AN EDINBURGH group has criticised a new report which will be considered at a meeting this week regarding spending as part of the council’s City Mobility Plan.
Living Streets Edinburgh, a group which champions walking and wheeling to get around, has slammed a report which will be considered on Thursday at the City of Edinburgh Council’s transport and environment committee meeting.
Recommendations in the report will be reviewed in regard to spending priorities as part of the City Mobility Plan.
The group has expressed their disappointment at the recommendations failing to prioritise walking.
David Hunter, convener of the Living Streets Edinburgh group said: “We are very disappointed to see recommendations in the report to councillors which don’t put walking first.
“In particular, the council’s new programmes to make streets more accessible for disabled people (Edinburgh Accessible Streets Initiative) and to make it easier to cross the road (Action for Better Crossings) are nowhere to be seen.
“We want to see more investment in simple practical improvements across every city neighborhood – things like road safety, travel to school, better pavements and pedestrian crossings.
“Too much money is going on expensive prestige projects rather than local everyday improvements.”
Living Streets has written to councillors to address their concerns, raising the fact that the two programmes focusing on improving accessibility and making it easier to cross roads do not feature in the report.
The group advise that they would like to see the report deferred, and for a new report to be brought forward which includes the accessible streets initiative, and the action for better crossings programme.
They also hope for a report which has a “more strategic approach to future investment.”
Living Streets Edinburgh is a group which aims to promote walking and wheeling as a safe, enjoyable, accessible and healthy way to travel around the capital.
The City of Edinburgh Council has been contacted for comment.
