Is there actually any attempt to manage congestion in Edinburgh?

This is my latest column, published in the Scotsman today (19th August 2025).

As I sat in yet another traffic jam caused by one of the interminable roadworks that litter Edinburgh I had time to reflect on a time, not so long ago, when all non emergency road obstructions were cleared away during the busy summer season.

The arteries of the city were opened up to welcome its visitors. Clearly this no longer the policy and I began to wonder whether there is any attempt to manage congestion in our city centres.

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The question arose again last weekend when 150,000 Oasis fans descended on Edinburgh over three days, slap bang in the middle of The Edinburgh Festival and The Fringe, when the city was at its busiest.

In a world tour with dozens of concert dates was it really necessary for Oasis to play in Edinburgh during peak festival. What was the thinking behind this timetabling, and what economic opportunities have been lost? Undoubtedly, many Oasis fans would have made a weekend of it in Edinburgh had the concert been outwith The Festival. As it was, the city was full to bursting, causing most concert goers to travel long distances to and from Edinburgh on the day of the concert. So no maximum benefit for our struggling hospitality sector from the Oasis fans, and a horrendous carbon footprint into the bargain. So much for green thinking.

As I was musing over this remarkable lapse in planning and good sense I was further flabbergasted to learn that right in the middle of the weekend when all The Festivals were running and thousands of Oasis fans were milling about the city, 20 major roads were closed to facilitate an Orange Walk right through the city centre. This beggars belief.

The Loyal Orange Order, specifically the ‘Provincial Black Chapter of The Lodge, usually hold their Walks around 12th July, the anniversary of the Protestant victory at The Battle of The Boyne in 1690. Why they were allowed to traipse through the City Centre at lunch time on a Saturday in August is a mystery, but the consequences were profound. In the middle of one of the busiest weekends of the year the city centre was effectively closed for four hours to facilitate a sectarian parade. I wonder what our international tourist guests thought?

What was the thinking, if any, behind the licensing of these events which were bound to clash and cause super congestion in a city already full to capacity.

For it does not have to be this way. The City of Edinburgh Council are the licensing authority for all such events, and the responsibility usually lies with the transportation committee of the council. And they are far from powerless. While there is a presumption to allow peaceful marches, demonstrations, and events, the dates, times, and routes can be dictated by the council.

The clash between the Edinburgh Festivals and the Oasis concerts was a thoughtless loss of economic opportunity, the scheduling of an Orange Walk in August through the City Centre was frankly ridiculous.

We deserve, and pay for, a more professional approach . It’s time we got our act together.

A little coordination would benefit us all. Resident and visitor alike.