Travel information for the Queensferry Crossing Experience

When the announcement was made on the planned Queensferry Crossing walkover in September, we quickly made contact with Transport Scotland about the transport arrnagements.

Recent events including the launch of the HMS Elizabeth have caused a great deal of congestion in and around Queensferry. We are keen to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum when the crossing event takes place in September.

Here is the information we got back from Transport Scotland.

Dear Councillor Lang

Thank you for your e-mail to Transport Scotland regarding the transport arrangements for the Queensferry Crossing Experience on 2nd and 3rd September 2017.

For successful applicants in the ballot, the only way to reach the Queensferry Crossing on the day is via one of our Queensferry Crossing Experience travel hubs. Successful applicants will be assigned to their nearest travel hub. Each successful applicant and their group will receive a bus departure time.

Upon completion of each Queensferry Crossing Experience, buses will return people directly to their original travel hub. Departure points will be clearly sign-posted at the Queensferry Crossing. By adopting this approach it will minimise the impact on the local roads and communities immediately adjacent to the site. I can assure you that City of Edinburgh council officials are invited to all the planning meetings relating to the Queensferry Crossing Experience.

Parking is limited at the travel hubs so we are recommending using public transport to reach them where possible. Parking spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. As soon as these spaces have been filled, individuals will have to park out with the hub and at their own risk.

For information, there will be a limited number of disabled parking spaces available at each travel hub. These spaces will also be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

I hope this has been helpful and I will provide you with further details of the arrangements that have been made in the near future.

 

Plans for new housing at Dalmeny approved

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The Council’s new planning committee has approved the proposals to build 15 new homes next to Bankhead Road on the field behind Wester Dalmeny cottages.

The decision was reached after a site visit by committee members and officials.  Cllr Kevin Lang, representatives of the Queensferry & District Community Council and some local residents were also present.

As your local councillors, we had submitted a formal request for a full hearing at the planning committee before a decision was taken.  This would have allowed us and the community council to talk to our detailed concerns on the development, specifically the issues around safe access from Bankhead Road as well as the size and shape of the proposed houses. Unfortunately, the committee decided against holding a hearing and instead proceeded to support the application.

Whilst we are obviously disappointed with the decision, we want to thank the local residents who worked so hard to try and suggest improvements to the proposals.  We still think a more appropriate development could have been agreed for this site and one which commanded more support from people in the village.

We will always work hard to represent local views and protect the unique character of Dalmeny as an important conservation area.

Waste collection issues

Since our election in May we have been surprised and frustrated at the number of complaints about missed collections and damaged bins.

At the first ‘normal’ full council meeting on Thursday Louise asked a question of the new Convenor for Environment about the quality of the service.

While pleased to hear that a new monitoring system is being introduced and new supervisor roles to work on reliability of service, Louise raised the issue over the inconsistent service including particular streets in Kirkliston and Queensferry.

The Convenor has agreed to meet with Louise to get into more detail about these issues.

Thank you to those of you who have already taken the time to complete our waste survey. Please do take 2mins to do this if you have time as it is helping to build up a case file of specific examples that can be taken to that meeting.

Burnshot Bridge update

This week saw the first ‘normal’ meeting of the new Edinburgh City Council. Kevin’s very first question was to the new Transport Convener on when the Burnshot Bridge will reopen.

The new Convener (Lesley Macinnes) confirmed the centre section of the bridge needs to be removed and that this work will be undertaken in the autumn. She said planning was underway for this to happen probably over a weekend as it will obviously require the A90 to be closed.

She also said the removal of the centre section would allow a fuller investigation into the refurbishment and replacement options. A recommended option will be then presented to Transport and Environment Committee prior to the programme of work commencing.

She confirmed the bridge is unlikely to re-open before the Summer of 2018.

Kevin was allowed a follow up question so emphasised the disruption this was all causing. He said how concerned he was that the bridge could be closed for a full two years before being reopened. He asked her to make this a priority and return with a more definitive timetable so folk can feel progress is being made.

Both of us will continue to pass on any information we get.

New community council for Muirhouse / Salvesen

If you live in Muirhouse and the Salvesens and want to be a voice to improve your community then why not stand for the new community council?

Nominations are open until this Friday and it’s easy to apply.

As councillors, we already work with community councils in Queensferry, Kirkliston, Cramond & Barnton and Ratho & District. We’re looking forward to working with the new community champions in Muirhouse and the Salvesens too.

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/…/nominations_open_for_muirhous…

Edinburgh Airport update

One of our first acts as your new local councillors has been to submit our response to Edinburgh Airport’s second consultation on flight path changes.

