Hello, There are two things I wanted to update you on. The first is the Council’s scheme to build a viewing platform at Murrayfield Place, or “Ruining Roseburn” as I call it. The CCWEL itself will ruin it obviously; the removal of further parking at Old Coltbridge is just another kick in the teeth.

The second is the pollution petition, which yet struggles with the Council. They declared it invalid after we first lodged it at the beginning of April; you will see it languishing here: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/directory_record/1081083/call_for_independent_air_study_analysing_the_likely_impact_of_ccwel_road_layout_changes_on_roseburn_terrace_no2_pollution_levels

In spite of the massive risk to public health that increased NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) levels represents, the Council is dodging the new data we have from our ex-SEPA expert.  (A girl of 9 died in London last year at a level of 56 ug/m3, which is what we expect for Roseburn Terrace South, post-CCWEL).

The Council declared our petition invalid because we said pollution will increase, when they said it only “may”. We immediately offered a re-write. For the sake of this one word, we have now been back and fore and yet still they stall. A month later, they know the petition if passed will kill the cycle track going through Roseburn, so they find every excuse to delay. They know we have now missed the 16th May Transport Committee date; the next one is not till 8th August. They will try and dodge matters until construction starts, at which point they will say it is too late to stop it. We must use the petition when it goes live, but we should also seek other ways to raise this.

Our only hope is to get Cllr Scott Douglas to lodge a motion to Transport Committee calling for an air study. For that he needs to know we really want it. Please email him at Scott.Douglas@edinburgh.gov.uk    There is no point in asking Frank or Gillian; they will not do it. But the Conservative offices on Roseburn Terrace lies at the epicentre of the NO2 plume, and the MSPs there will be at risk (not to mention Ruth’s baby, who will need a gas mask). We are making a video on the pollution threat, which I hope will be out next week on You-tube.  Lobbying Scott is the only way now. You can also ring his office at 529 4291

Also BTW you may have seen Christine Jardine MP’s newsletter today; she boasts of her concern for clean air in Roseburn. But when we arranged a meeting with her to discuss CCWEL NO2 risks, she cancelled it for a Brexit vote, then never got back in touch. So much for that Lib Dem

But the urgent matter also is the “Renovating Roseburn” consultation. Today the exhibition boards on the Old Coltbridge were vandalised (see above), which annoyed Rory the cycling officer no end; a local wag pointed out that the vandalism the boards experienced was as nothing compared to what the area will see once the bulldozers move in.

We have prepared a response to the Council madness in the flyer that went to 1,000 homes and can be seen here:  http://www.kidsnotsuits.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Ruining_Roseburn.pdf . Please use it to inform your response to the Council consultation.

I heard today from Rory that there had been 170 replies so far with a majority in favour. I urge you to submit a response to the Council consultation – if you don’t have the form, please do it online at https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/rejuvenating-roseburn – the Council are claiming the scheme meets the needs of the Roseburn Action Plan, but it does nothing of the sort. Please submit a response to the Council scheme by the 7th of May. We must not let this go through.

Best wishes

Pete Gregson  www.tinyurl.com/trackmustpay