Help reverse city's motoring mayhem

We do so in the interests of the city, having listened closely over several months to the views of our readers, the business community and residents of the New Town.

This scheme is serving nobody. It is damaging businesses and driving shoppers and motorists away from Edinburgh.

Thousands of you have already made your views known to us. Many of you share the concerns we have expressed. Today, we call on council leader Donald Anderson and transport chief Andrew Burns to Get it Sorted before lasting damage is done.

On the facing page we carry a poster and urge you to display it in your home or shop if you object to the 3.2 million scheme. For motorists driven to distraction by the confusion brought about by the closure of Princes Street and George Street to cars, we carry a flash which we ask you to fit to your windscreen or rear window to record your displeasure.

Below is a cut-out coupon which will allow you, your family or friends to register your dissent against the measures that have been introduced.

Simply fill in the coupon and send it to us and we will pass your protest on to the council. Or you can e-mail your protest to [email protected]

Our campaign has the backing of motoring organisations, business leaders, opposition councillors and residents' groups.

Neil Greig, head of policy with the AA in Scotland, said: "We endorse this campaign so that we can take a good look at the traffic management changes.

"Something has gone wrong. It is clear that we need more than a bit-by-bit approach - the scheme needs to be completely looked at again, with a view to making wholesale changes.

"Our main concern is that it is now really difficult for drivers to access parts of the city centre."

The Central Edinburgh Traffic Management scheme started in earnest in May, when westbound daytime traffic was banned from Princes Street. The final stage of the process began in September, when George Street was cut in half by bollards, traffic lights were introduced on the Hanover Street roundabout and numerous New Town junctions were either blocked off or closed to cars.

The council justified the changes by claiming they would enhance living and retail conditions in the centre, with traffic channelled away from quiet streets on to main arteries.

But as the project began to take shape traders, police chiefs and heritage watchdogs started to voice concerns.

Iain Whyte, east of Scotland director for international business networking group BNI, said: "We're onboard the Evening News campaign. There is no clarity coming from the council about the changes they have made.

"If the council appeared to have a plan for the future then fair enough, but they clearly don't have a vision of what they are trying to do."

Tina Woolnough, chairwoman of the Edinburgh Traffic Forum, added: "It's fantastic that the Evening News is starting a campaign because the shake-up clearly isn't working.

"It doesn't work for anybody - there are no bus stops on George Street, cars have been displaced into residential areas and motorists repeatedly find themselves in dead-ends."

The most problematic junction is where London Street meets Drummond Place. Only buses and taxis are allowed to drive between these roads, but thousands of motorists are defying the rules.

Confusing traffic lights on George Street, at its junction with Hanover Street, have been slated by motorists, while the bollards at Frederick Street have caused frustration for countless drivers.

And in the West End, motorists have been baffled by the re-opening of a junction between Queensferry Street and Princes Street - but only for buses and taxis.

New Town Tory councillor David Guest said today: "I encourage every resident, shopper, and business worker to support this campaign. The people of Edinburgh have shown in an unprecedented way how strongly they feel this is the wrong scheme."

The council has promised a full review of the scheme by next March and has vowed to make changes if necessary before then. Transport leader Andrew Burns said: "The changes have now all been introduced. No-one is seriously asking for the re-introduction of car traffic to Princes Street and the safety benefits of removing such traffic are widely recognised.

"Equally, it's clear there are problems with aspects of the wider scheme and some specific junctions are not working. I have asked that changes be made to certain junctions, as I openly discussed on the recent tour with Stephen Jardine, and a full report on these proposals will be available next week."