NTBCC’s objection to RSO/21/08 and TRO/21/32

NTBCC’s transport convenor today emailed the following objection to these TROs which – if passed – would enable the ‘Meadows to George St’ plans.


Dear Traffic Orders Team

Objection to RSO/21/08 and TRO/21/32

The New Town and Broughton Community Council (NTBCC) has considered the above traffic orders and wishes to object to them for the following reasons:

  1. Hanover Street

It is proposed to introduce two one-way cycle lanes on either side of this street between George Street and Princes Street. It was stated that the use of two one-way cycle lanes was to align with the design of George Street but at a George Street and First New Town project briefing last year we were told that the design of Hanover Street had been set by the Meadows to George Street Project. Given the stated intent to introduce consistency in the design of public realm, it would appear that a two way cycle path would reduce pedestrian/cyclist interactions, remove the need for floating bus stops on one side of the street and allow more space to be retained/created for pedestrians.

Given that in the plans there is no route for south bound vehicles (other than buses, taxis, cycles and other traffic wanting to access Market Street) beyond Princes Street, Hanover Street is essentially a dead end for most traffic and therefore the need for traffic to turn around would seem to be an important but overlooked consideration. With the narrowing of the carriageway this will become much more difficult especially for larger commercial vehicles raising serious traffic management and road safety considerations. It is also proposed to reduce the number of bus stops on the street which given the number of services that are using this road will be a counterproductive measure in that it will increase congestion around bus stops. Continue reading

NTBCC meeting minutes 13 February 2023

Minutes of New Town & Broughton Community Council’s ordinary meeting, at Broughton St Mary’s church, on Monday 13 February 2023 at 7pm

Actions and decisions are red italic. ND (‘no dissent’) means that no-one spoke or voted against a decision.

URLs have been added by the minutes secretary. Continue reading

Community Councils Together on Trams/Trams Team meeting, 28 October 2021

Minutes of the Community Councils Together on Trams/Trams Team meeting
(Construction Phase) via Google Meet on Thursday 28 October 2021 at 5:30pm Continue reading

NTBCC minutes Monday 12 October 2021

Minutes of New Town & Broughton Community Council’s ordinary meeting, held via Zoom, on Monday 12 October 2020 at 7pm

Continue reading

NTBCC response to ‘retaining Spaces for People measures’ consultation

Executive Summary

As noted below, the New Town and Broughton Community Council (NTBCC) considers the consultation to be deeply flawed. The inclusion of questions about measures not yet implemented is highly questionable. Until there has been an opportunity to evaluate the success or otherwise of any particular measures, it is impossible to make any valid judgment on whether they should be retained or removed. Many of the questions group cycling and walking together but the needs of these two groups are quite different making it impossible to properly judge the merits of specific measures for each of these groups. The survey is designed to encourage simple yes/no answers to questions about whether measures should be retained and does too little to obtain any insight into the consequences both favourable and otherwise from the implementation of the measures. The Commonplace Mapping tool would have been a far more effective means of obtaining genuine and considered feedback on the various measures that have been introduced. This lack of qualitative feedback will hamper any decision making by Council officials and Councillors. Edinburgh Council and its citizens deserve better than this hastily prepared and poorly designed survey.

With regard to the specific schemes already implemented in our area:

  • We are in favour of continuing with the changes to The Mound and Princes Street East with some provisos.
  • We are opposed to the measures on Waverley Bridge and London Road being retained and indeed believe that they should removed before the end of the current TTRO’s.
  • We do not agree that any of the measures yet to be introduced in our area including those to Broughton Street, Broughton Roundabout, Bellevue, Rodney Street or Canonmills should be considered for retention until there has been an opportunity to better assess their effectiveness.
  • We are also very concerned about the impact on traffic in our area of the planned changes to South Bridge and would urge that implementation is delayed until the consequences of the planned restrictions to vehicular traffic can be better understood. 

Continue reading

NTBCC minutes – Monday 9 November 2020

Minutes of New Town & Broughton Community Council’s AGM, held via Zoom, on Monday 09 November 2020 at 7pm Continue reading

NTBCC minutes – Monday 10 August 2020

Minutes of New Town & Broughton Community Council’s public meeting, held via Zoom, on Monday 10 August 2020 at 7pm

Actions and decisions are red italic. ND (‘no dissent’) means that no-one spoke or voted against a decision. Continue reading