Traffic ban plan for Holyrood Park

TRAFFIC could be banned from Holyrood Park under new measures being considered in the wake of safety fears.

Residents in Duddingston Village say increasing numbers of vehicles have led to road safety concerns and a rising number of road rage incidents.

Duddingston Village Conservation Society has called for an existing ban on commercial vehicles to be enforced, but has stopped short of calling for Holyrood Park to be closed to all traffic.

However, that option is now among those being looked at by the city council as part of a review of existing traffic measures in the royal park.

Lindsey Crofts, secretary of the Duddingston Village Conservation Society, said Old Church Lane, the narrow road at the east side of Holyrood Park, had seen increasing numbers of heavy commercial vehicles. She said: "There are frequently road rage incidents when traffic gets stuck coming along the lane.

"There is already legislation in place which bans all commercial vehicles except taxis, but that's never been enforced."

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But she said campaigners did not want to see a complete ban on vehicles using the park. She added: "What we want is for the current legislation to be enforced more effectively. The park should be open to people to visit and drive through, but it should not be an arterial route."

Campaigners are also calling for the 30mph speed limit in the park to be better enforced.

Local councillor Ewan Aitken rubbished a report into the subject which went before the council's transport committee earlier this week after putting forward a motion calling for the issue to be examined.

He said: "It was about as unhelpful a report as I have seen at a council committee.

"It singularly failed to do anything my motion requested."

The council has now called for a new report, but any final decision would have to be approved by Historic Scotland, which looks after the park.

A spokeswoman said: "We would be very interested to hear the outcomes of the new report and would be happy to provide any information required."

City transport convener Councillor Gordon Mackenzie added: "Having listened to the conservation society's concerns, the committee agreed that a further report should be brought forward re-examining the options for managing traffic flows through the village."