Below we print a fuller version of the article which appears on page 1 of December's Spurtle (Issue 177).
Community councils want to be included in the first round of consultations about traffic regulation orders (TROs) for the trams. At present they aren’t, but are still raising questions and demanding answers in what are very complex problems.
Patrick Hutton, Transport Convener for the New Town/Broughton Community Council, has been assessing TROs as far away as Lothian Rd and Randolph Crescent. Closer to Broughton, he seeks clarification on:
- Position of traffic lights and cycle lanes
- Whether trams will obey traffic lights or vice versa
- Interim plans for (imminent) closures and diversions at Picardy Place during final utility diversions and track laying
- What promises to be very slow moving traffic around the planned Picardy Place ‘circulatory’
- An apparent westbound bus lane on York Place blocking traffic leaving Picardy Place.
In TIE-related discussions, 3 concerns recur. First, to what extent will trams be prioritised over fellow travellers, including pedestrians? For example, if trams along the route were to pass once every 3.5 minutes, and require, say, 30 seconds clearance before and after, precious little time would be left for other users, particularly when crossing thoroughfares or negotiating junctions.
Second, to what extent has TIE considered the knock-on effect of trams being prioritised? If long queues form at junctions, this will affect how traffic responds elsewhere. Therefore, unless detailed thought has been given to these effects, it is difficult for anyone to respond with confidence or approval to the first round of TROs currently under consideration.
Third, presentation of TROs in 3 stages means decisions are being made piecemeal, with no information as to the consequences.
‘At the moment, the available information is only about the tram route itself,’ says Hutton. ‘NTBCC needs to see an integrated plan estimating the effects on all traffic in adjoining areas. We don't know what the final plans are for permanent diversions, and we don't even have a timetable to see these plans. Without all this information it is going to be very hard for NTBCC to take a balanced view on the present TROs.’
Outwith NTBCC, some suspect the full implications of trams are simply incalculable. Perhaps we can only brace ourselves for more chaos until the system settles down and fewer people choose to cross Edinburgh by car. Meanwhile, NTBCC will continue to engage the Council and TIE.