Author: Mike Birch

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NTBCC Submits Comments about Meadows to George Street Traffic Regulation Order

Earlier in the year, the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division advised us that a Reporter had been appointed to consider the objections (including ours) to the proposed traffic regulation order for the Council’s Meadows to George Street project.  They also advised us that the Council had provided a Statement of Case in further support of their proposals. We have reviewed this document against our original objection and have now submitted some further comments.

These comments highlight continued concerns about the adverse impact on residents and businesses in our area of the project including the planned traffic restrictions on The Mound, failure to increase pavement widths, loss of disabled parking and further installation of floating bus stops as well as a lack of documentation used to justify the project.

The Reporter has announced that a public hearing of the matters raised by all the objections will be held between 17 and 24 June. NTBCC will be represented at this hearing.

If you have any comments or questions about our objection and additional comments, please let us know using the Contact form on our website.

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City of Edinburgh Council Consults on Taxi Fares

The Council has recently commenced a consultation looking at taxi fares in Edinburgh. The closing date for comments is 20 February 2026. You can access this consultation on the Council’s website. 

They have also written to Community Councils and other stakeholder groups looking for our input. Attached below is a copy of the letter we have received. If you have any views on this topic that you wish to share with NTBCC, please use the contact form on this website

Taxi Tariff Consultation

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NTBCC Submits Applications to Local Traffic Improvement Programme

The New Town and Broughton Community Council has submitted six applications for projects to be included in the Council’s Local Traffic Improvement Programme. This scheme was established by the Council to allow community groups to identify small improvement projects that would address local travel issues. The applications are primarily concerned with improving pedestrian safety but also seek repairs to road surfaces and better road signage.

Improved Crossings in Gayfield Square

 

Copies of all the applications are given below. If there are small projects which would make a difference in your area, do let us know and we will add them to the list for next year.

LTIP Application Form (Carlton Terrace Brae)

LTIP Application Form (Gayfield Square)

LTIP Application Form (Princes Street)

LTIP Application Form (Bellevue Crescent)

LTIP Application Form (New Town Junctions)

LTIP Application Form (Annandale Street)

 

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Improving Charlotte Square Project – NTBCC issues detailed comments

Attached is a document which sets out the concerns of the New Town and Broughton Community Council (NTBCC) about the Improving Charlotte Square project.

While supporting the intent to improve accessibility and provide a link with the existing CCWEL infrastructure, we believe that the current design raises a number of significant issues which require further consideration prior to the project proceeding. Our primary concerns are:

  1. Unclear Project Needs and Goals: We question the overall purpose of the project beyond enhancing cycling infrastructure. We believe that additional clarity is required on the specific outcomes with a detailed cost breakdown to ensure value for Edinburgh’s residents.
  2. Insufficient Community Engagement: We are concerned at the limited community engagement in the decision-making process and call for wider consultation before the project is further progressed.
  3. Limited Design Options: We advocate for exploring a cycling route on the south side of Charlotte Square to mitigate potential conflicts and reduce costs.
  4. Pedestrian Safety: We question the design and location of the pedestrian crossings especially the non-signalised crossing on the south side of Charlotte Square, which raises significant safety concerns.
  5. Heritage Considerations: We believe that there are good reasons for restoring the setted road surface where possible to enhance the heritage value of the square, rather than opting for tarmac.
  6. Project and Funding Prioritization: We are concerned that this project is being prioritised over others in the City Mobility Plan and question the validity of its ranking and anticipated impact on public realm.
  7. Scope and Impact on Related Projects: We consider that the impact on tourist coach parking and overall traffic management in light of future projects both need to be thoroughly reconsidered.
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NTBCC joins Living Streets and Edinburgh Access Panel in objecting to changes to Rose Street

The New Town and Broughton Community Council has joined Living Streets Edinburgh Group and the Edinburgh Access Panel in issuing a statement regarding the introduction of two-way cycling along Rose Street.

Earlier in the year, all three groups submitted objections to the Council’s plans to implement an exemption to allow contraflow cycling along Rose Street which is a one-way street and largely pedestrianised. The objections were focussed on pedestrian safety and the unsuitability of Rose Street as a cycling route in the city centre. We have reiterated these concerns in our joint statement and highlighted inconsistencies in the report that will be presented to the Traffic Regulation Orders Sub-Committee at their meeting next Tuesday. The full text of our statement which has been sent to all City of Edinburgh Councillors can be found below:

Joint Statement on One Way Streets Exemptions for Cyclists (Final)

As we note in our statement, Rose Street is the nearest we have to a pedestrianised area in Edinburgh with very limited vehicular access. It is identified as a Primary Place location and is one of the busiest pedestrian areas of the city centre. Increasing usage by cyclists of this already very congested shared space will increase the risks to pedestrians, especially those with impaired vision or mobility.

The cycling exemptions project states that its goal is that one-way streets will become two-way for cyclists where it is safe to do so (our emphasis). We do not have a problem with this overall goal but we strongly believe that it is not safe to do so on Rose Street.

If you have any comments on the proposed changes to Rose Street, please let us know.

 

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NTBCC calls for St Mark’s Path to be reopened

As a result of the long awaited start of construction activity on the Powderhall Site, the section of St. Mark’s Path from Broughton Road over the Water of Leith has been closed and a temporary diversion put in place.  The NTBCC has been contacted by local residents concerned at the impact of the closure on pedestrians and cyclists and the unsuitability of the current diversion. Following a site visit and discussion at last Monday’s monthly meeting, NTBCC has issued an email to local Councillors calling for the path to be reopened urgently and for a suitable diversion route to be in place before any future closure is considered.

If you have any views about this closure and its impact on the community, please contact us.

The full text of our email is shown below: Continue reading →