Update from City of Edinburgh Council, Spaces for People team:

Covid-19 Cycling and Walking Emergency Response Measures

Proposed waiting/loading restriction changes to facilitate footway widening – Portobello High Street

Following our email of 26 June advising that we would notify you once further details were available for the proposals above, we are pleased to be able to provide these now.

We would suggest that you view the attached plan to see the detail of what is proposed. In summary it shows:

• Widened footways on the north-east side between opposite Fishwives’ Causeway and Beach Lane to provide additional capacity for social distancing and to aid businesses reopening.
• Retention of parking spaces outside the Town Hall and off-peak parking on the north east side of the High Street east of Brighton Place to support local businesses.
• Significant widening of the south west footway from Brighton Place to Portobello surgery, including very narrow section outside numbers 225 – 251.
• All bus stops are retained.

In the first instance these measures will be introduced quickly using temporary traffic management equipment, such as cones. Where deemed suitable, this equipment will then be replaced with more robust semi-permanent materials once available.

Given the urgency to make the required changes any comments relating to these proposals should be received by 1200hrs on Friday 10 July to spacesforpeople@edinburgh.gov.uk.

All feedback will be reviewed and where possible the scheme will be further refined. Feedback will be summarised in an assessment feedback form which will be presented to the Council Incident Management Team for approval. Please note that we will be unable to respond to each and every email.

If the proposal is approved for implementation, publicity will then be undertaken so that local people are aware of the changes. A dedicated inbox will help us to manage any feedback around proposals – spacesforpeople@edinburgh.gov.uk

 The introduction of, or changes to, any restrictions will be implemented under emergency delegated decision-making powers using a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order.

Regards
Spaces for People Team