Below is an update from Council Officers on what’s planned next for Lanark Road. I am concerned that CEC proposes presenting solutions to Community Councils and residents with the aim of gaining feedback. I feel a better process would be to engage with residents/businesses to understand what they feel the challenges/opportunities are, and then use the outputs to generate designs for feedback.
I have also raised concerns as it appears that only those residents living on the Lanark Road will have a say. I feel this should be expanded to include businesses and addresses on adjacent streets.
Update – At the foot of this blog is a Q&A section on this briefing.
Update – At the foot of this blog (after the Q&A section) I have included the slide pack that will be the “starting point” for discussions with Community Councils.
Briefing
As you will be aware we recently completed a consultation exercise on the potential retention of Spaces for People measures. This was followed by the publication of the report on keeping these measures, which was considered at the meeting of the city’s Transport and Environment Committee on 17 June. The decision to retain or remove measures was based on consultation results, independent market research, a review by technical officers and consideration of how well such changes fit with the Council’s long-term transport policy objectives.
At this meeting it was agreed that a final decision on moving forward with the schemes should be made at the 24 June meeting of the City of Edinburgh Council.
Council motion on Lanark Road
The Council voted to approve the report, with requests from Councillors to revisit the infrastructure and design of the Lanark Road corridor. Officers have been asked to engage with Lanark Road residents and local Community Councils to:
- achieve cycle speed mitigation measures
- reconsider parking provision where parking spaces sit outside protected cycle lanes, with a view to mitigating potential conflict and safety concerns as soon as practicable on the ground
To help us make more informed decisions, we are also currently monitoring traffic through the area, using cross-modal counters. You can read the full motion here.
We are now commencing with the required engagement with Community Councils and Local Residents – this engagement will take place over the coming weeks through the following means.
Meeting with Community Councils
Council officers are now developing proposed revisions to the cycle lanes on Lanark Road which aim to address concerns regarding cycle speed, and conflict at floating parking bays. We will discuss these proposals with representatives from the relevant Community Councils and have invited two representatives from each to attend an online discussion forum next week. At this meeting we will present a number of proposed changes and seek feedback and input on cycle speed mitigation and parking provision.
Residents’ survey
The outcomes of this meeting in terms of proposals will be detailed in a survey on the Council’s website, which will be circulated to residents on Lanark Road via letter drop. This will allow us to gather a good sample of opinion in the local area in relation to the changes proposed.
The results of survey will help us to mitigate the concerns which have been voiced regarding this scheme and will sit alongside the results from the previous consultation when elected members decide on whether this scheme should be retained in the longer term.
Follow up meeting with Community Councils
Ahead of the publication of the report in early September, and following the resident survey, we will reconvene the same group of Community Councils to discuss the findings from the survey. At this meeting officers will present a summary of the feedback from the Survey and outline officers proposals to be considered at the September meeting of the Transport and Environment Committee.
We hope that you find this information useful, please let us know if you have any questions.
Questions and Answers
Q. I am concerned that CEC proposes presenting solutions to Community Councils and residents with the aim of gaining feeding. Would a better process not be to engage with residents/businesses to understand what they feel the challenges/opportunities are, and then use the outputs to generate designs for feedback?
A. The officers will be presenting options within the parameters of the approved motion to generate discussion. This is not a definitive or closed option list but provides ideas of what could be changed to address the points in the motion. Following the Community Council meeting and resident survey the information gathered can be considered and proposals changed.
Q. It also appears that only those residents living on the Lanark Road will have a say. Can this be expanded to include businesses and addresses on adjacent streets?
A. This will include businesses within the attached plan. This has been expanded from the original letter drop area.
Q. Please could you confirm with which Community Councils you are engaging and will elected members receive the final summary and feedback in advance as well as the CCs?
A. We have invited the following Community Councils: Balerno, Currie, Juniper Green and Baberton Mains, Colinton, Craiglockhart and Longstone. So far we have received confirmation that Juniper Green and Baberton Mains CC and Longstone CC will be in attendance. Elected members will receive the full summary in advance of the TEC.
Q. Is the letter drop to the same addresses that received notification of the initial works?
A. We are increasing the letter drop area as per the attached plan. This adds in adjacent streets up to 100-150m from Lanark Road and streets that can only be accessed from Lanark Road such as Hailes Grove.
Q. And, so I am clear, is the survey both postal and electronic through website?
A. The letter that will be sent out will provide details of how people can request a paper copy of the survey so it is accessible to people who do not have the internet or who are not familiar or do not like using web based surveys.
Q. Is the survey subject to market research or any weighting and is it all “in-house” or are other agencies involved?
A. The survey is not subject to market research but is to inform officer and councillors of the residents opinions on the measures regarding the specific points of the motion and is all “in-house”.
Dr Scott Arthur 
It doesn’t seem like we will have any input, despite having two kids at the nursery and using Lanark road all the time to take them there. I’m not sure I have faith in the immediate residents to go for an outcome that is good for everyone vs good for themselves, but maybe I should prepare myself to be pleasantly surprised?
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Hi Scott
I’m taking this as a prompt, though my concern is about the measures on Comiston Road.
With all the various markings, especially south of Morningside Clock and Greenbank lights, it feels like an obstacle course, potentially unsafe because having to read the frequently changing road markings as well as attending to the traffic conditions can easily distract a driver’s attention from the road and traffic conditions. If its confusing for locals, what about visitors?)
Taking out the equivalent of a lane (or two) means only one lane each way with lateral limitations (posts as well as lines) constraining the traffic flow on a major road in and out of the city. This slows everything down (compounded by additional traffic as a result of the closure of Braid Road). Buses lead processions up Comiston Road, with following traffic often unable to pass at stops. Stationary or slow-moving traffic produces more pollution than traffic moving at normal speed (and more efficient engine speed) spending less time in transit.
I’m also increasingly aware ( especially when in the garden or in the park) of emergency vehicles having to sound warmings to try to get rough slow-moving thick traffic. There’s often nowhere for other traffic to pull aside to let them past.
Sooner Braid and Comiston Roads can be restored to their original capacity and confusing road marking removed, the better and safer for all concerned.
Cheers
liz
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Hi Liz, you should have got my leaflet on this today. Basically, the Braid & Comiston Road reviews will start soon. I don’t think this will lead to them being scrapped, but it should give people a say on improvements.
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I think it is definitely a survey for residents and businesses of Lanark road and side streets as then any random could complete and would not be true reflection on tax payers in the area. How do the council propose to achieve cycle speed as according to highway code for cycling no speed limit although it does say on there no pavement cycling and should wear helmets but neither happening. One major issue is eg turn right from Kingsknowe park you have to sit in cycle lane then ease out and sit in road as floating car parking spaces prevent your view of traffic coming up hill it is horrific.even crossing road dangerous hate living on Lanark road now .
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