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Edinburgh Rejects Congestion Charges

Edinburgh voters have rejected congestion charging by a vote of almost three to one. While reducing traffic congestion and the resultant pollution is a laudable goal, this proposal was always fundamentally flawed. Firstly, Edinburgh has very little in the way of congestion. Secondly, the charges would only have applied to non-residents, despite the congestion those people would cause. Thirdly, there is no carrot. Discouraging drivers is all very well, but what are the alternatives? A new train station was recently opened on the west edge of the city, but there are no facilities for parking. Surely a council intent on reducing traffic would have jumped at the opportunity to provide a park and ride facility. Yet, you'll search long and hard to find any such facility within the city. Finally, what little congestion there is, is largely caused by poor town-planning - badly sequenced traffic lights, round-abouts, and especially bus lanes. A good example of the last is the western approach road. This dual carriageway runs directly into the centre of the city, and bar a small delay at the far end - itself largely caused by the sequence of lights - has always been fast moving. Recently, Edinburgh council decided to add a bus lane. The result is a fifteen minute delay even getting on to the approach road, causing congestion, and no benefit to the buses, who are also trapped in the queues.

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