Current status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 July 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recent decision by the City of Edinburgh Council to permanently close Brunstane Road to through traffic, in light of the closure reportedly receiving 618 objections from the local community.
In Scotland, responsibility for all traffic management on local roads lies with local authorities. Under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, local authorities have a general duty to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic.
The Local Authorities' Traffic Orders (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 1999 set out the process that a local authority should follow when they are promoting Traffic Regulation Orders including the consideration of associated objections and when to refer for a Public Local Inquiry. The City of Edinburgh Council has referred a Redetermination Order to Scottish Ministers which has outstanding objections and is currently under consideration.
Local authorities are independent corporate bodies and as long as they act lawfully and follow the relevant legislation, it is a matter for them to arrange their day-to-day business.
Ultimately, it is for locally elected representatives to make local decisions on how best to deliver services to their local communities.