News on SfP East Lothian

Environment spokesperson, Cllr Norman Hampshire, said: “The new SfP fund presents East Lothian with opportunities to create alternative travel options to and within our town centres supporting both local businesses and communities to bounce back from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Whilst the fund is for ‘temporary measures’ to enable people to return to our town centres to work, shop and visit it also provides an invaluable opportunity to see how small changes can have an immediate and meaningful impact on our local communities and environment.

“We have seen high levels of walking and cycling during lockdown and significant reductions in the usage of motor vehicles resulting in improved air quality. We would like to maintain these levels of sustainable travel by providing safer environments and are considering the introduction of traffic calming measures, extending pavements to allow space for social distancing, creating extra temporary cycle lanes and adding additional cycling parking.

“It’s vital to the local economy that our town centres can become vibrant again with businesses re-opening and customers returning but this must be achieved in a carefully managed process. We are consulting with the business community and are also seeking ideas and views from local residents at https://elothianspacesforpeople.commonplace.is/ . However, due to the immediacy of this programme we have very limited time to consult and discuss and as such will be seeking views in a very tight time frame.

“We aim to provide a suite of measures that will enable people to feel comfortable returning to our town centres. Safe physical distancing will be possible for both essential journeys and exercise and local residents will be able to access their favourite shops and businesses without coming into contact with too many people.”

ENDS

22 May 2020

Issued by Jill Mackay, Communications, East Lothian Council Tel: 01620 827743 .