It’s been a rare week of good news for the Edinburgh Trams project but rather inevitably it hasn’t all been good as it has been confirmed that a United Nations committee is to look at the environmental impact the construction of the line is having on local roads. Residents in New Town have been campaigning against the line saying that traffic is being moved from the main routes to more minor roads in their area which is causing more pollution
and noise and they claim the Council are not taking their complaint seriously.
The Moray Feu Residents Association have taken the complaint to the Aarhus Compliance Committee which is said to be highly influential although its findings are not binding. The main aim of the Committee is said to be to give the public a stronger voice on environmental matters.
The complaints of the Residents Association have previously been dismissed by both the City of Edinburgh Council and in turn the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman but this has not deterred the locals.
In response to the claims a spokesman from the Council said: “We are confident that consultation with all stakeholders, including local residents, was, and continues to be, carried out as required. Indeed, the residents concerned lodged similar complaints with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, all of which were rejected and found in the council’s favour earlier this year. In response to their specific concerns relating to air quality, the council agreed to establish additional monitoring sites in the area in 2010.
The results indicated that levels were within EU target values.”