Spaces for People (SfP)
About this good practice
Funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Sustrans Scotland, the programme enabled statutory bodies to introduce measures focused on protecting public health, supporting physical distancing and reducing the risk of virus transmission.
A total of £11,409,322 was awarded to the 8 local authorities in the SEStran region:
The City of Edinburgh introduced ‘Spaces for People’ measures during 2020 and 2021 These changes created physical distancing to prevent the spread of Covid-19, and were delivered under Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TTROs). The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 enables Roads Authorities to make TTROs to introduce restrictions on a road if there is a likelihood of danger to the public.
The TTROs made it easier and safer for people to move around when walking, cycling, using a wheelchair or other mobility aid, and pushing prams or buggies.
The Council also wanted to support businesses as they re-opened and adapted to a new way of operating such as space on pavements for queuing at a safe distance.
Resources needed
£11,409,322 was awarded to the 8 local council authorities in the SEStran region:
•£5,250,000 to City of Edinburgh
•£2,420,000 to Fife
•£1,400,000 to East Lothian
•£1,200,000 to Scottish Borders
•£641,500 to West Lothian
•£367,000 to Clackmannanshire
•£190,822 to Midlothian
•£190,000 to Falkirk
Evidence of success
• 39km of segregated cycle infrastructure
• 11 widened footpaths in city centre and town centre locations to create more safe space for pedestrians
• 2.5km of Space for Exercise measures
• 29 road closures or vehicle prohibitions near school gates
• 54 measures around schools to reduce risk of infection including pavement widening, new gates and one-way systems for pedestrian access
• Removing street clutter such as unused poles and parking signs
Potential for learning or transfer
The City of Edinburgh Council conducted market research and held a public consultation on the impacts of the temporary measures, in order to inform potential retention of the Spaces for People measures.
Perceived benefits were as follows:
• Easier and safer for children and parents to walk or cycle;
• Improvements for people walking and cycling
• More space and better links for walking/cycling/jogging
• Making things easier for people using wheelchairs or with mobility issues.
Perceived disadvantages, were as follows:
• Traffic increases due to diversions caused by road closures
• Increased traffic congestion
• Harder for residents to park or receive deliveries
• Inconvenience to car users from roads closed to traffic
• Less car parking in shopping streets
• Making things harder for people who use a wheelchair
• Fewer people shopping locally
The finding of the consultation are limited as supports of the measures did not engage as actively as objectors or those against the measures.