The New Town and Broughton Community Council has responded to the Council's 'Building a Vision for the City Centre Consultation'.
We reproduce its Chair Ian Mowat's clear and concise letter at the foot of this page.
NTBCC's key findings as they affect Broughton are that any move (as mooted) to reroute or displace traffic from Princes Street and George Street would:
- be premature until the effects of a fully working tram system are known
- most likely push traffic north of congested York Place and Queen Street into the New Town along Heriot Row, Abercromby Place and Albany Street
- probably diminish rather than improve George Street for pedestrians.
Meanwhile, the Cockburn Association has also responded, and their letter is available below, too. Much of it contains conclusions similar to those of the NTBCC.
Among other points, though, the CA suggests that the Vision fundamentally prioritises road traffic over other forms of transport and street use in the city.
The CA also echoes a view widespread among Edinburgh sceptics that the Consultation may be interpreted as the first step in what will be a long and painful process: mitigating the disruptive effects of the trams.
At the root of all these problems, in Spurtle's opinion, is the unsustainable pressure of road vehicles trying to access or cross central Edinburgh.
Until far more people are wooed or coerced out of their vehicles – particularly private car users – there is little hope of meaningful improvement.
Achieving such a reduction will involve determination, straight talking, and some unpalatable sacrifices on the part of motorists. It remains to be seen whether politicians and voters have what it takes to do the right thing.