Traders slam Leith Walk revamp plan

Transport Correspondent

Thursday 19 July 2012

A PLANNED restoration of Edinburgh's Leith Walk, following years of upheaval from tram works, has been criticised as shambolic and lacking in vision by local traders.

CHAOS: Traffic jams on Leith Walk, caused by tram works which are no longer needed. Picture: Gordon Terris

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DAMIEN HENDERSON Transport Correspondent

With the famous thoroughfare due to be dug up again in September for temporary road surfaces and pavements to be replaced, local businessmen claimed ambitions to transform it into a "grand boulevard" that would attract shoppers and tourists have failed to take shape.

Instead, they fear a "cheap fix" could take place, with disruption caused by roadworks lasting up to 18 months – three times longer than they originally believed.The historic street, linking the city centre to Leith, was left with temporary road surfaces and junctions after being dug up to divert utility pipes and cables ahead of the construction of an 11-mile tram route between Edin-burgh Airport and Newhaven on the banks of the Forth.However, following a decision last June to terminate the route in the city centre, Edinburgh City Council moved to reinstate Leith Walk – with £3.2 million set aside to put in place permanent road surfaces and pavements, replant trees that were ripped up and restore public artworks. A separate contract to fix botched utility diversions is expected to be signed off at the end of the month, with work due to start in September and likely to last until the end of 2013.The Labour/SNP administration has promised to find more funds for public realm improvements, with better access for cyclists and pedestrians.But traders claim no detailed plans have yet been prepared and there is no clarity about how these improvements will be combined with the remaining utility work to minimise the duration of disruptive roadworks. Their concerns emerged following a meeting with council officials on Monday night. Alan Rudland, owner of Arkay Imaging, a printing store on Leith Walk, said the presentation was "fluffy" and lacking in detail. He added: "What we saw was no more than was discussed in December 2009. There was a map with the road surface coloured pink where resurfacing was required and where new pavement was required. There were green bits at London Road roundabout for the landscaping required there. It was all the temporary structures that were put in place from when the tram works left. "There was nothing to suggest we'll get more than a cheap fix, with the bare minimum restorative work taking place. It was decided in June 2011 the tram was not coming to Leith. The council should have put in a plan for Leith Walk by now."Alex Wilson, chairman of Leith Business Association, said: "The council needs to give people the facts – when does the work start, when does it finish and what is it going to look like? If the vision has not been articulated at this stage, the concern is it simply won't be put in place."Gordon Henderson, development manager at East Scotland section of the Federation of Small Businesses, claimed the organisation had not been invited to the public meeting and added the council's approach was "massively unhelpful".He said: "We are the biggest business organisation in Edinburgh and are on the tram stakeholders forum. We have asked to be consulted about Leith Walk and said for the last two years that one of the biggest problems with the trams is the lack of communication."However, council leader Andrew Burns insisted he was committed to working with traders to improve and restore Leith Walk, and said consultation with them was still at an early stage."Feedback from the local community is important and plans will only be finalised when we have consulted with them and discussed the options available," he said. "We have set aside £3.2m for resurfacing the road and other work. We are working to identify additional funds for further improvement work, which we believe will provide a welcome boost for the area."

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Traders slam Leith Walk revamp plan

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