This site is dedicated to collecting materials and information pertaining to creating safe routes for cycling and walking to and from the Blackford area with a particular interest in journeys to and from schools. The relevant schools in question are
- James Gillespie’s Primary School – the headmaster, Ben Horsburgh, firmly supports active travel to school and in particular off-road routes through the Astley Ainslie
- St. Peter’s RC Primary School
- South Morningside Primary School (on Canaan Lane)
- James Gillespie’s High School
The current specific aim of this site is to ensure that any development of the Astley Ainslie Hospital is done with safe routes to school in mind. Our vision is that there be a safe, off-road route for walking and cycling from the east to west (Oswald Road entrance to Canaan Lane entrance), and safe, off-road route to the north entrance. A rough outline can be seen in the Documents section where we propose rough routes to the above school from the Blackford Area.
The list of local politicians who strongly support the proposition that there should be safe walking and cycling routes through the site are listed below:
- Ian Murray – Labour MP for Edinburgh South
- Daniel Johnson – Labour MSP for Edinburgh Southern
- Jeremy Balfour – Conservative Lothians regional MSP
- Mandy Watt – Labour councillor for the Morningside ward
- Ben Parker – Green councillor for the Morningside ward
- Steve Burgess – Green councillor for the Southside / Newington ward
- Scott Arthur – Labour councillor for the Colinton / Fairmilehead ward and transport convenor