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Minister announces Home Zones trials in Scotland

 

 

Transport and Environment Minister Sarah Boyack announced at the Home Zones conference in Stirling that Scottish local authorities would be invited to "participate in a pilot exercise to monitor the effectiveness of Home Zones in Scotland".

 

There are already nine pilots in England involving the DETR and three are now planned for Scotland. Until the conference the official line from the Scottish Executive was that consideration of Home Zones would depend on the results of the DETR trials, which would not be known for three years.

Press Release

 

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Transport Convener Speaks to SPOKES

 

Mark Lazarowicz has been Transport Convener since May when he replaced David Begg. Since then he has shown considerable commitment to walking, cycling and 'sustainable transport'.

Councillor Lazarowicz told a packed SPOKES public meeting about the council's Local Transport Strategy (Download available at bottom of page). This is a fairly radical and ambitious plan that is very much the sort of strategy that SPOKES has been calling for for many years. Unfortunately, as with UK wide transport policies, there are real dangers that it will be watered down or abandoned due to pressure from the 'motoring lobby' and sustained adverse comment from a wide range of newspapers.

The Council has sent a consultation document summarising the LTS to all households in Edinburgh - complete with reply paid postcard. It is important that these are returned - especially by people who support the idea of a better deal for cyclists and pedestrians. If you've had a copy through your door, please fill it in and post it. If not get one from your local library or 'phone 469.3914.

In response to a question from a member of James Gillespie's Primary School Safe Routes to School Group Councillor Lazarowicz agreed that paid Cycle Trainers seemed like a good idea. SPOKES and Lothian Safe Routes will continue to press the Council and Government in line with the proposals by the RDRF (see above)

Midlothian Council is celebrating today after receiving £800,000 to build a segregated cycle and pedestrian bridge over the busy Sheriffhall roundabout. This will link the Midlothian communities North and South of the City Bypass. It will be integral to the future development of the South-East wedge pedestrian and cycle routes and very much welcomed by those cyclists who currently brave the 'unfriendly' Sheriffhall roundabout.

The full project cost of £1million will be made up from the Scottish Executive Public Transport Fund grant, along with contributions from Midlothian Council, Scottish National Heritage and landfill tax credits via Sustrans.

Work will start almost immediately on planning the new bridge which will sweep from Old Dalkeith Road, linking with the current off-road route, across the Bypass and the A6106 with an off-ramp linking to proposed cycle lanes on the A7 heading towards the new Royal Infirmary.