Edinburgh sets out pandemic street management needs

Coronavirus

City of Edinburgh has asked residents self-isolating due to coronavirus symptoms in their household to dispose of their waste as carefully as possible to keep Edinburgh's bin crews safe.

The advice comes as part of an update from Transport and Environment Convener Lesley Macinnes on how the council is adapting in the context of the pandemic to deliver core services such as waste management, roadworks and parking to keep the city working as best it can.

Another waste-related update is the suspension of kerbside glass (blue box) collections from Monday 23 March until further notice to free up collection crews. Communal glass bins used in flatted and tenement areas will continue to be serviced, but should only be used by those properties.

Cllr Macinnes, who went to visit a waste collection crew out and about emptying kerbside bins, said: “These are extraordinary and unprecedented circumstances and inevitably there's already a strain on our ability to keep core services going at usual levels.”

Residents in Edinburgh will be given a dispensation to park in pay & display spaces within their permit zones to make it as easy as possible to park near their homes while working from home or self-isolating.

City of Edinburgh Council has also instructed its parking contractor to pay special attention to yellow lines and loading areas so that access for food and essential goods deliveries is protected.

Road defect repairs and capital resurfacing projects are proceeding as normal at present. The situation is being kept under review.

Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses are keeping their customers up to date with information and service changes online and via their social media channels. Both companies have announced that they are moving to a reduced service from Sunday (trams) and Monday (buses).

Cllr Macinnes said: “We fully support the actions Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses are taking given the hugely difficult circumstances we all find ourselves in. I welcome their commitment to providing vital public transport connections for residents who rely on their services.”