Safety improvements to a dangerous local roundabout have still not been started – nearly five years after the tragic death of a pedestrian.
Calls for changes at the Davidson’s Main’s roundabout predated the horrific tragedy, but despite a council promise to overhaul the junction by the end of 2021, work is yet to get going.
And ward councillor for the area, Kevin Lang, claims the final designs for the changes “have not even been agreed”.
Council leader Adam McVey pledged to see action taken “as quickly as possible”.
In spring 2017, Alena Faltyskova visited the capital with her husband as part of her 70th birthday celebrations.
On May 14 as she walked over the pedestrian crossing on Main Street whilst on her way to church, she was struck by a number 41 bus.
Mrs Faltyskova, who was with her husband of 30 years at the time, was killed instantly.
The driver, James Muir, later pled guilty to driving without due care and was disqualified for two years.
A sheriff ruled he “failed to keep a proper lookout for other road users”.
But councillor Lang, Liberal Democrats, said the accident “came after years of concerns from residents about the dangers of roundabout”.
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“Residents had been concerned for many years about the dangers of the junction, particularly given the area is a key route to school for local primary and secondary children,” he added.
The tragic incident led council officers to propose safety improvements to the design and layout.
In 2019, a public consultation on the planned changes was launched and it was later promised the junction would be overhauled by the end of last year.
At a full council meeting on Thursday, Cllr Lang noted the five year anniversary of Mrs Faltyskova’s death is approaching and “no changes have been delivered”.
He said: “It is disgraceful that, five years after Alena’s tragic death and despite all the promises made at the time, not a single change has been made to improve the safety of pedestrians at the Davidson’s Mains roundabout.
“Despite a pledge that changes would be in place by the end of 2021, I understand the final designs for the changes have not even been agreed. It still remains unclear as to when any improvements will be seen on the ground.
“As we approach this landmark anniversary of Alena’s death, the Council Leader needs to personally intervene so the promised changes are delivered and pedestrians are better protected”.
Council Leader Adam McVey, SNP, replied saying he is “absolutely happy” to follow the matter up with officers and “find out exactly where this is in the process”.
He said he’ll aim to find out the reason for delays, adding he will push to get action “as quickly as possible.”
