PARKING will be banned and public transport given priority along swathes of Edinburgh's tram network, city council leaders yesterday revealed.
Shandwick Place in the West End will be permanently closed to cars, dozens of parking spaces will be lost on Leith Walk, and parking on two sides of St Andrew Square will also be taken away.
Just one tram stop will be created on Princes Street,
while Leith Walk will have three. Most right turns will also be banned on Leith Walk for safety reasons and the roundabout at London Road is to be replaced with traffic signals.
The proposed changes were unveiled by the city council ahead of construction work starting in November on the tramline, which will initially run between Ocean Terminal, in Leith, and Edinburgh Airport.
It has already emerged that Princes Street will be closed to all traffic for the first half of next year to allow the construction work to take place.
The changes will be subject to a public consultation exercise and the plans will be showcased at public exhibitions over the next few weeks.
The sole tram stop on Princes Street has been earmarked for between Hanover Street and Frederick Street.
About one in four parking places on Leith Walk will be lost once the trams are up and running, although the council has insisted about 25 per cent more space will be provided for loading and unloading of goods, in response to concerns from shopkeepers.
A spokeswoman for the council said the authority was embarking on an "informal consultation" before the proposed changes are formally advertised next year.
Councillor Phil Wheeler, the city's convenor of transport, said: "Designing and building a tram system to operate in a thriving city centre like Edinburgh presents many challenges.
"One of those challenges is to ensure that the tram will be able to run according to its proposed timetable and integrate well with general traffic on the road network.
"Although this challenge is not unique to Edinburgh, we will do everything possible to balance the needs of all road users without undermining the efficient and effective operation of the tram system."
However, Bruce Young, Lothian and Borders co-ordinator of the Association of British Drivers, said: "The road space along the route is being given over to the tram without any due compensation or alternative for other vehicles."
Changes across the capital, street by street
WEST END Tram stops proposed for Haymarket Terrace and Shandwick Place, which will become a public transport corridor with access only to trams, buses, taxis and cyclists. Loading permitted in the evenings only.
• No vehicle access from Grosvenor Street into the Haymarket junction.
• Canning Street to become one way north bound for taxis only.
PRINCES STREET• Tram stop between Hanover Street and Frederick Street.
• Loading times to be altered, access proposed 8pm-7am.
• Left turn from Lothian Road on to Shandwick Place removed.
• Frederick Street reopened to buses, taxis and cyclists.
• Removal of west bound general traffic at night on Princes Street.
EAST END • Tram stops at east side of St Andrew Square and Picardy Place, east of Broughton Street.
• Parking on the east and west sides of St Andrew Square removed.
&149 West side of St Andrew Square two-way for general traffic; east side will be predominately used for trams and access traffic.
• St Andrew Street closed to general traffic at Princes Street and York Place.
• Roundabout at Picardy Place replaced with traffic signals.
LEITH WALK• Tram stops south of McDonald Road, at Balfour Street, at Foot of the Walk, south end of Constitution Street. Parking and loading arrangements are to be altered.
• Roundabout at London Road will be replaced with traffic signals.
• Many right turns on Leith Walk will be prohibited.
The full article contains 644 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
