Hello,

Thanks to the 20 or so people who wrote to Cllrs Ross, Douglas, Gloyer et al calling for an ADMS (advanced dispersion model) study for Roseburn Terrace instead of the inadequate ENVIVER (which ignores the street canyon effect). The Council cracked and has now agreed to our main petition demand for an air pollution study.

There are still concerns. We asked for it to be independent; the Council are using AECOM (based at Haymarket, next to Sustrans) to do the study. They do most of CEC’s cycling designs for the CCWEL and have a strong dependency on the Council for work, so are not really independent. We want our ex-SEPA expert John Lamb to oversee the study to reduce bias.

This is our petition item on the agenda for Thursday’s Transport Committee, which starts at 10am:  see it here

If you are coming along to the protest early, we’ll be there from 9.15 and I’ll try and get the press to come at 9:30. These will be the points we shall be making (George and I [providing Cllr MacInnes lets me in!])

Independence of study- We know AECOM are doing it, but we want our ex-SEPA man to get to sign it off.
What’s key is agreeing what impact the CCWEL will have on existing traffic volumes. If we accept Council figures – 15,663 vehicles per day at Roseburn between 7am-7pm, then how many can be reasonable be expected to switch to bike as a result of the track? (they’ll state a huge figure, as this will mean they can claim a reduction, rather than in increase, in pollution). I think it’s really important for us to set out what we expect the figure to be, because we’ve carried out our own study on demand. Our study is important for two reasons: firstly, the Council hasn’t done one and secondly, because there is already an excellent route from Roseburn to Haymarket along NCR1. It is just 200m longer than the proposed CCWEL and journey time just 1 minute longer- and it is EXTREMELY quiet. Because of this pre-existing route, and the excellent bus service, we have found very few people would give up their car for the CCWEL. Our 2016 survey of just over 1,000 people regularly travelling along the A8 from Roseburn to Haymarket showed just 69 would switch to cycling. [See our summary data at www.tinyurl.com/whybikesurvey ]

The Council forecasts an 88% increase as result of the CCWEL. Our count shows 280 cyclists per day presently travelling along the A8 route of the CCWEL. An 88% increase means 246 people, at most, switching to bike.

So, the number of CCWEL users would be somewhere between 69 (by our calculations) and 246 (by Council sums).

If we are very generous and use the Council’s figures, then we expect the traffic volume for the ADMS study to be based around a reduction of emitting vehicles of 1.59%- down to 15,417 vehicles from the current 15,663 for the volume of traffic through Roseburn Terrace. We want this to be the figure used in the study, rather than one plucked from the air by Council transport officers.

The Council Liaison officer’s letter (see it here ) accepts the Council miscalculated the existing pollution levels, claiming 35 microgrammes NO2 per cubic metre on the south side of Roseburn Terrace. They acknowledge they underestimated the figure after hearing our air pollution expert’s views, and have revised it up to 39 microgrammes NO2. We must point out the legal limit is 40. We expect the ADMS study to show a significant increase likely as a result of removing one lane. If that is the case, what measures will the Council take? Will they reconsider routing the track along Roseburn Terrace to Roseburn Place? Both we and the Murrayfield Community Council say that this is the natural desire line for cyclists coming out of Roseburn Park (as most come this way- 450 a day, including me) and heading west. It would be the best way to safeguard the health of Roseburn residents.
 How quickly will the ADMS study take to do? We want the study published by mid-Oct, which will give us and the Government Reporter time to review it and make a judgement- in plenty of time for the Redetermination Order hearings, scheduled for the 4th and 5th November.
 

The Reporter

The Scottish Government’s Dept of Transport has appointed Mike Croft as the Reporter to adjudicate on whether the CCWEL goes ahead. The hearing date will be 4th & 5th November and he is adjudicating on the Council’s request for a Redetermination Order. If he refuses to recommend the confirmation of the Order that the Council seeks, then the Council will be back to the drawing board. The hearing will take place in the European Room at the Council City Chambers in the High Street. It will run from 10am-5pm each day. If you want to attend as an observer, send an email to the Dept of Planning & Environmental Appeals lady at jane.robertson@gov.scot just to make sure there is a seat for you.

I will be there giving evidence, along with George Rendall of Art et Facts (representing traders), Penny Housley (a resident) and John Yellowlees (representing Murrayfield Community Council), all objecting in some form or another. We are to represent the 45 or so written objections still outstanding (see them all here : there are 60 pages!)

The Reporter has been calling for written submissions: he has been quite fair; he has asked for comment on-

The extent of cycle use along the route corridor now
Alternative future cycle routes for the Roseburn- Haymarket Corridor
The lack of simulation of the proposed CCWEL and potential impact on congestion
Pedestrian safety, including safety at pedestrian crossings
I have submitted a 35-page statement, which summarises all our work over the past three years, including the Roseburn Vision proposals and our WhyBike? survey. You can read it here

The Reporter has also circulated the statements from each of the objectors to the Council and vice versa, and has asked each of us for comment, so that he might weigh up the various contributions. The Council’s written statement runs to 25 pages: you can read it, along with my comments [in red] here

To conclude, I hope to see some of you on Thursday; I’ll have placards, or bring one of your own. We’ll meet at the quad at the City Chambers at 9.15 on Thursday. After that we can all go to the Transport Meeting (it’s open to the public). We are second on the agenda and I think we should be heard at around 10.45am. Our item should be concluded by noon, or earlier. For those who can’t make it, view it on the Council webcam at https://edinburgh.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/368163

Best wishes

Pete Gregson www.kidsnotsuits.com/roseburnvision