Rat run ends as George Street becomes no-go zone
GEORGE Street is to become a no-go zone for motorists as work on the final stage of a huge shake-up of city centre transport gets under way.
Work is to start on Monday to prevent motorists treating the upmarket street as a "rat run". Rising bollards will lift up at 10.30am each day on George Street at its junction with Frederick Street to stop cars halfway along the route, while new traffic lights and pedestrian crossings will also be introduced to make the city more friendly for pedestrians.
The £3.2 million Central Edinburgh Traffic Management scheme is expected to be completed by October 16. It has been rolled out in four stages, with cars already banned from Princes Street between 7am and 8pm.
The focus of the final phase of the scheme is concentrating specifically on the New Town. Alterations include the closure of Frederick Street at Princes Street to remove through-traffic, where a pavement will be put in its place. A similar closure will take place at the junction with South St David Street, next to Jenners.
On George Street, a cycle route will run the entire length of the road, and there will also be new loading bays, taxi stances and disabled bays. The three bollards at the junction with Frederick Street will be active from 10.30am until 11pm. This will prevent traffic travelling more than halfway along George Street, or south down Frederick Street.
At Hope Street, the pavement will be widened, while the traffic signals at the junction between Charlotte Square and North Charlotte Street will be removed. Only buses, taxis and cycles will be allowed to turn left out of Charlotte Square and drivers will no longer be able to turn right from the square's north-east corner.
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