During our campaign, we promised to do three things;
1. To oppose the changes towhich would see aircraft routed over Queensferry when departing to the west,…
2. To push for changes to the easterly departure route so aircraft are flown further away from Cramond and Barnton,
3. To campaign for the same kind of night time flying restrictions which already exist for Stasted, Gatwick and Heathrow airports.

We have worked with Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP and submitted a detailed response on these points.

We have explained how horrified we and the local community is by the airport’s U-turn. This came after earlier assurances that Queensferry would not be impacted by the flight path changes. We have submitted our petition of over 1,000 names against the propose new route.

On Cramond, we have worked with the Cramond Noise Action Group and endorsed their constructive ideas for changes which could also help reduce noise from arriving aircraft from the east.

We will be looking to meet with the airport in the coming weeks to discuss all these issues.

Edinburgh Tower Blocks

Following the tragic incident at Grenfell House in London yesterday, Edinburg Council has rightly been reviewing the conditions for tower blocks here in the city, including those in our ward.

Based on their understanding of the materials reportedly used in Grenfell House, Council officials tell us they are satisfied that the same types have not been used in over-cladding blocks in Edinburgh. Officials are keeping this under review as information is upda…ted.

We know that officials have made an effort to be visible around local tower blocks and to reassure residents regarding the approach being taken to fire safety in their buildings.

Officials are also commissioning a full review of fire safety in tower blocks. This will include evaluation of all cladding materials and methods, but will further include fire safety procedures, fire prevention and fire suppression.

If you have any concerns then don’t hesitate to get in touch with either of us.

In the meantime, all our thoughts, sympathies and prayers go to those who were caught up in such a terrible tragedy in London.

Success as new Lothians service to Queensferry and Dalmeny gets underway.

It’s great to see the new Lothian 43/X43 bus up and running in Queensferry and Dalmeny.

The whole community fought hard to get this new service. We want to thank the thousands of people who signed our petition and the hundreds who joined us in writing to the Council and Lothian Buses. It’s now important to make the new service a success.

You can see all the route and timetable information here.
www.lothiancountry.co.uk

…and to our constituents in Kirkliston, our fight to get a new service to the village continues. We’ll be meeting the Lothians Managing Director to make the case for this over the next few weeks.

Edinburgh Tower Blocks

Following the tragic incident at Grenfell House in London yesterday, Edinburg Council has rightly been reviewing the conditions for tower blocks here in the city, including those in our ward.

Based on their understanding of the materials reportedly used in Grenfell House, Council officials tell us they are satisfied that the same types have not been used in over-cladding blocks in Edinburgh. Officials are keeping this under review as information is upda…ted.

We know that officials have made an effort to be visible around local tower blocks and to reassure residents regarding the approach being taken to fire safety in their buildings.

Officials are also commissioning a full review of fire safety in tower blocks. This will include evaluation of all cladding materials and methods, but will further include fire safety procedures, fire prevention and fire suppression.

If you have any concerns then don’t hesitate to get in touch with either of us.

In the meantime, all our thoughts, sympathies and prayers go to those who were caught up in such a terrible tragedy in London.

Kirkliston broadband update

Virgin Media has announced that it will be rolling out its ultra fast broadband to Kirkliston. There will be a community drop in event at the bowling club on Monday evening.

We’ve already asked some questions of Virgin Media (VM) and managed to get some more info which we wanted to share.

– When work will start?
The work is due to start on 5th June in the Gateside and the Liston Road / Allan Park areas. These communities will be constructed while VM is awaiting access to the main arterial routes (Path Brae / High Street / Main Street / Station Road / Queensferry Road). VM aim is to complete all main routes in the six weeks of the school holidays.

– How long the works would take?
VM hope to have the main traffic routes complete by the 2nd week in August at the absolute latest , However VM expects to be working in the housing areas until around November and possibly into December.

– What kind of disruption could be expected?
Main disruption will be on the main routes during the school holidays with parking suspensions and temp traffic lights. VM say they will work along with Scottish Water to carry out the works on the Main Street at the same time as their sewerage pipe to try and minimise disruption. In terms of other residential streets, VM aim would be to spend no longer than 1 week possibly 2 weeks for larger streets. Walkboards will be provided to allow ingress and egress to and from properties for residents.

– When you would expect that customers would be able to start receiving the new service?
Once VM has provided the main routes and constructed the V HUB, some areas may be able to gain the new broadband service from late September but this is always subject to change.