In March 2024, the City of Edinburgh Council’s Transport and Environment Committee voted to change our streets. From summer 2024 they plan to:

• Dismantle entirely the quiet route from Greenbank to Cluny Gardens.
• Remove all parking from Hermitage Drive and all parking on the western side of Braid Avenue.  
• Remove existing modal filters and reintroduce through traffic to this residential area.
• Install double segregated cycle lanes to the north side of Hermitage Drive and single segregated cycle lanes to each side of Braid Avenue.
• Install “floating parking” to the east side of Braid Avenue.

This work is being pursued following a recent consultation and is referred to as Option 3 (a).

The Braid Estate has seen a 40% reduction in traffic since the introduction of the Quiet Route, bringing with it added safety for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, and lower pollution levels. Council research has shown a reduction of more than 4,000 vehicles per day with no significant increase in traffic to Comiston and Morningside Roads. The Quiet Route is a success!

According to the Council’s own technical assessment, Option 3 (a) will increase traffic volumes within the Braid Estate. The loss of parking will put more pressure on parking spaces on other streets and will result in more displaced traffic looking for places to park. This will increase traffic journeys and harmful emissions in the immediate local environment. Particularly streets including Corrennie Drive/Gardens, Cluny Drive, Hermitage Gardens and Midmar Gardens.

Despite initially proposing to use higher quality materials to construct these changes, respecting the conservation area, the Council is now looking to use lower cost, second hand materials such as plastic pillars and rubber kerbs. Cyclist groups have advised that these measures will not provide the same level of safety and are not a viable solution within residential areas. This will lead to a reduction in clean and safe travel.  

Dismantling the Quiet Route and the removal of modal filters will increase the risk for cyclists and pedestrians who use these streets to commute to work, walk to school and travel for social and recreational purposes. As a conservation area, the installations will detract from the unique heritage of the Braid Estate and will cause significant inconvenience for all residents accessing properties.

The Council’s plans are significantly different to those proposed under the recent consultation, with no details on speed reduction measures, timescales or how to fund the work. We are strongly against the Council pursuing Option 3 (a) and would urge you to sign the petition to reject Option 3 (a). 

With your help, we can send a strong message to Local Government to re-consider their proposals on future local travel and resident amenity in the Braid Estate.