🚲 edi.bike | issue 101 | 14th July ‘25
your weekly edinburgh cycling digest
📰 News this Week
🏰 Local Bits
👏🏼 A great example this week of the tireless work Spokes undertake on behalf of cyclists in Edinburgh: the introduction of temporary crossing lights at Magdala Crescent for traffic management, replacing a tiger crossing, was only technically suitable for pedestrians and as such the contractor undertaking the works unceremoniously closed CCWEL at this location as a result with a sign in the middle of the cycleway:
Provocations from Spokes saw this changed firstly to a ‘Dismount and use footway’ sign, which is of course an issue if you’re using an adaptive cycle and cannot dismount - arguably discriminatory language at the very least and an impossible instruction at worst.
Latterly, after further prodding in the right direction, a change to signage was made warning drivers turning that cyclists would be crossing as normal.
This kind of activity might seem almost pedantic, but with issues across the city caused by utilities contractors not following guidance or in a lot of cases common sense, we’re fortunate to have folks persevering in the face of indifference to cycling as an equal transport choice. CCWEL is a flagship for the city’s protected routes and one would hope the council are able, over time, to develop how such routes remain protected when works are planned and take on enforcement of their use and status too.
If you’re not already a member of Spokes, now is as good a time as any to back them with a membership!
🗑️ 😸 A reader sent in details of Trashcat — “an alley cat-style checkpoint ride with a manifesto of tasks to complete while collecting single-use pollution from the trails”, — who are bringing an event to Edinburgh on Saturday 26th July supported by newly opened (chain operated) repair shop Fettle at Fountainbridge. Check out the event details and register a ticket if interested.
You can read more about Trashcat’s origin story at Laka »
🚧 Despite drawing up a priority list just over two years ago, the city council council has now paused plans for six out of the 10 junctions which it assessed as being most in need of a safety upgrade. — more at The Evening News »
🌅 Nice wee album of Instagram photos from Edinburgh Dawn Patrol on their recent post;
💚 Council Transport & Environment Committee member Cllr Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill was in London this week, for the launch of Sustrans and Transport for All’s new project ‘Transforming Mobility’:
“Transforming Mobility is a Sustrans project with Transport for All, funded by the Motability Foundation, understanding how to better include disabled people in transport planning. Through research and engagement in the UK and Belgium, it's exploring how cities can improve accessibility by involving disabled people in decision-making.
Throughout the project, disabled people shared clear, practical recommendations to make sure these ideas truly represent their needs and lead to better, fairer outcomes.
The five big ideas are:
- Rebalance street space.
- Create mobility hubs linking walking, wheeling, cycling, and public transport.
- Roll out side road zebra crossings across the UK.
- Cut car parking to clear pavements.
- Pay disabled people to become members of access panels and advise on local transport decisions.
There are a number of links to read the associated report on the project’s homepage »
🚺 Edinburgh Breeze Ladies have a ride out this Wednesday - ‘Down the Brunstane, Up the Esk’:
Wednesday, 16th July from 10:00am - 16+, women only. 21.9 miles, 4h, ‘steady’ pace - starting from the bottom of the (older!) zigzags on Russell Road: What3words ///mile.laptop.crew.
📦 Cargo bikes for sale via Laid Back Bikes - three Urban Arrow flatbed models available;
🧱 Progress on the Foot of the Walk to Dock St continuing apace, with Harry Williams spotting this section at Yardheads and Henderson St being laid with pavers that looked up-sett-ingly like they might be bumpier than ideal:
(As discussed in the thread on Bluesky, at a distance these look much like setts but aren’t, thankfully. But do you know the difference between a sett and a cobblestone?).
📺 12 Days Left: Local musician, composer and cycling campaigner Dan Abrahams is currently crowdfunding a new music video:
"After the success of ‘Our Streets’ and ‘Big Car’, I’m raising money to make an epic video for my new song ‘Amsterdam’ which celebrates cycling and cities which prioritise it. Check out the video explaining it all and please ask if you have any questions about the project. I’ll be looking for lots of cyclists to be extras in the video in July."
➡️ Back the project on Indiegogo »
🌾 Some good development on the way in Currie, featured on planning news portal City Scope — “Hard-surfacing and widening the field path linking Juniper Green and Currie, with low-level lighting, benches, filter-drainage and planting to formalise the route as a permanent public link.”.
