Fury at ‘crazy’ floating parking bays in Edinburgh that force cars into the middle of the road

Locals have slammed a ‘crazy’ new Covid road layout intended to encourage more cycling and walking – with floating parking spaces forcing traffic into the middle of the road and a bike lane that people are ‘too scared’ to use. 

Longstone Road in Edinburgh includes a cycle lanes on either side and parking spaces at intervals that jut out onto the road, forcing cars to move into the middle and swerve to avoid incoming traffic. 

Users of the route say the set-up is an ‘accident waiting to happen’, and complain that cyclists are too scared to use the lane because of drivers opening their doors while getting out of their cars. 

The Spaces for People initiative was brought in by the City of Edinburgh Council as a response to Covid in a bid to get more people walking and cycling, with the speed limit reduced to 20mph. 

But business owners have slammed the changes, saying they are putting lives and risk and killing footfall.

In some points of the road, traffic islands are situated near the floating parking bays, forcing drivers to chicane to get around them. 

Mother-of-one Diane, who works in a local shop, said: ‘As you’re coming into Longstone Road, there’s a car parked straight away as you come round that bend.

‘It’s just an accident waiting to happen, it’s horrendous. Because of where the cars are parked, you have to swerve out into the road.

‘With buses frequently coming round that corner as well, you have to swerve to get back into the lane, or there would be a head-on collision. People can’t park outside anymore.

‘It’s going to affect a lot of businesses in this area. I’d like it removed and to get back to normal, I think a lot of people in this area would.’  

Grandfather-of-three Gino Cortellessa, 58, has had his chip shop, Gino’s Longstone, for 36 years – and says trade is being impacted because there are fewer spots for people to park. 

‘It’s just crazy. They have left about eight parking spaces, there used to be about 40 spaces. It’s affecting my fish and chip shop, with there being no parking for my customers and my suppliers are refusing to park anywhere near the shop.

‘But most of all it’s the safety issue.’

He said cyclists were too scared to even use the cycle route, making the changes pointless. 

Mr Cortellessa added: ‘You’re talking about three to five cyclists per day. I’ve spoken to cyclists they are terrified of using it. They are terrified of people opening their car doors.

‘They have put parking spaces next to railings, you have to open your car door next to a cycle lane.’

The local authority defended the measures, saying the speed limit would be dropped to 20mph and that the scheme was in early stages and that floating parking bays were common in other cities.

Gino said: ‘I’m just wanting normality.

‘I’ve spoken to local MPs and said my concerns and they said they are looking into it.

‘I will name and shame who proposed this and put a 20-foot banner on my shop.’

Diane Johnstone, 47, who has owned local salon Short & Curly’s for 20 years, said customers were raging about the changes.   

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener said: ‘We are still in the process of implementing this scheme, which has involved moving the central line to allow more space for cars passing the parking bay, as per the original design.

‘We’ll also be reducing the speed limit here to 20mph to create an even safer, calmer environment.

‘As part of the development of this measure we’ve followed the notification process approved by the committee, as we have with every intervention, and have subsequently worked with local stakeholders to make further amendments to designs based on feedback.’