New Transport Initiative

Introduction

Traffic growth is causing increasing problems in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas. The City of Edinburgh Council, along with other local authorities in south east Scotland, is developing its New Transport Initiative to deal with these problems. The Initiative proposes up to £1.5 billion worth of transport improvements over the next 10 to 15 years, linked to, and partly funded by, the introduction of a congestion charging scheme.

Whether you live or work in Edinburgh, or just visit occasionally, this is your chance to give the City of Edinburgh Council your views on its New Transport Initiative - to HAVE YOUR SAY.

Why is traffic growing?

The Edinburgh area has experienced enormous economic growth in recent years. This has led to thousands of new jobs, a growing population and a rise in the number of people travelling into and around the city, especially by car. Traffic on some of the main routes into the city has increased by over 60% in the last 20 years. Over time, traffic congestion has increasingly affected larger areas of the city for longer periods of the day. Further increases in congestion are forecast in future years as traffic levels continue to rise.

The Challenge

Traffic congestion causes problems for everyone using the road network. It delays commercial vehicles as well as people travelling by car or by bus and, as a consequence, harms the local economy. Traffic is also a major source of noise and air pollution. This pollution contributes to health problems as well as to wider environmental problems. The challenge is to bring congestion and pollution under control. While recent measures to increase public transport use have shown some success, much bigger improvements are needed to meet this challenge.

New Transport Initiative

In 1999, the City of Edinburgh Council consulted people in Edinburgh on options for its Local Transport Strategy. Replies to this consultation showed majority support for a high transport investment strategy that included a congestion charging scheme. In view of this, the Council decided to proceed with its New Transport Initiative. This proposes the introduction of a congestion charging scheme by 2006, to impact directly on traffic levels and reduce traffic congestion in and around Edinburgh. It would also help fund a major package of transport improvements in the Edinburgh area over the next 10 to 15 years that could not otherwise be afforded.

Congestion charging – what would it mean?

The proposed congestion charging scheme for Edinburgh would operate as shown below:

All revenue raised through the congestion charge would be spent on transport improvements, and all of this money would be extra on top of what would otherwise be spent
The congestion charge would be the equivalent of £2.00 at today’s prices
Drivers would only pay once per vehicle per day
Drivers would be charged for entering specific areas of the city - not for leaving them, or travelling within them
The congestion charge would operate 7.00am – 7.00pm on Monday to Friday only – not weekends
The scheme would be enforced using cameras, with no toll barriers or delays at charging points
Disabled people, buses, emergency vehicles, motorcyclists and moped riders would not pay the charge

If agreed, the scheme would be introduced by 2006. Similar schemes elsewhere have shown that, after the introduction of a charge, traffic levels fall. This is because some motorists move from their cars to public transport, others reduce the number of journeys they make, some change the destination and routes for their journeys and others travel at different times.

What transport improvements could be made?

Some limited transport improvements could be made using money available without the introduction of congestion charging. But major future improvements require the additional money provided by a congestion charging scheme, which would also be likely to attract significant additional public funding. A new tram network would be at the core of these improvements. New and improved bus and rail services, more park-and-ride sites and other widespread transport improvements would also be provided.

‘Up-front’ transport improvements

Many publicly funded transport improvements will be put in place before 2006, and before any congestion charging scheme is introduced. These up-front improvements will include:

The Crossrail city rail link to Brunstane and Newcraighall (opens June 2002)
Improvements to rail stations throughout south east Scotland
Four new park-and-ride sites and an extension to the existing Ferrytoll park-and-ride site in Fife
A new rail station at Edinburgh Park
The West Edinburgh Bus System high quality bus link between the city centre and Edinburgh Park
More priority for buses on routes from Straiton and the New Royal Infirmary through the city centre to Leith
The Livingston Fastlink express bus project
Bus priorities on orbital routes around Edinburgh
Improved interchange between bus routes within Edinburgh
A pilot integrated ticketing scheme
Real time information at bus stops on some bus corridors
The city centre traffic management scheme and some associated environmental improvements

During this period (2002 – 2006), the planning stages for the new northern and western tram lines will be completed, so that these can be built should money become available.

What happens next?

Please fill in, detach and return the FREEPOST questionnaire overleaf by Wednesday 31st July 2002. Your feedback will be used to further develop the New Transport Initiative. If this public consultation demonstrates sufficient support for congestion charging, the City of Edinburgh Council will then ask the Scottish Executive for approval to proceed further. Should approval be granted, you will have another opportunity to give your views, on the fine detail of the New Transport Initiative proposals.

Next Page: Next Page.