Get Edinburgh Moving

NEWS RELEASE

Wednesday 2nd February 2005

Transport Edinburgh referendum:
Yes campaigners vindicated over placards

Get Edinburgh Moving today welcomed the decision by the referendum returning officer to allow placarding during the referendum campaign. A letter from Tom Aitchison, Chief Executive of City of Edinburgh Council, today confirmed that it would be legal to erect placards [2]. Get Edinburgh Moving [3] criticised the legalistic attacks from 'no' campaigners.

Mark Sydenham, spokesperson for Get Edinburgh Moving [3], said:

"This is a welcome decision which puts to an end several days of unnecessary confusion. As advised, we have complied with standard election procedures at all times and will continue to do so.

"The 'no' protestors demanded a referendum and now we're fighting that referendum. The 'no' camp wanted to move the goalposts. It is clear that they will do anything to prevent the positive messages about the city's sustainable transport plans from being heard.

"The fact that the 'no' campaign resorted to attacking the legality of our election placards demonstrates that they have lost the arguments about the need to tackle congestion and pollution in Edinburgh."

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] Yes to Edinburgh is a non-party organisation open to anyone who supports our aim of winning the transport referendum in 2005, and ensuring overwhelming public support for the most ambitious transport plans any British city has ever seen.
Supporters include leading members of the Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Green Party, Independent MSPs, business organisations and individual companies, environmental groups, students, pensioners, parents and more. It is open to all who support our aims. See http://www.yestoedinburgh.com for more information.

[2] Yes to Edinburgh have been installing 5000 election placards around the city bearing the messages:

"Vote YES for better public transport"
"Vote YES for less pollution"
"Vote YES for less traffic"
"Vote YES for a better Edinburgh"

The placards comply with all standard regulations followed for elections.

[3] Get Edinburgh Moving is a coalition of transport, environment, student and community groups pressing for a 'yes' vote in February's referendum on transport. See http://www.getedinburghmoving.org for more information.

Get Edinburgh Moving members include:

Campaign for Borders Rail
ctc Scotland
Capital Rail Action Group
Friends of the Earth Edinburgh
Friends of the Earth Scotland
Gorgie Park Close and Slateford Green Residents' Association
People and Planet
Scottish Association for Public Transport
Spokes
Sustrans
TRANSform Scotland
WWF Scotland

[4] For background information on the Transport Edinburgh proposals, see http://www.transport-edinburgh.org.uk/

[5] Some facts about congestion in Edinburgh.

Why action is required:

* Without action Edinburgh is likely to breach air quality standards in several city centre locations.
* Without action, traffic volumes in Edinburgh are expected to increase 30% by 2021.
* A third of small firms in Scotland claim that road congestion is seriously damaging their business.
* The transport sector accounts for 23% of climate changing carbon dioxide emissions.
Congestion charging would make a real difference to all who work and live in the city:
* Less traffic, less pollution and safer streets. All the money raised from the charge has, in law, to be used to improve transport across South-East Scotland including: trams, buses, walking and cycling.
* Delivering environmental justice: The real winners will be the 42% of Edinburgh's households who have no access to a car.

END OF PRESS RELEASE