FURTHER delays have been announced in the repair of Cameron Toll roundabout that was shut for six months last year.
The troublesome roundabout has been plagued with issues from sinkholes to railway bridge repairs over the last year or so.
Recent announcements that it would be shut in February this year for a month have now been expanded, on with the closure being extended to March.
The works taking place will see the railway bridge over the roundabout undergo repairs and will leave the road closed from the 4-14 March.
Labour MP Ian Murray has taken to social media to once again announce the extended closure of the roundabout.
The roundabout was closed for a whopping three months from February last year to repair a collapsed culvert.
Following this, emergency gas works had to be undertaken to further repair the roundabout in August 2024.
The roundabout was finally fully reopened in November last year before being closed again just weeks later for further repairs.
Now, true to form, as the reopening date after the most recent closures approaches, an announcement has been made that it will once again be shut for a further period.
Ian Murray, Labour MP made the announcement yesterday on social media, saying: “The full closure of the Cameron Toll roundabout for railway bridge refurbishment works has been rescheduled for March.
“Initially the full closure was due to take place 4-14 February. This has now been rescheduled to 4-14 March.
“Until then the contractor is undertaking preparatory work in advance of the lane closure. This is mostly being done using lane closures overnight.
“For the full closure, the main diversion routes will be Peffermill Road, Niddrie Mains Road, the Wisp and Old Dalkeith Road.
“During this time the Council will place ‘Local Access Only’ signs on Queen’s Crescent, East Mayfield, Mayfield Terrace and Blacket Avenue to discourage rat-running.”
Ian’s announcement has received over a whopping 200 likes and more than 300 comments from locals left far from impressed.
Vicster Mo said: “This is utterly ridiculous. In my 20+ years living in the southside I’ve never known such poor planning. The council are a joke.
“Other routes need to be made available. Sorry if it hassles those living in the area but it’s past the point of being acceptable anymore.”
Heather Henderson replied: “You are actually kidding me, why on earth couldn’t they refurbish the railway bridge when it was closed for months last year?
“This doesn’t just affect drivers, it also affects the buses, the people who work at Cameron Toll and the shops in Cameron Toll. It’s absolutely ridiculous. “
John Cranston commented: “Great choice of words there. Using the negative sounding ‘rat running’.
“Those streets could also aid with the dispersal of traffic, which could improve journey times and lessen pollution. However, you’ve got that anti-car narrative to keep up.”
Pam Sked agreed: “Thanks for the update but I really take issue with describing legitimate detours as “rat running”. Surely all alternative routes should be utilised.”
Rab Paget added: “If this had happened in Japan it would [be] fixed in a fortnight. Absolute joke of a council”
Alan Yeung remarked: “We must be the worst country at repairing roads in Europe. I mean, patch it up as cheap as possible, very poor workmanship even [if] it’s a full road repair.
“And it’s a pile of crap the old ‘but the weather plays havoc with the surface’ [excuse], what, mostly rain, never above 25c rarely below –5c?”
