Fred Mackintosh welcomes safer crossing of West Savile Terrace

9.53.49pm GMT Tue 9th Feb 2010

Local resident and campaigner Fred Mackintosh has welcomed the news that construction work will start on new traffic lights at the junction between West Savile Terrace and Mayfield Road on Monday 8 March. Following concerns at the number of accidents between cyclists and drivers, the Council is to install traffic lights and pedestrian phases at this dangerous junction.

Fred Mackintosh, who is also the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Edinburgh South, said: "I use this junction every day. The previous Labour council had failed to invest in this junction and these improvements are well overdue. I am delighted that the Council has now found the funds to make it significantly safer for cyclists and pedestrians to cross West Savile Terrace."

In a message to local Councillors on 8 February City Council, Head of Transport Marshall Poulton confirmed that "a contract has been accepted and that work will commence on site on Monday 8 March. The works comprise the installation of traffic signals, including pedestrian facilities, at the junction of West Savile Terrace and Mayfield Road. As part of the works, the junction and its approaches will be resurfaced and the existing pedestrian crossing to the north of the junction will be removed. The contract period will be 10 weeks and the Contractor for the works is The ERDC Group Limited."

Transport Convener, Cllr Gordon Mackenzie said, "I was delighted to approve this proposal at the Transport Committee on 24 November. The vast majority of local people who contacted me or wrote to the council about plans for this junction supported the scheme. This project was a key aspiration of the Sciennes Primary School safe routes to school group. We had to stop talking and do something to reduce the dangers at this location. The new traffic lights should really make a difference."

On Tuesday 24 November Council's Transport, Environment and Infrastructure Committee approved traffic lights at the dangerous junction of West Savile Terrace and Mayfield Road. The junction has the been the site of 26 accidents in the past fifteen years around two thirds of which involve cyclists being hit by cars.

The Committee heard that the scheme had the support of Grange Prestonfield Community Council in whose area it lies. Liberal Democrat, SNP, Labour and Green Councillors supported the proposal which was supported by the majority of those who had responded to a council consultation in the area. Conservative Councillors sought to have the decision delayed for further investigations, but the proposal was carried by a substantial majority.