as Jock’s Lodge and beyond. The new routes are madness.

Colin Herkes

Because its the start of the low emission zone, the council are sneaky and going to force people into it to get more money.

Fiona Jack

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It's the most ridiculous decision in the redevelop-ment of the area. Does anyone know if the council have given a statement as to why they did it?

Sarah Irvine

I agree that people shouldn't turn left there if it's a no left turn, but it's an absolute nightmare trying to get left off Leith Walk. Picardy Place must be grid-locked at times. Why not reinstate a left turn onto London Road?

Maureen Cummings

Top of Leith Walk is a disaster. So glad I live outside Edinburgh and certainly don’t have to travel to work around that area.

Keith Froude

Edinburgh council baffling Edinburgh residents again. If anything, they are consistent.

Stuart Winton

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Just reinstate it, no reason to have changed it to no left turn.

Ectopic Beats

Awful decision. Won't matter soon, though, as lots of people are now avoiding Edinburgh. Council won't be happy until it’s dead.

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