It's a Xmas Wrap!

What do you want for Christmas in Edinburgh city centre?

Well, as well as ‘presents’ this year, you can expect ‘presence’…Christmas Presence, that is, in the shape of extra safety measures provided by the Council, Lothian and Borders Police and British Transport Police (BTP).

At this time of year there has to be lots of planning to cope with the huge influx of visitors and let residents go about their own lives AND enjoy the celebrations.

Thanks to a bid for £40,000 of funding from the Scottish Government’s Safer Streets project, extra schemes will increase security, combat alcohol-related disorder and help revellers get home safely after a night out.

The popular transport marshals are being extended to six taxi stances on Lothian Road, Waverley Bridge, High Street, George Street and the top of Leith Walk.

Extra Police and Community Safety staff will be on the beat and, for the first time, Environmental Wardens at night.

Police and Licensing Standards officers will patrol off sales, pubs and nightclubs.

Police will patrol Winter Wonderland and there will be Gateway checks by Police and bus route managers to ensure safe travel. BTP will also conduct a Safe Journey operation.

Christmas Presence is a great example of people working together to keep your area safe.

As for our new Outlook wraps, we urgently need your views. Do you like the local wraparound? Do you want us to make it permanent? Send in the freepost form on the back page or e-mail us and you could win a £50 Scotmid shopping voucher.

Extra copies of the wraps are being distributed to local libraries and Council offices. You can also visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/outlook