As SW20 put it:
A vital link in the ‘education corridor’ envisioned to link all the local schools together with Heriot Watt university making walking, wheeling and cycling safer for pupils, staff, visitors and the communities it will tie together. - post on Bluesky »
🌲 A new consultation, submitted by a reader, but with a twist - it’s not for cycle infrastructure, but the establishment of a new woodland. As stated in the submission - “appreciate that this is not strictly about cycling, however many cyclists in Edinburgh may enjoy riding in the area this relates to”. Quite right too.
As per the Consultation letter [PDF]:
Rosebery Estates Partnership, assisted by Scottish Woodlands Ltd, are developing woodland creation proposals for Wester Kinleith, near Harlaw Reservoir, Balerno, within the Pentland Hills Regional Park. Woodland creation is being considered as agricultural use has become increasingly difficult on the site. The primary objective behind the woodland planting is timber production, with other benefits such as carbon capture, enhanced public access, and native woodland expansion being delivered.
There is also a drop-in consultation event on 23rd July, 2:30pm – 7:30pm at 📍 Balerno Community Centre, EH14 7EQ.
🏆 Spokes are running their annual competition with a range of excellent prizes - entries welcome on the theme of ‘My favourite bike ride’. Details and lots of local Edinburgh cycling news can also be found in their most recent Action Update [PDF]
🍃 Sustainable transport charity Sustrans is producing a new iteration of the Walking and Cycling Index - are you keen to share your experience walking, wheeling or cycling in Edinburgh? Fill in the survey »
🇬🇧 National
📉 London’s low-traffic zones ‘cut deaths and injuries by more than a third’
Study also finds no change in number of casualties on roads just outside low-traffic neighbourhoods — articles at The Guardian and The Standard;
⛔️ “Campaigners welcome new 'floating' bus stops pause” — article at the BBC »
There is no shortage of complexity around this issue; this news primarily affects England as transport is a devolved issue, and this is a Scottish publication; there is a bill currently at the committee stage which would require the Secretary of State for Transport to have a full safety review of ‘floating bus stops’ within a year of it passing; there are ways in which such layouts may make streets more accessible by offering safe and inclusive cycleways — by avoiding pushing users out into the carriageway to pass bus stops — but in some cases less accessible given the difficulties blind and partially sighted persons face when trying to cross cycleways when boarding or disembarking a bus. And that’s before we get onto what a Floating Bus Stop actually is:
There are two different types of so-called floating bus stops:
- Shared Use Bus Border (SUBB) where the cycle lane runs across the front of the bus stop, between the shelter and the kerb where buses stop
- Bus stop bypasses where the bike track runs behind the bus stop / shelter
The government announcement on a pause refers to SUBBs. There are no SUBBs on Transport for London's (TfL) road network but many exist on roads managed by London boroughs.
With SUBBs being a different type of stop - and apparently not a part of TfL’s network - they weren’t therefore featured in their extensive safety audit of Bus Stop Bypasses from 2024, though they did at one stage publish guidance on their use [PDF] (including a helpful diagram on page 15.
Interestingly, what we have seen in Edinburgh is a number of places where SUBB style floating bus stops are working with little conflict (e.g. along CCWEL), but also a notable change at Elm Row where recent works have relocated the downhill cycle lane to be behind the bus stops, similar to a bus stop bypass. Personally, I always attributed a lot of the danger in this particular layout to the style of bus shelter in use, where there was no sight line either for passengers in the shelter to see uphill towards oncoming cyclists, nor cyclists to see them in the shelter (e.g. standing up and getting ready to cross) - thanks to the sale of advertising space being more important than e.g. a glass walled shelter design for safety and visibility.
🛣 Route Closures and Issues
ℹ️ Encountered unexpected road issues? Find out how to report them with this guide from Spokes. The team at Edinburgh Travel News are also keen to hear about cycle path alerts and can be contacted on Threads or Facebook.
