Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the new ‘Leith Connections’ proposals from Lindsay Road in the west through Commercial Street, Bernard Street and Baltic Street to Salamander Street in the east. https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/leithconnections/  

We acknowledge that the proposals would bring some significant improvements for pedestrians – such as ‘continuous footways’ over side road junctions, a single-stage crossing over North Junction Street at the Ocean Drive junction, and a new pavement at the eastern side of North Junction Street. 

However, it is also very concerning to see some sections of pavement actually reduced, and no improvement to many pavements that are already less than 2 metres wide – the “absolute minimum” that the Council normally considers acceptable. These seem to include these streets (the number in brackets refers to the drawing sheet):

• N Junction St 1.5m (1)
• Lindsay Rd (S) 1.54m (2) 
• Lindsay Rd (N) 1,67m (3)
• Commercial St (N) 1.8m (3)
• Salamander St  (N) 1.85m (14)
• Salamander St  (N) 1.8m (14)
• Salamander St  (S) 1.95m (16)
• Salamander St  (N) 1.27m (17)
• Salamander St  (S) 1.5m (17)

Pavements which are at least two metres wide is also the minimum recommended in national UK guidance such as Inclusive Mobility, allowing for adequate use by pedestrians using mobility aids including walking sticks and wheelchairs as well as by parents with small children, etc. bit.ly/IncMobility

There also appear to be ten ‘floating bus stops’ (which mean people getting on and off the bus have to cross a cycle lane when boarding or alighting).  We know this design is a serious concern to many disabled and blind people, as evidenced by calls from all the major visual impairment charities (RNIB, Guide Dogs for the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind UK) for a halt to their use and/or removal of existing stops.  Some of the bus stops proposed do not even appear to conform to the minimum standards for footway and/or island width as defined by the Council’s own Street Design Guidance. 

The plan would also remove some bus stops altogether, as well as significant sections of bus lane on Lindsay Road and Commercial Street. Many of these changes are not highlighted on the Council’s consultation. Many were raised as concerns needing to be addressed in earlier consultations for example in the minutes of the 2021 Community Reference Group. 

The size of the cycleway itself is also limited by the constrained street space, and is not continuous owing to the Bernard Street pinch point in particular.  We understand also that some parts (especially in Salamander Street) would require additional land take which brings a significant degree of uncertainty over the viability of the whole scheme.

In view of these multiple problems, we query whether this is the best route for the cycleway at all, and whether a different east-west route would be better. For example, running behind the buildings to the north of Commercial Street, over the newly traffic-free Sandport Bridge and along Leith Links, where there is already a well established cycle route which could well be enhanced. 

This would avoid introducing unwelcome impacts on pedestrians and bus passengers by trying to accommodate too many travel modes in an insufficient space – the problem we have seen all too clearly on Leith Walk. This would also provide more traffic-free sections for the cycle route and presumably be significantly cheaper to build.