By Steve Cardownie
Last Thursday the Transport and Environment Committee approved a report which brings the project to revamp the street a step closer. The report said that the project, 鈥渁ims to deliver a 鈥榩eople focussed鈥 space to encourage greater walking, wheeling and cycling while strengthening its sense of place. Key to achieving this design and operational philosophy is the need to restrict all but essential vehicles from George Street for a large proportion of the day.鈥 This will entail removing parking (thereby forfeiting around 拢3.2 million in annual parking revenue) and rerouting buses, widening pavements with tree planting at each end of the street and with benches and planters strategically placed throughout. The cost is now estimated to come in at 拢35,070,000, down from previous estimates of 拢39,459,000, which has been labelled 鈥渁 saving鈥 in some quarters, ignoring the fact that just over 拢35m still has to be found if all the work is to be carried out to completion. This raised the hackles of city centre Conservative Councillor, Joanna Mowat, who opined that: 鈥淭he elephant in the room is we still don鈥檛 have the money and are reliant on applying to third parties before we can put a single shovel in the ground.鈥 A financial appeal in the current economic climate will not be easy so to lay down a construction start date in just over two years hence is a hostage to fortune which might come back to bite the committee on the proverbial if it is not realised. I well remember, as convener of the city council recreation committee, receiving plans for the total replacement of the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens well over 20 years ago. Yet here we are, several designs and fundraising projects later, with the same old, tired, unsuitable (in this day and age) building that we have to this day. Ambitious plans that failed to get off the drawing board much to the dismay of those that could see their potential. So, be warned! Joanna may have offered the committee a lifeline that it chose to ignore. While some of the money may come from the impending visitor levy, going cap in hand to the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland is an inexact science and might not come up with the goods. After all, their immediate funding priorities might not coincide with those of the council, leaving it to look elsewhere for the money or delay the whole scheme and, given the financial pressure that the council is under, my cash is on the latter. The council report鈥檚 timeline is that the work start in the autumn of 2027 and will take up to approximately two years with a further one-year defect period which, although undoubtedly another inconvenience, should prove to be worth it in the long run. So, notwithstanding the financial challenges that this scheme is faced with if it is to be completed within the proposed timescale, the public realm should be significantly enhanced and will create a major contribution to the city centre, making it a more welcome place for pedestrians, both locals and visitors alike.