🦋 On Bluesky? Follow the #EdTravCyc feed - anyone can use the #EdTravCyc hashtag to share route issues they encounter;
📪 The week’s road closure info - many thanks to regular contributor Robbie for collating and preparing these:
🎍 Greenbank to Meadows QuietRoute: Closed at Whitehouse Loan for footway resurfacing works on Newbattle Ter until 28th August. It’s been asked if cycle access can be provided and any of the modal filter planters will be temporary moved.
🚳 CCWEL on West Coates: EnergeticsUK works until 20th July had closed the cycle crossing at Magdala Cres. Following contact from Spokes, the crossing has been reopened.
🚲 Valleyfield Street: Road by Bruntsfield Links on NCR75 closed for Scottish water works from today 14th July to 31st July but cycles access will be maintained.
🚧 Eyre Place: Road and contraflow cycle lane closed at Canonmills from today Monday 14th July until Friday 18th July. It’s expected to be possible to dismount to pass. George V Park may also offer an alternate route.
🚧 Crawford Bridge: Closed at Albion Terrace until 17th July for Scottish Water repairs, affecting Quietroute 20. Albion Rd may provide an alternate route.
🏫 Dalkeith Road: Works until 25th July to make permanent the footway widening outside Preston Street Primary School. The eastbound cycle lane on East Preston St may also be obstructed.
Festival Closures:
🎪 Hill Square: Fringe Festival will close Hill Place westbound from 14th July until end Aug but cycle access will be maintained. Be aware of temporary road signage in the contraflow cycle lane westbound and an increase in pedestrians. Nearby Roxburgh Place will also be closed, which may create a pleasant low traffic area.
🎪 Summertime Streets: Expanded closures for the August festivals this year, to create pedestrian and cycle zones. Watch this space next week for more information!
Longer Term Closures:
🚧 Leamington Terrace: Closed in sections for resurfacing until 12th September. If you’re travelling between Union Canal and Merchiston, Gilmore Pl may be an alternate route. Update 14th July: Viewforth has reopened and may now also be an option.
🌉 South Gyle Road: Bridge between modal filter and Quiet Route 7 expected to close for repairs until April 2026. When asked about cycle access, a spokesperson for Network Rail Scotland said: "Plans for South Gyle station bridge are still at an early stage, with work expected to begin late summer. We understand the importance of this route for cyclists and are developing proposals for a temporary bridge to maintain access throughout the work. Further details will be shared with the community as planning progresses". It is expected to be required to dismount and use a temporary bridge during the works.
🏹 Lawnmarket and Upper Bow: Road improvements are ongoing until end July ‘25; be sure to read the Council’s page about the closures, which managed to completely omit arrangements for a certain human-powered transport mode so mind how you go. Update 14th July: works nearly complete and expected to reopen soon.
⛰️ Duddingston Low Road in Holyrood Park: Ongoing inspection works have identified a risk of rockfall, resulting in a closure until further notice. Dismounting to pass is not currently possible. The footway is expected to re-open at the end of July, requiring dismounting to pass.
🏗️ Craighall Road: Closed until May 2028 for the Refurbishment of Trinity Academy. Access to the Victoria Path is expected to be maintained. A diversion will be signed along Newhaven Road, however the removal of parking for improved traffic flow may lead to this being a wider and faster road, less suitable for cycles.
🌉 Harrison Road: two bridges closed due to structural concerns with micro-cracking in the original cast iron beams. Access to cycles is being restricted:
- The north-west bridge over a small path is having its deck rebuilt and will be closed to pedestrians and cycles for rebuilding until November. The path underneath will close from 28th July, with a signed diversion in place.
- The south-east bridge over the Union Canal has been closed for investigations, with fencing placed across the bridge and a gap for cycles. The bridge is expected to re-open to vehicles in July.
⚡ Dryden Street: Link between footbridge and modal filter at Cambridge Ave closed until 23rd July for Scottish Power upgrades. Leith Walk segregated cycle lanes have largely superseded this route and may offer an alternate route.
🚧 Stenhouse Drive: road between shared use path along tramline and Water of Leith Path closed at Gorgie Road for SGN works until mid-August. Stenhouse Ave may offer an alternative route.
🏗️ Port Hamilton Cyclepath: Shared use path between Union Canal and West End closed until 2026/27 for building works. A diversion is advised via Gardeners Crescent and Semple Street.
