Further road closures and traffic diversions are to put into place from this weekend in Edinburgh as the next stage of tram construction works commence. Broughton Street is to be closed as its junction with Picardy Place whilst York Place will be reduced by one lane
in each direction. The news has been met with, predictable, complaints with local residents and businesses claiming the closures should have been delayed by a few weeks until the school holidays to minimise disruption.
The following closures are now in place:
Broughton Street junction is closed to all traffic and there will be no left turn from York Place into Broughton Street. Picardy Place will become two way with access from the east end only.
Eastbound traffic on York Place is reduced from three to two lanes eastbound and from two to one lane westbound.
The work being undertaken during this closure is more utility diversion work with telecom cables due to be moved from the middle of York Place to the side away from where the tram tracks will be installed.
Council officials have warned motorists to expect their journeys to take five to ten extra minutes due to the traffic diversions in place.
Meanwhile it has also been reported this week that approximately 25,000 trees are to be planted near to the tram line. During construction of the line 3321 trees have had to be removed but it is now planned that they will be replaced – and some! – at a ratio of around
eight to one. With the planting of the trees it is hoped that the tramway will just blend into the local environment rather than being the eyesore some believe it will be.
The closing of York Place in Edinburgh down to one lane in each direction, rather than one bus lane in each direction and two general traffic lanes in each direction, as it was, is the final condition for general traffic on that central Edinburgh main east west route once the Tram is inaugurated. Where does all the general traffic go now?