Trams are a far from welcome diversion

Published on Friday 7 March 2008 08:15

It's the port's turn to endure a tram-related roadblock and residents aren't appeased by reports of free-flowing traffic in the city centre.

THEY have already endured months of roadworks and traffic jams on Leith Walk, now residents and businesses in the Port are bracing themselves for yet another round of tram-related chaos.

It emerged yesterday that Constitution Street in Leith will be the next major city artery to close as part of preparation work on Edinburgh's 498 million tram line – raising fears that the area will grind to a halt.

Work is due to start at the end of this month when "road closed" signs will be erected in stages to keep disruption to a minimum. However, work on the vital route means buses, cars and lorries will be filtered into surrounding streets, many of them residential and some of them bordering schools and parkland. There is mounting concern that one of the key diversion routes – the narrow, cobbled Manderston Street – could become a bottleneck.

&#149 Click here to open PDF map of bus and car and diversion routes

Today, locals spoke of fears that the six-month programme of work would push more traffic into gridlocked streets already affected by seven months of utility diversion work on Leith Walk.

Tram company Transport Initiatives Edinburgh's handling of the announcement was criticised by businesses and residents who will be directly affected, amid claims they were given no warning of the road diversion plans.

News that the Constitution Street phase of work will begin on March 31 – preceded by work to remove speed bumps on affected streets – comes just days after the start of five-month long closure of Shandwick Place and a string of diversions in the city centre.

While city centre traffic chaos appears not to have materialised, Linda Tarbuck, joint chairwoman of Leith Links Residents' Association, believes it will be a different experience among the more residential roads around Constitution Street

"It sounds as if traffic will be detoured around very residential areas where there are a lot of children, close by Leith Academy on John's Place and beside the park. No doubt there will be buses and heavy vehicles along streets that aren't used to such heavy traffic.

"Road closures and changes like these make it very difficult for people trying to use buses in particular, their journey time is extended as there is no longer a bus lane, while people who are driving to town encounter problems and roadworks at every turn. We've already had to put up with the situation on Leith Walk and we've had road works on Easter Road."

The first phase of the work involves three key sections: from the foot of Leith Walk to Laurie Street; Coatfield Lane to Queen Charlotte St and Mitchell Street to Baltic Street.

It means northbound traffic will be diverted off Leith Walk on to Dalmeny Street and on to Easter Road, and further diversions will take traffic along Duncan Place and John's Place on to Queen Charlotte Street. Southbound traffic will also flow from Constitution Street on to Queen Charlotte Street, along John's Place and Duncan Place, rejoining Leith Walk at Manderston Street, which will become one way. It is the news that Manderston Street will become a key artery which has taken local businesses by surprise.

"This is the first I've heard that we'll be affected," said a spokesman at the Mecca bingo hall in Manderston Street. "Because we're on a side street, I didn't think we'd be directly affected."

Raymond Clark of Dunwell Coachworks, one of six motor repair business in Manderston Street, was also unaware that the road is to become a major one way diversion route. "Most of what's here is motor trade business so there's always cars parked at the side of the road and vehicles coming and going all the time.

"I'm not aware of any consultation to say this was going to happen.

It will pose problems as we are often out shifting cars in and out. We've had to stop the traffic to get cars in and out before, so we'll just have to do that more."

Transport Initiatives Edinburgh (TIE) today insisted it was working with businesses and residents to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.

"We will be using the same model in Constitution Street as we have at Shandwick Place although we are aware that this very much a residential area and that there are different issues to deal with," says a spokesman.

"We realise it is much more complex and there are more pieces of the jigsaw that need to fit."

At St Mary's Star of the Sea RC Church at 106 Constitution Street, the Rev John McFadden has already raised concerns with the tram company amid fears the road closure could affect church life. "We have written to TIE with our concerns that we will need 24 hour emergency access for emergency calls, funerals and weddings. That has been our main concern," he says.

Meanwhile, Mary Moriaty, boss of the Port O'Leith pub in Constitution Street fears further road disruption in the area will turn tourists away from visiting the port. "You've just got to look at Leith Walk to see how much disruption it all causes, there's barriers up, the pavements are a mess – it doesn't exactly encourage people to enter the area.

"Tourists might keep on coming because they want to see Britannia and other attractions, but having to sit for ages in a traffic jam to get here isn't going to make them very happy. I only hope they will be thirsty after sitting in a traffic jam and still come in for a drink."

Work in the area will continue over three phases, with phase two beginning at the end of May and the final four week stage starting in August.

As well as diversions and detours, certain roads will become one way routes: Duke Street will become one-way eastbound; Manderston Street becomes one-way west bound with traffic lights at the junction with Leith Walk, while around 100 car park spaces will be lost on Duncan Place. Around 80 businesses and 2000 residents are expected to be directly affected – however locals believe the impact will be much more widely felt.

"This will cause pandemonium on the surrounding roads," argues Andrew Usher of Salamander Street. "Drivers will be left with just two options, to cut along The Shore, which is already so busy during the rush hour that traffic slows to a stop, or to go along Salamander Street and cut through the residential streets around the links. The suggestion that Manderston Street could be used as a main thoroughfare is ridiculous."

Residents' association spokeswoman Ms Tarbuck says traffic will simply find alternative routes – often clogging roads not intended as major thoroughfares.

"Road users diverted from Shandwick Place are having to be rather creative and find different routes, but that means they are putting pressure on traffic in other areas not really designed to cope with the extra traffic. I'm sure that's exactly what will happen here."

&#149 Two consultation meetings are planned for residents in the area. They will be held on March 12 at St Mary Star of the Sea Hall in Constitution Street from 1.30pm and on March 13 at Leith Community Centre from 6pm.

Business beginning to get back on track in the West End

TRADERS in the West End are reporting business starting to pick up after a quiet start to the week as Shandwick Place was closed for trams roadworks.

There has been little evidence of the predicted roads chaos in the area, although the quiet streets have been compared to those on New Year's Day.

Iona Ritchie, manager of Cockburns delicatessen, on Queensferry Street, said shoppers were starting to return.

"I was quite concerned at the start of the week because things were really quiet in the area, but they seem to have gradually picked up," she said.

"We're lucky, though, because we're round the corner from Shandwick Place. I think things might be worse for the businesses there. Customers keep coming in and saying it's as quiet as it is on New Year's Day.

"I'll never be happy about the trams, though. They are causing a lot of upheaval and for no reason."

Michael Apter, owner of Paper Tiger, on Stafford Street, and chairman of the West End Association, said: "Despite predictions to the contrary, we haven't seen any chaos in this part of town. In fact I was walking around yesterday in the area and I was pleasantly surprised by how calm everything was.

"It's early days but we have been involved in the planning process from the start and there is every reason to believe that things are going to continue in a positive manner." Joshua Miller, vice-chairman of the West End Association and a director of Charlie Miller on Stafford Street, said: "There are two things I've noticed since the work began. The first is how quickly people have adapted to the changes and the second is that there has been less traffic in the area. In fact so far everything has all gone very smoothly. This is despite scare-mongering to the contrary.

"I think we need to accept that there is going to be a certain amount of upheaval while the work goes on but we need to look at the bigger picture.

"We're delighted that there is going to be a tram stop in the West End. It can only be a good thing for the people in the area and it is in our best interests to support the tram company while the work is going on.

"It's too early to tell how things will pan out in the long run but in the meantime we need to be more positive."