Walking Cities: Edinburgh
Living Streets wants Edinburgh to be healthier, cleaner and less congested – by making walking safer, more pleasant and the easiest option for short journeys we can make change happen.
A pedestrianised George Street?
Have your say
Edinburgh, unlike almost all European capitals has very few high-quality, pedestrianised main streets, despite the high number of international visitors and world heritage status.
To address this deficit City of Edinburgh Council is consulting on redesigning George Street, the grand centre piece of the New Town - and it has launched a consultation to shape and gauge support for the plan.
We are urging Living Streets supporters who live in or visit Edinburgh to press for a traffic-free future for this important street. Please add your voice - questions 10, 11 and 16 are most pertinent on the issue of walking.
Below are some things we suggesting you include to strengthen the case for a traffic-free George Street.
Add your response now
You have until 25 January 2019 to submit your views.
Back the overall scheme in terms of creating more space for pedestrians and public life, within a high-quality public realm that prioritises people not cars.
Encourage the council to go further in terms of restricting general traffic, as a minimum pedestrianising western sections of the street that aren’t used by buses.
Ask that they carefully consider the design of the east-west cycleway ensuring pedestrians have priority at crossing points and adequate pavement space.
Urge the council to consider creating areas for street events and places to sit and enjoy the street and its buildings.
The Causey Community Action
West Crosscauseway (otherwise known as The Causey) is a street that runs east-west and historically links two of the principal roads running south out of town. Members of the local community have been working at grassroots level to transform a neglected, car dominated cityscape into a vibrant, people-friendly place that celebrates the history and spirit of the Southside of Edinburgh.
We are asking you to support The Causey project and send messages encouragement as they face the next stage in planning. Find out more and how to take action to make your voice heard.
Success on A-boards
Edinburgh Living Streets Group is celebrating the result of years of campaign work which led to a transformation of the city streets. City of Edinburgh Councillors on the Transport & Environment Committee have backed the plan to introduce a city-wide ban on advertising boards (A-boards) – by far the most progressive walking measure ever introduced by the Council.
TRANSFORM THE STREETS
Two years ago, Living Streets Edinburgh Group undertook “Street Audits” in conjunction with Tollcross Community Council, and found the pavement clutter was so bad that they began pressing the City Council to undertake a major review of A-board policy. It was clear that A-boards had been turning Edinburgh’s pavements into obstacle courses, which was bad news for residents, workers, visitors and tourists alike.
Council officers were wise to advocate a city-wide ban, which is the fairest and simplest way of solving the problem. The new policy will only be fully effective if it’s properly enforced. A dedicated team of enforcement officers are to be appointed to help deliver a much clearer and safer environment for everyone across the city.
To advocate for change in Edinburgh making streets fitter for walking you can get in touch with our local group.
#walkingcities
David Spaven of our Edinburgh Local Group says...
"The sensible requirement for a holistic approach to the wider problem of street clutter echoes the excellent lead given by the Council’s Street Design Guidance. It draws attention to the cumulative problems for pedestrians posed by 'signage, road markings, surface materials and street furniture including bollards, planters, cycle racks, lighting and bins'."
These are our campaign aims in Edinburgh
Living Streets' Scotland Manager, Stuart Hay, says...
Edinburgh is visually stunning, but its poorly maintained streets and pavements and lack of pedestrian areas let the city down.
Rival cities including Dublin, Oslo, Barcelona are taking traffic out the city centre and creating new places for walking and public life.
Bold proposals on walking are needed if Edinburgh is to maintain its status as a great place to live and visit.
Our Walking Cities Campaign
Living Streets is calling on the mayor and local councillors in a selection of major UK cities to pledge to make their cities healthier, cleaner and less congested by making our streets safe and inviting for everyone to walk.