What's happening with Montgomery Street?

Councillor Jack Caldwell has been liaising with residents to get changes and improvements to the western end of Montgomery Street.

Car park / turning circle / lining works

The fencing is still up at the turning circle at the western end of Montgomery Street. This fencing has been retained due to the illegal manoeuvres being performed by some drivers going over the pavement when it was taken down initially in January 2024.

This, alongside the double yellow lines still to be painted along half the circle, means that parking can’t be enforced here to the same standard as elsewhere and has led to a rammy of vehicles constantly parked there. Works will be underway soon to both finish the lining and erect physical infrastructure to cut out illegal manoeuvres, as detailed below.

New bollards coming

Councillor Caldwell has been working hard with local residents to underline the safety concerns at this new dead end to the Council. We have won assurances that bollards will be instated along the end of the turning circle in the coming weeks and thus the fencing can be removed.

Road resurfacing

A major concern residents have been raising is that the resurfaced carriageway did not reach as far back from Leith Walk as Windsor Street, despite the Trams project having a material impact to the condition of the road. This has contributed to it being unsafe for cyclists and plain unsightly for everyone else. Working with residents and cross-party, Councillor Caldwell has won support to get resurfacing completed here and it will take place in the coming months.

Parking reinstatement on south side

After doing some digging, Councillor Caldwell unveiled that the residents parking bays on the south side of Montgomery Street did not have a correct legal Traffic Regulation Order to be double-yellow lines. The unintended side effect of this is that it has been used as an unregulated free parking/loading area for the last few years to the detriment of local residents’ peace at home, and in some cases, illegal mounting of the pavement outside their homes. Councillor Caldwell has won support to reinstate these bays in the coming months. There is perhaps an irony here of reinstated regulated parking spaces potentially leading to less parking.

Pavement condition

Councillor Caldwell is keen that the Council promotes walking and wheeling. The foundation of allowing residents to move around freely via active travel is to ensure that pavements are safe and accessible. As such, Councillor Caldwell is pursuing the case for pavement resurfacing along. Montgomery Street, however he does not have any confirmation at present.

Dropped crossing point

One major project Councillor Caldwell is pushing hard for is a proper dropkerb at the tunnel on the south side near the turning circle, to help individuals with disabilities, wheelchair users and people with prams navigate it more safely and comfortably. Council officers are actively looking into this location.

Volume of Loading / Delivery Vehicles

The last report to the Transport and Environment committee outlines that loading bays will be painted onto Leith Walk / Elm Row to help alliviate the amount of unloading at the end of Montgomery Street. This has been advocated for a long time by residents and businesses alike.

Windsor Street on road resurfacing list for future

Windsor street itself is due for resurfacing in the coming financial year. This is after the Lib Dems won millions of pounds more for pavement, path and road maintenance in the first Council budget of this term. Councillor Caldwell is liaising with the appropriate departments to advocate for drainage and pavements to be factored in and improved where possible.

As always, you can contact your local Lib Dem councillor with any concerns at cllr.jack.caldwell@edinburgh.gov.uk.