🚂 Waverley Bridge - concrete barriers have been placed across the southbound lane with no gap. Council officers had planned to replace them with temporary barriers with a southbound cycle lane, however plans have stalled without explanation.
💧 Union Canal: Towpath improvement works are ongoing from Leamington Lift Bridge to Edinburgh Quay until August ‘25. A section of towpath is closed with diversion across the lift bridge and along the southern side of the canal - more info at Scottish Canals.
⚡ Ongoing: The questionable Network Rail ban on ebike parking at Waverley Station - best to make alternative parking plans if travelling from this station at present;
🏹 Lawnmarket and Upper Bow: Road improvements should be wrapping up, but at time of writing there are still barriers up at the George IV Bridge end of Lawnmarket and require dismounting to circumnavigate via footways.
📣 Help edi.bike ✍🏼
- 🗣️ Recommend us to someone - why not forward to a friend, or just point them to edi.bike online
- 📝 Share a story / issue - If you run into anything that might be a good fit for next time, feel free to send it over.
💜 Join the Supporters Club for £1/month to help us cover costs and promote to a wider audience. More info below.
🎉 Events and Happenings
📆 Upcoming / Ongoing
🧡 A bunch of July events remaining at Wee Spoke Hub, who also shared some of their current cycle stock on Facebook recently if you’re in the market for a summer steed;
🚌 Every Sunday until 26th October: “Inner Forth Bike Bus - the route, between Alloa and the Forth Bridges, encourages cyclists to travel more sustainably within the Inner Forth. Walkers are still welcome to use the service, too. The concept of the Inner Forth Bike Bus was developed to enable local people, and visitors, to help them cycle (or walk) part of the 'Round the Inner Forth' route, hop off at fascinating heritage sites, and return home or to a bus stop / train station for their onward travels.” - Info and Timetable »
🧘 More upcoming rides and movement / yoga sessions from Detour [IG]:
✨ Tickets are available now for the 30th August - book now to grab 2 for 1 early bird tickets - Yoga by Bike, Porty to Longniddry - 🎟️ Details and Tickets»
🚶🏻♀️ Wester Hailes Walk, Pedal and Thrive Project June to October Events at ScoreScotland - mainly based at 📍 Gate 55, 55 Sighthill Rd, and booking required - call / text Madhavi on 07496 190 752 or email madhavi@scorescotland.org.uk.
🚺 Cycle Training for Women Beginners: 5.15pm to 7.15pm, Wednesday 16th July;
🚸 Play Together on Pedals (3 to 6 year olds): Fridays from 2pm to 4pm;
🧭 Led Cycle Rides: Saturdays from 9:45am to 1pm;
🚲 Adult Beginners / Family Cycle Training: text for an appointment.
🎟️ Festival Show: ‘CADEL: Lungs on Legs’:
ONE ACTOR. ONE BIKE. ONE HOUR. Connor Delves is Cadel Evans. The epic true story of the first Australian to win the Tour de France, live on stage. — Tickets at Underbelly »
🖼️ New Venue: The ongoing ‘Pedal Power’ exhibition about cycle campaigning in Edinburgh co-curated by Spokes, Infrasisters, Bike Buses and Edinburgh Critical Mass has moved on from Duncan Place, and can now be found at Norton Park (📍 57 Albion Road) — having been transported across by cargo bike (of course!) in April;
⛰️ Bikepacking event Dirt Dash’s 2025 return wraps up in September - check out the gorgeous video they put out previously [IG] too:
Dirt Dash’s summer programme concludes with the Lezyne Dunoon Dirt Dash on 27 & 28 September. Organised by round the world cyclist Markus Stitz, these self-supported rides are designed for cyclists who love off-road riding and are seeking new experiences on their bikes, whether for seasoned gravel riders or anyone new to bikepacking.
