A national charity for visually impaired people in Scotland has slammed the capital’s local authority for providing limited funding to upgrade a junction described as being a ‘deathtrap’.
Sight Scotland is calling on the City of Edinburgh Council to clarify how funds allocated for improving the junction of Telford Road, Hillhouse Road, and Strachan Road, will enhance pedestrian safety.
Joining forces with local Inverleith ward councillors and concerned pedestrians, the charity warned that the £50,000 allocated will ‘barely make a difference’ in the area known as the Farmer’s Junction.
They have labelled the area a ‘deathtrap junction’, as it is known to be one of the busiest junctions in the capital, and said its pedestrian crossings are ‘woefully inadequate’ as they already lack audible signals and revolving cones, with many in need of basic repairs.
Concerns have been raised about the complex layout, coupled with fast-moving traffic, making it dangerous and inaccessible for all pedestrians and nearly impossible to navigate for most blind and partially sighted people.
The campaign highlights the limited protective barriers at the junction increasing the vulnerability of all pedestrians, and that Strachan Road is particularly hazardous, as it has no pedestrian crossing facilities at all despite the constant flow of fast-moving traffic.
Caroline Hedley, a Rehabilitation and Mobility Worker with Sight Scotland said the charity is concerned that the limited budget allocated for improvements will do nothing to enhance pedestrian safety.
Caroline Hedley at the junction with two local councillors who are back Sight Scotland's campaign for increased investment in the area. (Image: Sight Scotland)
She said: “While we appreciate the Council's acknowledgment that the junction needs upgrading, I am left very disappointed by the limited funding being allocated. I struggle to see how this will significantly improve safety for pedestrians, especially those with vision impairments.
“We're talking about people's lives here. This is a densely populated area where residents need to cross these roads to reach the only local doctor’s and then again to get to the chemist for prescriptions.
“With schools and a mosque nearby, it's clear that upgrading this junction is essential, even if it’s costly and causes traffic congestion. People’s safety should never be compromised, and I worry that the Council is prioritising traffic flow over pedestrian safety.
“I have clients living close to this junction and I need to explain to them that it’s just not safe for them to cross on their own, which is unacceptable.”
Local Liberal Democrat Councillor, Hal Osler expressed appreciation to Sight Scotland for bringing attention to the well-documented issues at the junction, and called on the local authority to listen to the charity and invest in the safety of local people.
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She said: “The council must do better and prioritise projects like this, as providing safe, accessible crossings for the most vulnerable benefits everyone in our society. The funding allocated for this upgrade is far too low, and more must be done. While the council claims to prioritise pedestrians over traffic, their actions don't reflect this commitment.
“Ensuring that everyone can safely navigate this junction shouldn’t be up for debate—it’s a necessity. It’s great the Sight Scotland campaign has made the council start listening, but it’s not enough, and once again, the most vulnerable are being overlooked.”
Conservative Councillor Max Mitchell echoed the concerns and also called for increased investment.
He added: “I have been proud to support Sight Scotland’s campaign, and while the inclusion of this junction among the prioritised projects is a step in the right direction, it’s also a clear acknowledgment of the significant safety issues here.
“Although I welcome the funding allocated to address some aspects of Strachan Road, I am deeply concerned that the budget will barely make a difference given the numerous dangers across the entire junction.
“People with vision impairments cannot cross this junction safely, and by failing to address these issues adequately, we are once again excluding them from our community. Safety must be our top priority, and it cannot be compromised.”
Sight Scotland, formerly known as Royal Blind, has spent 230 years dedicated to helping people with the challenges of visual impairment, and also runs the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh and the Scottish Braille Press.
Its sister charity, Sight Scotland Veterans is also involved in the campaign for increased investment in the Farmer’s Junction.
Street view of the junction (Image: Google Maps)
Chief Executive of both charities, Craig Spalding said there needs to be temporary measures at the very least to protect all pedestrians, but locals with visual impairments are already suffering.
He said: “We recognise that a full upgrade of the junction will require more funding in the long term, but immediate interim measures—such as installing tactile paving, cones, audible signals, and light boxes, particularly at Strachan Road—are essential and must be implemented as soon as possible.
“There are blind and partially sighted people in the local area who we support who are currently not able to get about independently because of this junction. It is simply too dangerous to cross. Without basic upgrades, we’re risking people being left housebound.”
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Scott Arthur said: “We take the safety of all road users and pedestrians incredibly seriously. This specific situation was discussed at the Transport and Environment Committee earlier this month, and all five political parties unanimously agreed a way forward.
"I always welcome and respect feedback from Sight Scotland, and I will ensure their comments are considered fully. Council officers have looked at the issues raised for this junction to establish what level of improvement we could consider within the overall budget available, including rotating cones at the push button controllers, tactiles at crossing points and work on the Strachan Road side of the junction (potentially kerb extensions and a revised central island arrangement) to try and accommodate a controlled phase within the overall operation of the junction. Officers will aim to finalise the scope of the project as soon as possible and consider what impact this may have on costs."
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