Autonomous buses to use hard shoulder
A motoring group has raised safety fears after a £2.4 million scheme allowing autonomous buses to use a motorway hard shoulder was approved by MSPS.
The trial vehicles – along with other buses – will be able to run ontheeastboundhardshoulder of the M8 over a four-mile sectionfromnewbridgetotheend of the motorway at Hermiston Gait on the edge of Edinburgh.
Launch of the plan is expected in advance of the start of theprojectcavforth[connected and Autonomous Vehicles] bus trials between Ferrytoll in Fife and Edinburgh Park, near Hermiston Gait, this autumn.
The autonomous Stagecoach buses will operate over the Forth Road Bridge via the M90, M9 and M8. The buses react to radar and GPS and drivers are on board but will only react in emergencies.
Unlikeon“smartmotorways” in England, where other vehicles as well as buses can travel on hard shoulders at 70mph, there is a 40mph limit on the bus-onlyactivelymanagedhard shoulders in Scotland.
However,theiamroadsmart motoringgroupexpressedconcern about broken-down and other vehicles blocking them.
Transport Scotland said motorists who broke down on them8betweennewbridgeand Hermiston Gait should drive intooneofthreenew“emergencyrefuges”,whichwillbenearly amileapart,“whereverreasonably practicable”.
Neilgreig,theiam’sscotlandbasedpolicyandresearchdirector, said: "We have always had safety concerns about a busonly actively managed hard shoulder approach.
“The thought of an autonomous bus bearing down on a broken-downvehicledoesworry me.
“Will the driver be fully engaged if they think the bus is watching out for hazards, and
where does the bus swerve to avoid the hazard if it arises suddenly?"
Mr Greig added that buses using the hard shoulder “could cause confusion for other driverswhowillbeunsurewhenan
infrequent large vehicle might be about to undertake them -andalsowhattodointheevent of an emergency”.
Transport Scotland said the M8 scheme had undergone a full road safety audit and its
entire length would be covered by CCTV monitored by Traffic Scotland,whosestaffcouldsuspend the use of the lane by activating “Red X” electronic signs.
Restoring Edinburgh’s built heritage is no mean feat, with many of the crucial cutting expertise needed to mimic elaborate architectural details feared lost to the past.
But one young woman is fast carving out a name for herself and proving the noble and ancient art of stonemasonry is alive and well.
As conservation work gatherspaceononeofthecity’smost important public buildings, West Register House, the spotlight is being shone on some of thecomplexstoneworkrepairs that have been carried out.
The work, which has been part-funded by Edinburgh World Heritage, has involved the conservation of prominent sandstoneroundelsonthewest of the building, which is home tothenationalrecordsofscotland, and situated in Charlotte Square in the heart of the city’s New Town.
One of these roundels, a key architectural feature of the landmark Georgian edifice, was deemed by heritage experts as beyond repair and has been replaced with a new piece carved by up and coming stonemason Josephine Crossland, from local firm Hutton Stone.
The Edinburgh World Heritage charity, which funded the stonework repairs, also provided technical advice following years of experience in conserving many of Edinburgh’s most historic buildings.
Pouring praise on rising star Ms Crossland’s skill in replicating one of the roundels, Christina Sinclair, Director of Edinburgh World Heritage, said:“throughoutthepandemic,wehavefocusedonensuring that crucial conservation work to Edinburgh’s historic buildings continues.
"We are delighted with the high quality of work carried out at West Register House by the team, and congratulate Jo on the high quality of her work to the roundels.”
Paul Lowe, Chief Executive of the National Records of Scotland, added: “I am delighted thatnationalrecordsscotland havesuccessfullydeliveredthis major programme of repairs to
ouriconicwestregisterhouse building.
"We are extremely happy to return this building to its former glory and for it to once
again take its rightful place on the Edinburgh city skyline.”
Originally named St George’s Church, West Register House was designed by the esteemed architect Robert Adam in 1791 and later reinterpreted by Robert Reid in the 19th century.