💙 Riding LEJOG in memory of Tim McKenna — and raising money for charities Mind, Sustrans and Flight Free UK in his honour. Passing through in August, folks can join for some or all of the route by reviewing the itinerary. Thanks to John Robson for the link;
⚙️ In September, Spokes will be hosting a Cargo-bike-focused event, showing the film Motherload and hosting a discussion;
A special Spokes public meeting, discussing further development of cargo bikes in Edinburgh – as always the meeting is open to all, but local groups who we know to be involved in cargobikes will be specially invited. The evening will include a screening of MOTHERLOAD, a 90-minute documentary film which captures a new mother’s quest to understand the increasing isolation and disconnection of modern life, its planetary impact, and how cargo bikes could be an antidote. The showing and discussion will be on Tuesday September 2nd from 7pm - 9.30pm at Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge EH1 1EL. Further information from Ian »
🎉 For six months starting in September, the ‘Towpath talks’ team will be returning:
Cycling community Talks are back - with the closure of Biketrax in January, the regular cycling talks by MacKenzie Barker (@rekrab82 [IG)] and hosted by Izabela Murtagh (@iza.murtagh [IG]) will be making a return in September using a new venue — Gamma Transport Division in the Comely Bank / Stockbridge area"
Great news. Announcements currently via the Towpath Talks account on Instagram, and we’ll publish dates when available!
💯 Edinburgh RC celebrating its hundredth year in 2025 and have an ongoing challenge encouraging 100 women of all cycling abilities to ride 100km - offering help to anyone who needs it along the way;
🔁 Weekly Events
- 🍃 Mon, 12-2.30pm: Free, fun group ride on paths from Bridgend Farmhouse;
- 🌅 Tues, ⏰ 5.40am: Edinburgh Dawn Patrol - Meet St. Andrew Square, same route each time - more info on their Instagram;
- ☕️Tues, 5pm: [National] Active Travel Cafe on Zoom
- 🛠️ Weds, 3pm: Bike Kitchen at Edinburgh Tool Library
- 🌅 Thurs, ⏰ 5.40am: Edinburgh Dawn Patrol (same as Tues, details above);
- 🪨 Thurs Evenings: Edinburgh Gravel Cycling Club social group rides;
- ✴️ Thurs, 5-8pm: Bike DIY Session at The Wee Spoke Hub
- ⚙️ Sat, 2-4pm: ‘Bike Cleaning and Oiling’ drop-in session at The Wee Spoke Hub
- 🟰 Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council’s Edinburgh Cycling Club run weekly group rides and introductory classes;
🔁 Monthly Events
- 🚲 First Friday of the month: Inclusive social bike rides with A Wee Pedal, 1-3pm, from Bridgend Farmhouse;
- ✊Last Saturday of the month: Critical Mass Edinburgh, Family-friendly mass protest / group ride, 2pm, Middle Meadow Walk;
🫂 Help Needed
Ongoing: 🚌 Marshal for School Bike Buses | 🙋 Help with school programme ‘I Bike’ | 🗨️Join Spokes’ Planning or Resources group | 🆘 Donate money or bikes to Bikes for Refugees | 📦⚡️ Hire Community Cargobikes, E-bikes or Trailers from SW20, Porty Community Energy or Banzai | ♻️ Donate old bikes to The Bike Station, The Wee Spoke Hub or ‘Brake the Cycle’.
🆘 Via Laid Back Bikes:
Latest Afghanistan fundraiser organised by Shannon Galpin. Every £€$ helps! Since the Taliban takeover she's organised life saving evacuations for 150+ Afghan cyclists (one recently arrived in Dundee, many others across the world!). Donate & pass on if you can 🙏
Their story, as written by Galpin, can be found here — along with the Fundraiser Link »
🧡 The Wee Spoke Hub are looking for a Comms volunteer [IG] and for other roles too;
🌈 Infrastructure Progress & Consultations
✨ This section of the digest will receive a revamp in the coming months to move long-running, detailed consultation information onto web pages, and instead publish a list of links for open and recent consultations (along with summaries for anything actually new). In the meantime, anything new or changed is found near the top. ✨
In Previous Updates:
🌳 Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route: with changes coming — to re-introduce rat-running traffic to the Braid Estate and attempt to mitigate the impacts for cycling with the addition of segregated cycleways through residential streets — Council Officers have advised that “The designs have now been completed and the relevant ETRO documents have been drafted. These need to be subject to legal procedures before they can be implemented, with an expectation this will take place during July and August. Due to the requirement to conduct pre-implementation traffic monitoring, which cannot meaningfully be undertaken during school holiday times, the works will not start until mid-September at the earliest."
