Thread by @blackfordsafer1

A good article summarising Thursday's transport committee. Complete with misleading statements from Labour and Lib Dem councillors
news.stv.tv/east-central/c…

"“Previously quiet streets in the area have been turned into rat runs, that are less safe for pedestrians and cyclists, that work against the scheme’s objectives" - Cllr Neil Ross (Lib Dem). This is a blatant lie.

The council's own report showed the scheme had achieved it's objectives, reducing traffic by 40% in the estate and no displacement. There was a very slight increase of traffic on the street Cllr Ross used to live on, but that was because the council did not implement a full LTN

Despite a full low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) being offered as an option going forwards, Cllr Ross voted against it. An existing semi-LTN that has already successfully reduced traffic by 40% and no displacement to main roads

Modal filters, also known as LTNs, reduce the risk of death and serious injury by 50% – including for drivers. The safety of people has always been at the heart of Blackford Safe Routes and we were reminded of how dangerous Edinburgh’s roads are last week

Expensive segregated cycle lanes are not appropriate for minor residential streets - they are to be reserved for main roads, where filtering is not an option

Cllr Arthur said the agreed changes would address problems with traffic cutting through the area while “keeping cyclists safe” - misleading at best. The "agreed" changes will remove filters @CllrScottArthur

@CllrScottArthur Those filters were keeping children safe & removing them will reintroduce an extra 67%* speeding through-traffic

At least the SNP & Greens showed some sense: "How can you mourn the horrific loss of a young cyclist’s life in a traffic collision and then mere hours later at your first tangible opportunity to do something and make sure this never happens again vote..."

"...vote for an option that the officer report tells us compromises on-road safety in a residential area close to schools on a route used by kids?"

"The safety benefits currently enjoyed by pedestrians in the area are as a result of those modal filters. No matter how good a segregated cycle route that goes in that will not improve the safety of pedestrians – & in particular I’m talking about school kids who are walking"

"...walking in great numbers"

Let's be clear here, we knew the LibDems / Tories would vote against safety measures. Labour were pivotal in this vote - yet Labour still voted against them, voting against the council's own report which showed a removal of the filters would negative impact on equality & poverty

It was also mildly amusing watching the councillors tie themselves up in knots with the officers over the £400k costs of the proposed Braid Ave segregated cycle lanes:

Cllrs: Can we reduce the costs by using rubber kerbs
Officers: But we used high quality materials bc you asked for them after complaints from constituents on asthetics...
Cllrs: Do we have a budget for £400k
Officers: No, we just missed the budget window

Cllrs: can we have rubber kerbs
Officers: No, they are a nightmare as they keep getting damaged, are a trip hazard and have significant ongoing maintenance costs...
Cllrs: ....? Repeat ad infinitum

. @CllrScottArthur was visibly uncomfortable during proceedings - one councillor commenting that "he'd never seen Scott take so long to sum up a motion". Labour knew they were doing something wrong and "un-Labour like"

@CllrScottArthur Meanwhile: "In a sign that the controversy about the schemes might be largely generated by politicians and the media, 58% of people did not even know they lived in an LTN" theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/m…

@CllrScottArthur A report commissioned by Sunak's govt to try to discredit LTNs, showed the opposite - that they are popular and successful

@CllrScottArthur With huge health gains: theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/m…

Meanwhile we will continue to campaign and protest for measures that *should* command cross-party support for *any* council or government. Putting children's safety at the heart @BikeBusShaw heraldscotland.com/news/24172960.…

@CllrScottArthur
@DAstonSNP
@FinlayMcF
@julebandel
@CouncillorCowdy
@SanneDD
@KatrinaFaccenda
@KayleighFONeill
@kevin_lang
@CllrBenParker

@CyclingEdin
@SheenaNimmo
@sw20
@rimc123
@TheBikeStation
@cargobikemovmnt
@Edinburgh_CC
@EdCriticalMass
@WLBikeLibrary
@LaidBackBikes
@SpokesLothian
@SpokesPorty
@Cyclesouthedin

*do the math. A 40% reduction, when reversed, translates to a 67% increase

@edi_dot_bike

With low traffic neighbourhoods paying for themselves 10 times over globalcyclingnetwork.com/general/news/m…

"If we do for this option [ripping out safety filters], people in the Braid estate, many of whom support this option, are going to be contacting us, possibly asking for some of these filters to come back... I think we have to be open to those requests." - @CllrScottArthur

Basically admitting he is doing the wrong thing
edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/edinburgh…

Apologies for the disjointed thread - we'll do something better on our blog shortly

@threadreaderapp unroll please