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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Kris Gourlay & Kaitlin Easton

Edinburgh residents rage over new project that has left 'eyesore' road markings

Fuming Edinburgh residents have hit out at a new project that has left a baffling huge lilac and white road at the end of their street.

Locals are concerned the Corstorphine Connections project will cause more problems than solutions as the area is set to be used as a mini playground for children. Cars will be banned from the zone, with plants and benches due to be installed in the coming weeks.

Many are now angry despite being made aware of the changes as access to Featherhall Crescent will be restricted during the 18-month experiment.

Images of the large and colourful road markings have been circulating on social media, with residents baffled as to why this specific area has been chosen. Edinburgh Live reports that locals have reported their concerns to the council and few are in favour of the idea.

Linda Dougal, who has lived on Featherhall Crescent South for three years, said: "It looks disgusting. How they actually got planning permission for that I'll never know as the mix of colours is awful. I understand it is designed to give the area a bit of colour but that can be done without marking the road.

"We did get notified but I know many people who wrote to the council to disagree with the plans. There is slightly less traffic on the road during school time with the road being closed but I don't think it was a particularly busy road anyway.

Locals said the road regularly floods and would rather that issue be addressed (Edinburgh Live)

"There's actually fewer and fewer places to park now as nearby workers just leave their cars on the street all day. If you literally look at the road just before the road marking it's full of holes. They should be fixing the road and pavements first."

Transport and Environment Convener Scott Arthur confirmed that as part of the first phase of Corstorphine Connections, the placemaking improvements on Featherhall Crescent will also include planters, seating and signs in the coming weeks.

He added that after all the changes have been implemented, locals will be able to share feedback on the measures.

One of the residents who lives right next to the road marking, Jacqueline, said she's furious and is planning on building a bigger fence in her front garden to block out the mini playground.

She said: "Nobody here is happy about it, I've not spoken with one person who thinks it's a good idea. This corner of the road always floods but the council are more worried about this.

The lilac and white painting is part of a project to encourage children and families to play in a safe environment (Edinburgh Live)

"I'm actually going to get a bigger fence because who knows what type of people this is going to attract when it's finished. If you look at it you can see it is already chipped and that's just after weeks. The workers have also just left signs outside my gate.

"I recently paid for this new white line outside and it has been damaged already. The road is a complete state with holes everywhere. I know it's meant to be for children but I wouldn't send my daughter out there to play.

"There's a man on the corner who regularly phones an ambulance and how are they going to get access quickly? They'll have to take the long way round. I'm actually debating moving but I don't want to as I've been here ten years. When the work was being carried out, my whole house was actually shaking too."

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “We’re currently in the process of implementing the first phase of measures to walk and cycle around Corstorphine Connections, including placemaking improvements for families on Featherhall Crescent, which is now closed to traffic. Over the next week we’ll be adding seating, signs and a planter to the street – I hope that these changes will mean this soon becomes an area where families can use.

“We’ve carried out lots of engagement with the community on these improvements and have written to residents in recent months to update them on our progress.

“These local streets are key school routes and creating safe and welcoming streets for children to walk, cycle and wheel to school has been one of the key considerations in the project’s development. The scheme is being implemented as trial and will be carefully monitored with further community consultation to be undertaken as part of the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO).”

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