I have been contacted by many constituents regarding the reopening of Braid Road. The temporary closure was part of the Spaces for People programme which came into force at the beginning of the pandemic.

Of course, the road is being used by cyclists and pedestrians to take exercise and access the Hermitage of Braid. However, the closure is causing some issues on Comiston Road which, as we return to some sort of normality, is getting busier every week. Many people who live on Comiston Rd/Morningside Rd have contacted me to say their children cannot walk to school because the pollution from idling cars is so great. Lothian Buses have said that some of the recent congestion is a result of Temporary Traffic Lights at Kaimes Crossroads which have now finished. Some journeys that ordinarily take 25 minutes are taking 90 minutes and there doesn’t seem to have been an analysis of the cumulative effect of all the temporary changes in the area. However, it is clear that traffic is increasing and Braid Road will need to reopen soon.

Before then I understand the Council intend to complete the safety improvements Daniel and I campaigned on back in 2016 and to resurface the road.  I have also been informed that any reopening will include a cycle lane and park suspension on the road. I will be pressuring the Council to complete this work as soon as possible.