Challenge
The City of Edinburgh is rolling out a £2 million programme of 20mph speed limits for city centre roads – a first for Scotland.
However, the project comes with some clear logistical challenges:
- This hasn’t been tried before on such a scale in Scotland.
- Choosing the roads where the 20mph speed limit should apply.
- Informing decision makers and the public about the new lower limits.
Solution
Edinburgh City Council used OS mapping data, free through the One Scotland Mapping Agreement (OSMA)*, to create visuals for a major public consultation. This let citizens of Edinburgh give their views alongside key stakeholders such as Lothian Buses and Police Scotland.
*From 1 April 2020, the One Scotland Mapping Agreement (OSMA), was superseded by the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA).
With a positive response from the consultation, councillors approved the project. During its delivery over the next two years, the council will use a web map and other supporting materials to keep stakeholders informed.
Result
- Mapping products used to support the consultation programme – the first of its kind in Scotland.
- Easy-to-understand maps, with accurate spatial information, helped generate a positive response to the public consultation.
- The council can update maps to keep stakeholders informed during the roll out.
"During the consultation, we had to add a new server to cope with public demand on the 20mph web application. The high-quality OS mapping underpinning the 20mph routes clearly helped maximise the reach of the consultation."