Stuck in traffic

Edinburgh has been named as the UK’S most congested city for the fourth year in a rows. The Capital saw a sharp decline in traffic hold-ups during 2020 but retained its unenviable crown, with drivers facing longer delays than even those in London.

The council have used the “Spaces for People scheme” to deliberately and systematically create more and more congestion. The express purpose of this is so that shortly that can introduce their longwanted Congestion Charge scheme. They tried it years ago, even spent millions of pounds on infrastructure and then asked then residents to vote for it. The resident hugely said no. The council has never asked us about anything since then. So now they deviously and deceitfully use Covid to role through these crazy cycle lanes and pavement widening and road closures to cause and create congestion.

Jon Clark Well done Edinburgh Council. Your fixation with anti-car ideology over common sense has clearly been an underwhelming success!

Lucien Romano Here are some ideas. Reopen closed roads. Put roundabouts back in and remove traffic lights. Widen roads, with less parking on the main arterial routes. Less frequent changes on some pedestrian crossings. Proper bus lanes and enforcement of parking restrictions in them (a towaway scheme, not a ticket).

Robert Howlieson So it’s nothing to do with the massive increase in the number of vehicles in the last few decades, the centre of town being entirely unsuitable for the amount of traffic that tries to use it and zero capacity for more or wider roads in the city centre?

William Palmer You need to look at why people are driving through the city centre in such quantity. Not simply why, but why in such quantity. You are supposed to have the best bus service (you all keep saying so) yet so many people drive. Oh, comes the retort – buses don't suit everybody. To this I would say – judging by the amount of cars on the road they don’t seem to suit anybody.

William Kay Scrap bus lanes as they actually cause congestion. Good drivers allow buses out and keep well clear of them. No need to block off a whole lane when there is not a bus in sight.

Jim Merrilees

So the council’s strategy of closing roads, widening pavements, changing traffic light sequencing to hold up traffic to let the wondertram pass and greatly reducing parking availability hasn’t worked? Amazing, it looked a flawless plan on paper.

Bob Leponge

Could that be because it is a medieval city living in the modern age and it isn't designed for traffic?

Paul Wilson

I am not an Edinburgh resident and as such do not know all the short cuts and alternative routes but have never found Edinburgh traffic a problem. Sure it gets busy at times, but doesn't every city?

Brian Jenkinson