“Transport in Edinburgh: What’s Going On?”

1. FoE Edinburgh public talk, 27th October 2004 “Transport in Edinburgh: What’s Going On?” Colin Howden (campaign manager) & David Spaven (chair)

2. Topics 1. Introduction 2. Sustainable transport policy objectives 3. Good & bad news about Edinburgh’s transport 4. Investment priorities? 5. Demand management 6. Financing and implementing change 7. Conclusions

3. 1. Introduction

4. Background to TRANSform Scotland • Set up in 1997 as Scottish equivalent to Transport 2000 & as member of European Federation for Transport and Environment • Created as not-for-profit limited company • Managed by 15-member Board elected from the membership • Membership is made up of rail, bus and shipping operators, local authorities, environment groups, local transport campaigns. Individuals can join as Supporters • Funded entirely from membership contributions

5. Sustainable transport policy objectives

6. Where are we trying to get to? Key objective: Reduce road traffic and reduce the impact of the traffic that is left This means: • Less traffic • Transfer to sustainable transport modes - walking, cycling, public transport • Reduce the need to travel

7. Dead ends ... 1. Trying to build your way out of gridlock “We acknowledge that the ‘predict and provide’ approach to road building is unaffordable, unsustainable and, ultimately, self-defeating. New road capacity can generate more usage and add to congestion.” [ our emphasis] Donald Dewar, Scottish Transport White Paper, 1998

8. Dead ends ... 2. Making private transport cheaper

9. Private motoring is becoming ever cheaper - public transport is not

10. 3. Good & bad news about transport in Edinburgh

11. Good news about Edinburgh transport • Compact city: very walkable • Comprehensive & well-run bus network • Progress on traffic calming, slower speeds, cycle provision, safe routes to school • Debate on transport and the environment is better-informed than in the rest of Scotland

12. Bad news about transport in Edinburgh • City Centre over-run by cars • Air pollution targets will be missed • Few suburban rail services • Sprawl, out-of-town car-based developments

13. 4. Investment priorities?

14. Civilising the streets • Reclaim residential streets • Provide for cycling • Give every child a safe route to school • Improve the urban realm • Redesign the city for walking

15. Transport for All • Transform the public transport experience • Make public transport accessible • Build a city-wide tram network • Make the most of the existing rail network • Expand the rail network

16. Trams • Tram Lines 1 & 2: Parliamentary Committee considering Private Bills • Tram Line 3: Bill due for submission by end of 2004 • Funding: SE has promised £375 million http://tt.tiedinburgh.co.uk/

17. Edinburgh Airport Rail Link • Route chosen by SE in 2003 • Due to cost £505 million • Parliamentary Bill due to be submitted in 2005 • Consultation due to begin later this year http://www.earlproject.com

18. South-east Scotland rail context Regional: • Millerhill regional freight interchange • Berwick-upon-Tweed to Edinburgh local service • Borders Railway • Caledonian Express • Airdrie-Bathgate line • Edinburgh Airport rail link • Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine • Edinburgh-Glasgow electrification? City of Edinburgh: • Edinburgh Crossrail & Edinburgh Park station • Edinburgh Tram Lines 1, 2 & 3 • Edinburgh South Suburban Railway • Haymarket Station • Waverley Station

19. A Second Forth Road Bridge? • Scottish Office proposal in 1990s kicked out as being unsustainable • Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) have come back with exactly the same plan • Consultation on FETA’s draft Local Transport Strategy ended in September • FETA will decide its future strategy at December meeting http://www.feta.gov.uk http://www.forthrightalliance.org

20. 5. Demand management

21. Congestion charge • We need road traffic demand management as well as investment • Road user charging is based on the Polluter Pays Principle • Edinburgh proposals have received popular support in city-wide consultations in 1999 and 2001 • Referendum due in February 2005

22. 6. Financing and implementing change

23. Financing change • Scottish Executive has come through with funds for part of the tram system - but not all of it (unlike road schemes around Scotland) • Private sector is being pressured to make financial contributions - but with mixed results • Congestion charge income is vital - but should not be seen as the main reason to implement it

24. Implementing change • Cross-boundary conflicts between local authorities (e.g. IKEA, congestion charge) • Coordination undermined by lack of region-wide body - little evidence that ‘voluntary partnership’ approach to transport planning has worked • Remains to be seen whether Transport Bill’s proposals for ‘statutory regional transport partnerships’ will do any better • German regions have single body responsible for planning transport and accessing funding

25. 7. Conclusions

26. Conclusions • The City will certainly see a decline in quality of life unless transport issues are tackled • The City has a record of failing to deliver transport projects: it is essential that the sustainable ones now on offer are delivered • There has been a failure to win majority of media and politicians towards sustainable interventions - despite their recognition of need to turn round long-term trends • We urgently need more people to engage in the debates over congestion charging, Second Forth Road Bridge and the trams