Consultation on through traffic ban on Dalry Road to improve safety
Plans to ban through traffic from Edinburgh’s Dalry Road are being finalised ahead of a consultation expected to be launched next week. The move is accompanied by a series of other measures in a bid to improve the area and make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Images of the proposed changes have been posted on social media by independent Sighthill/Gorgie councillor Ross McKenzie, who believes the plans overall will be positive for the area, though he says some issues still need to be ironed out.
The area covered by the proposals extends from Haymarket along Dalry Road to the five-way junction at Ardmillan Terrace and then along a short stretch of Gorgie Road to McLeod Street. Posting on social media, Cllr Ross said the changes would mean wider pavements and tighter junctions, greener streets and more crossing points, segregated cycle lanes and a traffic filter at Haymarket to stop through traffic between 7am and 7pm, allowing only buses and taxis through.
He said the plans also included "much-needed safety improvements around Dalry Primary School and Tynecastle High, and at the five-way junction at Ardmillan". And he added: "Engagement prior to design shows overwhelming support for these changes locally – not surprising in an area where the vast majority of people do not have access to a car."
Speaking to the Evening News, Cllr McKenzie said some residents had been worried about how they would get into their streets because of the ban on through traffic. But he said: "All streets will be open to all people at all times just not through Haymarket."
And he said through traffic had other options available. "The thinking is that the West Approach Road is there, as well as the Haymarket-Roseburn corridor as an east-west route, so there are alternative routes which can be taken."
A possible reduction in parking was another concern for some residents, he said. "It's not certain there necessarily would be a reduction in parking. It is an area where parking is challenging – it's quite densely populated and they're fairly narrow streets. Some local people are anxious about parking, but these are things that hopefully can be ironed out in the consultation."
A segregated cycleway is proposed as part of the scheme, but it is not continuous. Cllr McKenzie said there would be a short stretch of segregated cycleway from Haymarket to around Caledonian Road, and a further stretch starting from West End Place. "It's quite a big chunck without segregation. I think it's considered that if you've removed the through traffic then the whole area becomes safer, but as you approach the junctions - Haymarket at one end and Ardmillan at the other - they're going to be busier."
And he hopes a redesign of the Ardmillan junction – where Dalry Road meets Murieston Road, Gorgie Road, Ardmillan Terrace and Henderson Terrace – will improve safety. "It's a really dangerous junction," he said. "There will be pavement build-outs and little islands which allow bikes to get round it. Most people I've spoken to are desperate to see a solution to that junction, regardless of how they feel about other aspects of the project.
"At the moment, Murieston Road doesn't have a green man, so there are parts of that junction that are not controlled. There's also a real problem with people turning from Henderson Terrace onto Dalry Road, which is a no right turn; there was a crash there recently when someone crashed into the building on the corner of Murieston Road; so I'm hopeful that the new layout will just make it safer."
Cllr McKenzie said he welcomed the investment in the area and believed the plans overall were positive. "I really welcome the improvements to safety around schools and the improvements to the pavements and the junctions. It will help those with mobility issues to get around in the area. But I totally appreciate there are things that need to be ironed out during the consultation, like access for businesses, loading bays and bin hub movements. There's a lot to be ironed out, but overall I think it will be a positive thing for the area."
Transport and environment convener Scott Arthur said: “We will soon be launching a consultation on improving Dalry town centre and making it easier to access local shops, schools and services by walking, wheeling and cycling. A key proposed benefit will be reducing public transport travel times through the area. Our proposals also include creating better spaces to spend time, with trees, planting, public art and opportunities to rest.
“In order to deliver these improvements, we have listened to local residents and will be consulting on changes to the flow of through traffic at certain times of the day, while retaining vehicle access for people travelling into and out of the area. We are proposing that all homes and businesses would still be accessible by car, but most traffic simply moving through the area on the way to somewhere else will use routes such as the West Approach Road. We will also use this is an opportunity to review weight restrictions.”
There's a lot to be ironed out, but overall I think it will be a positive thing for the area