This is reproduced from the Spaces for People Website which is inviting a conversation and comments about how best to use the limited space in and around towns to enable safe physical distancing for essential journeys and exercise.
It’s really easy to get involved, just drop a pin on the map to quickly comment about a specific location. Don’t forget you can also share it with friends and family using social media. Users can also share and add their vote to another person’s comment. The consultation window is however quite short and closes this Sunday.
About Spaces for People
As we go back to work we need to enable safe physical distancing for essential journeys and exercise. Given the limited space in our towns, it’s important we introduce enhanced spaces for people on foot, in wheelchairs and on bikes.
The requirements for social distancing are likely to remain in place for some time and people will be looking at alternatives to public transport. Because of this, we need to look at solutions that help people to carry on with their lives safely when making journeys such as going to work, doing shopping or taking exercise.
Temporary emergency changes
East Lothian Council is bidding for funding from the new Scottish Government Spaces for People programme to allow us to install temporary emergency changes that will support social distancing during the coronavirus lockdown and encourage more walking and cycling through recovery. This could include measures such as reducing through traffic on certain roads, reallocating roadspace to create wider pavements, adding extra cycle facilities and removing street ‘clutter’ like pedestrian guard rails.
These emergency changes will help ease pressure at specific locations such as areas outside shops, transport hubs or routes to medical centres.
We are walking and cycling more and driving less
Across East Lothian the numbers of people walking, running and cycling for exercise during lockdown has gone up while car driving has gone down. As the lockdown restrictions ease we want to encourage this to continue, promote the safety of people as they begin to travel more to work and shop and improve the environment for residents on their local streets.
Help us create space for people
Tell us the locations in East Lothian where you think changes could be made to improve the streets for walking, wheeling and cycling.
These are the types of improvements we would like to hear about:
- Are there any pinch points or areas where the pavements are so narrow that you have to squeeze past other people to get to your destination?
- Are there any gates or barriers that you need to touch or open to get onto a route?
- Are there rows of businesses, with parking and narrow pavements outside, where people are queuing regularly and unable to stay 2m apart?
- Do you know a residential road that now has very few cars on it but where there is regular speeding and/or rat running?
- Do you know quiet residential through routes that are perfect for exercise or safe travel but are spoilt by cars moving through them too quickly?
- If you have mobility issues are there any routes that have social distancing or access barriers?
Once we get feedback, we can look at what solutions can be carried out.
It’s really easy to get involved, just drop a pin on the map to quickly comment about a specific location. Don’t forget you can also share it with friends and family using social media.