☀️ Summertime Street Closures Announced
The City of Edinburgh Council have announced their ‘Summertime Streets 2025’ programme of full and partial road closures, to create safer streets during the festival period, on ‘various dates between 24 July and 7 September’.
Many of these are much the same as previous periods; the closures and restrictions on Johnston Terrace are interesting as they align fairly closely with the ongoing project to close it to through-traffic except for cycles, as part of the ‘Old Town Streets’ project.
📐 Having had sight of draft plans, Merchiston Districts Community Council have a blog post on the changes coming to the somewhat infamous mini-roundabout junction in Polwarth after a lot of local campaigning, which sound extremely promising. Consultation coming later in the summer, which we’ll be sure to link to here.
📸 Thanks to ‘Dashed Lines’ on Bluesky for tagging us in their photos of a newly opened ‘missing link’ path built between Greendykes Rd and Hunters Hall Park in the East of the city, following their photos of improvements at Greendykes and construction shots earlier in the year.
📋 New Consultation in Meadowbank for Marionville Rd Cycleway, and Details on Smokey Brae
Following consultation in 2022, the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) has published new web pages (Issue 96, 9th June) detailing plans for protected cycleways on Smokey Brae, including Marionville Avenue and Restalrig Avenue. There are pages featuring visual before / after renders, and others with street layout plans.
These changes are part of an overall plan for the area which now includes a new section being consulted on, featuring a bi-directional protected cycleway on Marionville Rd. The associated consultation is open until the 17th of August, with CEC no doubt hoping to deliver both sets of improvements in tandem in the near future.
📋 Consultation: “Walking, wheeling and cycling improvements in Currie” closed to comments as of 6th July 2025. The plans include junction and crossing improvements, and additional cycle parking and access at Curriehill railway station, as well as access into some of the new developments in the area.
🔭 As spotted by Harry Williams and others, some movement on the ‘Longstone Link’ bridge (Issue 95, 2nd June): a Boundary Map [PDF] and Pre-application Screening have been published on the planning portal, which reads:
The proposal is for a new 5m wide shared-use bridge over the Water of Leith between a new housing development and New Mart Road. The bridge will link on the north east to a 3.5m wide shared-use path that will be widened to 5m wide connecting to New Mart Road in HRA. On the south west, it will connect to a new path to be delivered within the land of the new residential development. On the north west, the existing wooden boardwalk will be altered to connect to the new infrastructure. The location and alignment of the bridge has been selected to minimise the impact on trees, flooding management considerations and to retain the desire line for users crossing the Water of Leith.
🚌 Good to see changes underway at Elm Row, where the downhill cycle lane in front of the bus stops is being combined with a newly widened two-way lane section behind the shelters, reducing conflict with bus passengers (and also reconfiguring some of the parking at Elm Row in a way that hopefully makes a dent in some of the atrocious excesses being committed in the name of vehicle storage). Initially no diversion was provided - on Scotland’s busiest cycleway, well done everyone - but as per Robbie’s excellent Route Closures info above, it looks like this may now have been addressed
🚶 Pedestrianisation and Cycling Project to Close Lawnmarket to Traffic
Via Harry Williams on Bluesky, news of a new City of Edinburgh Council project commencing in July will see an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) close Johnstone Terrace and Lawnmarket during daytime, with deliveries and loading taking place outside of those hours:
Restrictions will be between
- 10.30am and 7.30pm, Monday to Saturday
- 12.30pm and 7.30pm, Sunday
Lawnmarket’s former black vehicle barriers have been removed during works, to be replaced at the end of the current work with mechanised retractable bollards. In addition to this filter, the following changes will be put in place:
Johnston Terrace:
- Restricted access for large vehicles when pedestrian and cycle zone is in operation
- Removal of existing coach parking
- Taxi and private hire pick-up and drop-off areas
- Additional blue badge parking
- Public and resident parking
- Turning area for smaller vehicles including taxis and vans
Castle Terrace:
- Coach pick-up and drop-off on Castle Terrace
- Relocated residential parking to make way for Coach spaces, at the cost of
Being an ETRO, over the eighteen trial months the council will be looking to monitor the impact and any changes needed before making the scheme a permanent change - including six months of public consultation. There’s also an extensive page of current arrangements, ahead of the ETRO commencing, including changes to through traffic on Castle Terrace.
