Letter: Edinburgh for us

City of Edinburgh Council leader Jenny Dawe's comments (your report, 22 February) are very disturbing for residents.

By her own admission Gehl Architects' brief was "to review Princes Street, Rose Street and George Street". One quick fix is "extending pavements on the north of George Street to encourage alfresco cafes".

There are already plenty of alfresco cafes on the north side of George Street and they don't seem to impede pedestrians. If you widen the pavement traffic will slow down and produce more air pollution. Reroute the buses from George and Princes Street within four years, and where will they go?

The re-routing of buses is crucial. This needs to be resolved before any action plans affecting pedestrianisation of George Street and Princes Street are agreed. It is insufficient to say that the impact of the proposals will be subject to review and monitoring at some time in the future. By then it will be too late.

For hundreds of years Edinburgh has been "a city of the senses, a place for people". Yes, it must evolve but its city centre must not be allowed to develop by stealth into a version of a Disney "Magic Kingdom" where the main beneficiaries are the visitors.

Richard Wood

Great Stuart Street

Edinburgh