Edinburgh's trams have been causing more upset, and not just with the forthcoming roadworks (see below).
Residents in Coates Crescent and Atholl Crescent, the Georgian residences that are located between Princes Street and Haymarket Station, woke up to discover that 23 roadside trees were being axed to make way for the Shandwick Place tramstop.
The Council says that 37 "semi-mature" trees will replace the felled ones. According to a report in the Evening News, many locals in neighbouring streets just happened upon the event and were understandably angry and distraught.
However, residents of the des-res Crescents received a letter notifying them of the felling saying:
“The installation of the Shandwick Place tram stop requires the carriageway to be widened on both sides of the road, resulting in the loss of the existing footways. These will be replaced on the other side of the boundary wall. Overhead line equipment poles will also be installed.
“In order to facilitate these works, it is necessary to remove the trees in the gardens nearest to the bus lane. 23 trees will be removed from these sections and will be replaced with 37 trees once the construction works have been completed in 2013.”
You can see from this Google maps satellite image that the roadside trees were of varying ages and provided a fair amount of greenery in the Summer.
[gmap zoom=18 |center=55.948421860767226,-3.2121866941452026 |width=100% |height=400px |control=Small |type=Satellite]
More Tram works in Shandwick Place
The tree felling precedes further tram works in Shandwick Place, which is due to close to all traffic between Atholl Crescent and Lothian Road from this Saturday, 14th, from 5am.
Traffic will be diverted to either Melville Street for eastbound traffic or the West Approach Road for westbound traffic.
Access to shops and premises will be maintained in both areas, while additional support will be put in place for business deliveries.
The East side of St Andrew Square (including North and South St. Andrew Street) closed on the 7th January to vehicles with all traffic switched to the West side (South St David St).
The work site will extend down onto Princes Street and to the right as far as Waverley Bridge.
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