Temporary traffic lights will be installed at the Albany/Broughton Street junction this weekend, resulting in Broughton Street's closure from 8am on Saturday to 7pm on Sunday.
During this period, traffic will divert through Dublin Street from Albany Street and via East London Street from Broughton Street heading southwards. The lights will be activated at some stage next week.
The lights are intended to allow traffic to continue northbound along Broughton Street, and to break up traffic flows along Albany Street so that it is easier for pedestrians to cross and parkers of inordinately large 4x4s to lose their tempers in safety.
From the end of November, buses and taxis will be allowed along the whole of Princes Street. New Town and Broughton Community Council chairman Ian Mowat has received confirmation from the Council that, at that stage, 'signage directing traffic via the New Town will be taken down, and – as promised – the main signed York Place diversion route for both general traffic and buses will be along Princes Street, between South St David Street (which will be reopened to southbound traffic) and Leith Street'.
This should result in less traffic using Heriot Row, Abercrombie Place and Albany Street. Current junction arrangements on Heriot Row and Queen Street Gardens, both East and West, will remain in place.
Council officials have undertaken to monitor traffic flows through the New Town carefully, and to adjust their arrangements if and when necessary.
Chris Highcock of the Council's tram team will be available, briefly, to field questions on this and other tramworks-related issues at the next meeting of the New Town and Broughton Community Council on Monday 1 October, at 7.30pm in Broughton St Mary's Parish Church, Bellevue Crescent (side entrance).
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Tina Finch @Siege_Perilous @theSpurtle Can't work out why traffic going DOWN Broughton St is swerved into Albany St? Will that be lifted sometime?
Broughton Spurtle @theSpurtle @Siege_Perilous So southbound traffic leaving Albany St could turn right. New lights will allow traffic N. down Broughton St again nxt week. Tina Finch @Siege_Perilous @theSpurtle Been so long since that part was #tramworks free that I forgot u couldnt turn right out of Albany. Thx:)
Colin McShane Causing chaos currently however. Don't understand why this wasn't done pre the diversion along Albany St etc. Our arse for elbow council at it's best!