AS PART of a push to replace the “unsightly” security barriers on the Royal Mile, roadworks will commence next month to complete the installation of new security-rated, retractable bollards.
Security barriers installed at the behest of the UK Government in 2017, in response to the London Bridge terror attack, were only supposed to be temporary but have remained in place in the absence of a better solution.
An answer recently presented itself in the form of security-rated hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) bollards, however, and a project is underway to have all the barriers replaced.
Prohibitively expensive pricing has, in the past, been the main barrier to the project, but £1.5m has now been allocated for the installation of the bollards from the forthcoming visitor levy.
Barriers installed after the 2017 London bridge attacks to prevent HGV vehicles being used for terror attacks will be replaced with restractable security-rated bollards (C) Deadline News
This has allowed plans to move forward, and the council is now looking at the replacement of all barriers along the Royal Mile and in the Old Town.
The council decided on how to allocate funds expected to be raised from the visitor levy earlier this month, with £1.5m allocated to the bollards and millions allocated to projects around the Old Town.
One set of barriers – at the eastern end of the Lawnmarket, at the junction with George IV Bridge – were replaced last year, but further works must take place before the bollards can be fully automated.
HVM bollards are specialized, crash-tested security bollards designed to protect pedestrians, infrastructure, and crowded spaces from vehicle-based attacks or accidental ramming.
The bollards installed at the Lawnmarket are retractable underground, and, once completed, will be able to automatically react to traffic, retracting and distending accordingly.
A council spokesperson confirmed that the works are slated to commence next month.
The rest of the barriers – known as National Barrier Assets – on Johnstone Terrace, Mound Place, St Giles Street, High Street, and Cockburn Street will be replaced as part of separate programme, fully funded by the visitor levy.
Finlay McFarlane, a local councillor who represents the City Centre ward, expressed regret at the “sad reality” of terror threats on the Royal Mile but praised the bollards as a “welcome step forward”.
He said: “As a local councillor, I’m really pleased to see the completion of this new and fit for purpose infrastructure.
“It’s a sad reality that we must take precautions to keep visitors and residents safe in our highest footfall areas but it’s equally important that the measures we put in place respect the character and heritage of our city.
“Replacing the previous, unsightly barriers with something more appropriate for this historic setting is a welcome step forward.”
He said he wants to see the appearance of the Old Town reflect the area’s cultural and historical significance.
“Edinburgh’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and our public spaces should reflect that status,” he added.
“Thanks to securing funding from the visitor levy, we should now see this upgrade programme continue down the Royal Mile, replacing other barriers with solutions that are both effective and sensitive to their surroundings – a long held wish of Old Town residents and businesses.
“I’m looking forward to seeing more of these improvements delivered in the months ahead.”
There are currently no dates set for works to replace the rest of the barriers and it is unclear how long the roadworks will be in place.
Edinburgh’s new visitor levy will add a 5% surcharge on all overnight stays (for the first five nights) in Edinburgh, and is expected to raise around £90m in its first three years.
These funds were recently allocated by the council to a range of initiatives around the city.
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