Traffic-free day to rid city centre of pollution

eDINBURGh is to trial traffic-free Sundays in an attempt to reduce pollution.

edinburgh City Council yesterday agreed it will test the radical plans and close key parts of the city and town centre under its Open Street Project.

An eight-week public consultation of the car-less street scheme will begin next month, allowing residents, businesses and the emergency services the opportunity to share their thoughts.

the council trialled the scheme for two days in June by closing off the Mound, hanover Street and part of popular George Street in the afternoon.

the initiative is set to go ahead, despite Conservative councillors saying there was not ‘enough data’ to support it.

Deputy director of transport charity Sustrans, Daisy Narayanan, said the plans were integral to improving quality of life in edinburgh. She added: ‘From discussions with other cities who incorporate streetfree days, they have confirmed that there has been a drop in pollution in the city.’

Lesley Macinnes, convenor of edinburgh Council’s transport and environment committee, said: ‘this is an ambitious step and will challenge the status quo. It is an enormous prospect which will future-proof our city for years.’

however, Conservative councillor Nick Cook said: ‘the concern of this strategy is there is a slight disconnect of information. It comes back to the consultation and one of the concerns is the scheme is based on anecdotal evidence without a lot of data.’

the British Lung Foundation called on councillors to develop the approach. Joseph Carter, head of British Lung Foundation Scotland, said: ‘We want to make sure edinburgh has cleaner air all the time, not only a few days a month.’