Fest is the best for youngsters as Fringe launches new programme
Artist Ursula Kam-ling Cheng, left, and pupils Erin Hamilton and Charlie Mackay from Granton Primary School in the capital add the final touches to a new artwork in the window of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society’s shop, kicking off a programme of activities to celebrate Scotland’s Year of Young People.
Edinburgh is struggling to cope with the mass influx of visitors to the city during its major festivals, according to a damning new dossier.
Urgent action is being taken to tackle growing pressure on the city’s roads, pavements and public transport network after a wide-ranging infrastructure review, including the introduction of new footfall and traffic counters.
The introduction of an “Oyster card” system is also being explored after the council admitted the public transport experience in the city centre was “lagging behind” London and commuters were growing frustrated with the reliability of journey times.
Increasing problems with tourism “bottlenecks” in the Old and New Towns, the domination of souvenir shops, the impact of irresponsible property owners and the inability of people to “get on with normal life” have all been identified by the city council.
The audit of how Edinburgh is handling tourism during peak periods in the summer and winter was ordered in the wake of concerns from heritage bodies that the city was becoming “dysfunctional” due to the vast numbers of people flooding into the busiest areas.
The council was warned that “commercial over-exploitation” is posing a threat to the “authenticity” of the Edinburgh World Heritage Site, amid claims that it needed to take steps to prevent Edinburgh avoiding the “same fate” as Venice. Plans to monitor the impact of the festivals have been announced just days before a major tourism industry summit will tackle how to “manage the success of the industry.
The city council has drawn up a 16-point “scorecard” to help monitor key areas of concern and the most serious “pressure points,” although several changes are expected to be made this summer.
A complete overhaul of the city centre is expected to be carried out to try to increase space for pedestrians, ease pressure on the busiest areas for events, and improve the safety of busy thoroughfares like Princes Street and the Royal Mile, and monitor the impact of increased traffic levels on air quality.
Concerns over the impact of festival and events on the “quality of life” of residents are also set to be tackled, including noise from open-air concerts and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and disruption from “inconsiderate” buskers and open-top bus tours.
Among the key measures being taken are the drawing up of a public spaces protocol to ensure “fair end times” for events being staged in areas where residents live nearby.
Around 100 new traffic counters will be deployed to help keep the city moving during the main festival seasons and manage “sudden pressures” on the roads network.
The area closed to traffic for street entertainers during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is expected to be overhauled for this summer, amid concerns about the growing risk of pedestrians stepping into traffic when they enter or leave.
City council culture leader Donald Wilson said: “For the majority of residents, our festivals are part of what makes Edinburgh such a special place to live and the envy of the world.
“The development of the new scorecard system will help us actively monitor and minimise adverse impacts on citizens, particularly during our festival months. I’m hopeful the new approach will improve local people’s access to and enjoyment of the city’s attractions and help us improve support towards the festivals’ sustainable growth.”