I am starting this in response to the petition to reopen links gardens to traffic. Comments in response to that petition show that a lot of people support the closure, and I feel it is important that the council hears from those like me who are in favour of the closure, as well as those who are in opposition. 

Links Gardens cuts through Leith Links, one of Edinburgh's Premier Parks and Green Spaces. 

Closing the road is beneficial for several reasons, including but not limited to: 

• Providing safe access for those exercising/ enjoying the green space of the Links to cross from one side of the Links to the other without having to worry about traffic. 
• Preventing traffic and associated pollution in the middle of a lovely green space and immediately next to St Mary's RC Primary school, and on many pupils commute to Leith Primary and Leith Academy.
• Providing a safe place for all to walk, cycle, skate and roll, and reducing through traffic on a key link between the Water of Leith/The Shore and the path through the links and out to Portobello. 
• Making it much more pleasant to use the benches along Links Gardens for sitting and socialising. 

While I understand that congestion is an issue in the area, I strongly feel that reopening Links Garden would NOT do anything to mitigate this.

Given the closure of Constitution Street, reopening Links Gardens would just shift the congestion problem to Duncan Place/Academy Street for those trying to go along Duke street, (which would detrimentally impact on pupils at Leith Primary) and through Salamander Place, Elbe Street, and Water Street for those trying to reach Seafield Road. All of these are small, cobbled, mostly residential streets, unsuited to use by heavy traffic. 

A much better use of time and resources would be to review the timings of the traffic lights at Easter Road, and to encourage those coming from the east to utilise other routes more suited to their journeys during this time of many road closures in Leith due to the tram works on Leith Walk and Constitution Street.