Action on a dangerous Edinburgh road is welcome, but needs to be taken more quickly, according to a city councillor.
Early last month, an 80-year-old woman was hospitalised after she was struck by a black BMW on Ashley Terrace, an area where traffic campaigners have long said speed reduction measures need to be put in place.
The council promised to take action almost three years ago, but little work has been carried out until recently.
Late last month, the city carried out a traffic survey on the road, and this month told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that new crossings and road modifications should be complete by the end of this financial year.
Conservative councillor Christopher Cowdy, who represents the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart ward, said the action was welcome – but should happen sooner.
He said: “This has been going on for so long. This should have been done last year. It should have been done probably years ago.
“The time frames keep getting pushed out, and it is very, very frustrating. Even saying in this financial year leaves a very large window.”
Cllr Cowdy has been encouraging a local primary school’s parent council to work with Merchiston Community Council to apply for funding from the city for other traffic calming measures.
He also said that the city had been exploring some temporary traffic calming measures as a result of the May speed survey, such as speed reactive lights that flash when a car passes the speed limit.
Cllr Cowdy also said he has tried to get Police Scotland to monitor traffic along the road, but with mixed results.
He continued: “The problem, obviously, is that the police have gone down and had a look and monitored speeding, and have come back and said, ‘we cannot find any evidence of speeding’.
“That is because they send a fully-clothed, visibility vested police person down there to stand by the side of the road with a speed gun.
“I would suggest that every single driver who sees them from 200 metres away easily slows down.”
He said that the traffic survey carried out by the council in May showed that ‘significant traffic’ was exceeding the speed limit, especially around school pick up and drop off times.
Labour councillor Stephen Jenkinson, the convener of the Transport and Environment Committee, said: “Road safety is top of our priorities and we’ve been listening to the concerns of local residents in relation to the junction at Ashley Terrace and Harrison Gardens, particularly given the recent road traffic collision which took place there.
“Last month we carried out speed surveys in the area, which will help us to investigate potential speed reduction measures there.
“This is in addition to plans in place for two footpath build-outs on Ashley Terrace, which will help people to cross the road safely.”
By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
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