Misguided Covid-19 measures benefit who exactly?

Jeremy Balfour, Conservative MSP for Lothians, asks who are the people who are benefitting from Covid-19 measures?

"Over recent weeks the SNP-Labour administration of The CIty of Edinburgh Council have introduced concerning changes to Edinburgh's roads.

"Under the Spaces for People initiative, the council have been widening pavements and putting parking bans on certain roads without conducting a consultation.

"Some of the changes being made would have possibly been more welcome during Phase 1 of lockdown.

"However, at this stage, time pressure can no longer be used as a legitimate excuse for the council administration’s decision not to conduct a consultation.

"This is a blatant abuse of the emergency powers given to local authorities to deal with the immediate challenges of Covid-19.

"The SNP have made this decision with no thought for the local economy or business owners who have already had to face financial difficulty over lockdown.

"They may also experience a decline in footfall thanks to parking bans and public transport diversions.

"Further, while the council claims that these changes will benefit wheelchair users, there are already disabled people speaking out about the adverse effect that these changes will have on their ability to travel, particularly during winter months.

"The council’s administration must stop taking advantage of the powers given to them and focus on listening to the needs of local people and businesses."