20mph zone - 'At least the council made concessions'

The council's plan to create a giant 20mph zone across a large swathe of the city was always likely to run into trouble - and so it has proved.

There should perhaps be a sign warning accident scene ahead for politicians determined to revolutionise the ingrained habits of the city's car drivers.

Cutting the speed limit on 25 miles of the Capital's streets, from Holyrood Park to Blackford Hill, may not be as ambitious as trying to introduce a congestion charge but the outcome is looking remarkably similar - lots of unhappy people.

Lothian Buses is the latest to raise concerns about the potential for significant disruption to services, while the police have quite reasonably warned the council it cannot rely on them to enforce the new limit in side streets.

At least the council has been ready to make major concessions, stripping out many of the busiest roads from its plans, in order to address the concerns. That is a refreshing change after so many public consultations that leave the feeling the whole process was nothing more than a way of paying lip service to what citizens want.

But what they must avoid now at all costs is the temptation to ditch their commitment to steer clear of speed bumps. In the absence of real policemen regularly patrolling side streets, the sleeping variety may seem like a good alternative. But they are deeply unpopular - and with good reason, because they hamper the emergency services and public buses, and motorists worry about the damage they cause their cars.

Besides, other UK cities have shown that it is possible to slow cars to speeds close to 20mph outside schools and in other sensitive areas without resorting to speed bumps.

Room with a view

Some will despair at the prospect of yet another "budget" hotel moving on to Princes Street.

There will be particular disappointment that the initial talk of a four or five-star hotel moving into the block where Burger King used to be, rivalling the Balmoral across the road, has vanished into thin air.

But would the naysayers prefer that the upper floors of this prominent property remained empty or used simply as storage rooms with spectacularly wasted views?

The important thing is that the city is continuing to attract hotels and the tourists that fill them during the economic downturn.

And there are plenty of alternative, and arguably more suitable, spots for a five-star venue when one is ready to investin Edinburgh.