The Edinburgh Reporter February 2024

By OLIVIA THOMAS

WILDLIFE CAMERAMAN and

presenter Hamza Yassin

attended an event to mark the

opening of the Wildlife

Photographer of the Year

exhibition at the National

Museum of Scotland.

The exhibition is on loan from

the Natural History Museum in

London, and it features

exceptional images which

capture fascinating animal

behaviour, spectacular species

and the breathtaking diversity

of the natural world.

Using photography’s unique

emotive power it is hoped

people will be inspired into

advocating for the planet.

Hamza Yassin said: “I was

delighted to be among the first

people in Scotland to view this

thought-provoking exhibition.

As a wildlife cameraman and

photographer myself, it was

great to see such a variety of

incredible images and to

appreciate the skill, knowledge

of nature and ingenuity that

must have gone into capturing

them. Photography like this can

really inspire us all to think

about the beauty and fragility

of our natural world, as well

as the things we can do to

protect it.”

Dates and times:

Until 6 May 2024, opening

hours 10am to 5pm

To book tickets visit:

http://www.nms.ac.uk/wpy

Spectacular species at photo exhibition

8

Alan Simpson Photography

Danger junction stalls

At Soundhouse

in February

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

SOUNDHOUSE ARE bringing Cahalen

Morrison to Edinburgh for a one-off gig

at Traverse. He won’t have to travel far.

Originally from New Mexico the

Americana musician and songwriter has

now settled in Scotland after a decade of

touring. Equally at home on guitar, banjo,

mandolin, singing three part harmony or

unaccompanied, he has carved out a

place for himself as a unique voice in

American music.

Cahalen said: “After a lengthy process,

at the end of 2023 I relocated from the

States to Edinburgh. Since the beginning

of the pandemic I have spent a lot of time

here so it feels great to finally make it

official. I have always been deeply drawn

to the music, arts, people and culture, so

(despite the weather) it is a very warm

feeling to finally be a resident. I played

my first gig in Edinburgh in 2011 for

Douglas and Jane-Ann, so it feels full

circle to start my musical journey as a

resident in Scotland with them. I am

thrilled to be kicking off the new

Soundhouse season at the Traverse

Theatre. I hope to see some new and

familiar faces there.”

Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann

Purdy, co-producers of this year’s

Traverse One series said: “Cahalen is one

of the most talented musicians and

songwriters we have come across in the

past two decades. We can think of no one

finer to kick off our new Traverse One gig

programme in 2024.”

Cahalen Morrison live at Traverse One with

special guest Cera Impala

Tickets: £16/£

Date: Thursday 15 February 2024

Doors open: 7:30pm | Music starts: 8pm (bar

open from 7pm)

Location: Traverse One, 10 Cambridge

Street, Edinburgh

http://www.soundhouse.org.uk

The concert is supported by funding from

the National Lottery through Creative

Scotland

Five years have passed without positive action at scene of fatalities

NEWS

By KIRSTY LEWIN

On behalf of Spokes Porty

WHAT SAFETY work’s been happening on

the most dangerous junction in Edinburgh

for cyclists over the last six months? None,

it turns out.

Despite the deaths of Stuart Elliot in 2019 and

Heather Stronach in 2020 on their bikes at the

Portobello High Street junction with Sir Harry

Lauder Road, we are still no further forward

than the emergency measures put in in 2022

that ban HGV drivers turning left off Portobello

High Street.

We believed, following the Transport and

Environment Committee decisions, that work

would commence last summer. We now know

that there were ‘resource pressures’ and the

work didn’t start.

The original delivery timetable of summer

2024 now looks to be more like spring 2026.

This will be a £1 million pound project that

removes some traffic lanes and introduces

a single crossing for pedestrians and

cyclists between Portobello High Street

and Inchview Terrace.

Many who live in Portobello and beyond are

shocked and disappointed by the lack of

progress. Spokes worked in good faith with the

Council and the local community on proposals

to redesign the junction in a way that will make

it safe, easy, and comfortable for people walking,

wheeling, and cycling. This involved detailed

work on the current temporary scheme and its

diversion route for HGVs through Northfield.

While we welcome the existing emergency

measures, they are not ideal, and were only ever

supposed to be temporary. The junction

remains hostile to people walking, wheeling,

and cycling. Fishwives’ Causeway cannot be

considered a viable alternative route for all as it

only suits some routes and is not considered

safe by many women in the dark.

It’s not just Portobello. We are also concerned

about the other dangerous junctions in the city,

including the West End of Princes Street where

Zhi Min Soh was killed on her bike in 2017.

Nobody should be killed going out on their

bikes in Edinburgh. It’s time for cycling safety to

be taken seriously. This means prioritising

resources to get well designed, future proofed

schemes on the ground, and keeping

communities informed about their progress.

The junction of Sir Harry Lauder Road, Portobello Road

and King’s Road where two cyclists have died

Cahalen Morrison

Wildlife Cameraman Hamza Yassin

with pupils from Bun-sgoil Taobh

na Pàirce