Spaces for People measures to be kept on in West Lothian town

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Councillors in Linlithgow have agreed to keep improved footpaths and cycle lanes brought in under the Spaces for People (SfP) measures- a decision local Lib Dem councillor Sally Pattle branded “ridiculously easy.”Only two SfP schemes- a cycle lane on the west side of St Ninian’s Road and parking restrictions at West Loaning- were recommended for removal by both Labour veteran councillor Tom Conn and councillor Pattle at a meeting of the town’s local area committee.A report to the committee yesterday said: “The West Loaning parking at 183-245 High Street, Linlithgow should return to the pre-Covid conditions as there is adequate space to permit parking and the movement of pedestrians.”What will likely stay is the cycle lane on the east side of St Ninian’s Road, the cycle lane on the B9080 Edinburgh Road.A report by roads and transport manager Gordon Brown said: “The B9080 Edinburgh Road in Linlithgow advisory cycle lane was installed to assist cyclists cycling uphill out of Linlithgow on the carriageway that was narrowed by existing on-street parking.

This parking was relocated to the opposite side of the carriageway allowing additional space for eastbound vehicles to pass slow moving uphill cyclists.

Should this be retained then the appropriate traffic regulation orders would have to be promoted.”Councillor Conn told the meeting that the nature of the pandemic meant that many SfP measures such as the extended footpath in the High Street were done quickly.

They should be reviewed and drainage improved to make them permanent.He added that measures to maintain a proper footpath and ban parking in East Loanings “make sense” and the retention of the cycle lane in Edinburgh Road “actually makes it safer for cyclists to go up