These welcome (and long overdue) changes are seemingly part of a series of new projects under the heading ‘Improving Old Town Streets’ which starts with Johnstone Terrace and Lawnmarket, and also covers Victoria Street, High Street (west), Cockburn Street, High Street (east) and Hunter Square - all earmarked for changes under the various themes already established by the Transport Committee:
The strategies and plans guiding our proposals
The project reflects our ambition to be net zero by 2030 and the wider vision for the city as set out in our key strategies including:
- City Mobility Plan 2021 – 2030: a 10-year strategy to transform the way people, goods and services travel around the city;
- City Centre Transformation: an ambitious plan to provide a people-focused city centre, which is a desirable place to live, work and visit.
- Our Future Streets (Circulation Plan): a long-term approach for planning transport and improvements to outdoor spaces across the city.
🌸 Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route: ‘Option 3’ Detailed Plans (At Last)
Last Spring, the Labour Administration sided with Tory and Lib Dem colleagues on the Transport and Environment Committee and voted to remove traffic filtering from the Braid Estate, forming a key part of the Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route - filters that had reduced through-traffic in the neighbourhood by as many as four thousand cars per day, a vote in direct opposition to several of the councils’ own policies. After a long design process, the plans for ‘Option 3’ (in a strange, consultation-as-referenda programme of stumbling around local objections and procedural glitches) have finally been made available, providing instead a series of protected cycleways through the streets forming the Braid Estate. Recently, Cllr Ben Parker asked for an update at Full Council and received a number of clarifications from Officers.
Neither pro-filter campaigners nor their pro-through-traffic counterparts are particularly thrilled by the plans, which will be implemented using temporary materials under a new Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO). However, thanks to Labour having tabled a last-minute caveat at the time, the ETRO will include the option to revert and reintroduce filters on the estate without requiring further legal process (e.g. another ETRO design and advertisement), so there is still hope if a case can be made that the goals of the project are deemed to have been compromised by reintroducing through-traffic to a liveable neighbourhood…
You can download the plans here [PDF].
🌸 Thursday 8th May saw the meeting of Edinburgh’s full Council, and tabled amongst its business were some clarifying questions to the Transport Convener on the safe implementation of the changes coming to the route by Green party Councillor Chas Booth; the answers are worth a read through [PDF, Page 17] in terms of some previously unseen detail, including different widths of planned protected cycleway on Braid Avenue depending on whether travel is in an uphill or downhill direction;
📋 Consultation: Edinburgh BioQuarter Active Travel Gaps - Sheriffhall Park & Ride to BioQuarter Campus Route
Now closed (2nd March at 23:59): Consultation spotted by Spokes this week; seeking to connect up both some missing internal links in the active travel pathways around the Edinburgh BioQuarter site at Little France, and also deliver protected cycleways and quiet routes between the site and the Midlothian Council park and ride facility at Sheriffhall:
“Edinburgh BioQuarter partners (City of Edinburgh Council, NHS Lothian, Scottish Enterprise and The University of Edinburgh) are in the process of improving active travel routes and facilities in and around the campus…
The improvements being looked at within this project will see the development of a new active travel route to Edinburgh BioQuarter from Midlothian in the south to plug a 'gap' in the infrastructure. Eliminating the 'gap' will improve accessibility for walkers, wheelers, and cyclists during everyday journeys.”
Detailed Plans and Rationale on the project’s StoryMap »
🗺️ East Lothian Council are carrying out consultations on proposed improvements between Prestonpans and Levenhall; there is of course some local resistance, and at this stage the consultation closed for comments in March 2025.
Download the (muckle!) combined plan [PDF] or browse the list
🍃 Spokes recently highlighted a new consultation from Midlothian Council in Spring 2025 to create Active Travel provisions along the A7:
The aim of the project is to improve active travel connections within the study area making it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle for their everyday journeys and to connect to public transport services more easily. Currently, there is no or limited provision for walking, wheeling and cycling along the majority of the A7 corridor.
🏞️ Via Spokes - in an update from Friends of Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park the start of a new project to improve the valley is ongoing:
Burdiehouse Burn Restoration - Concept Design
“For the Burdiehouse Burn to become a successful and notable blue-green regeneration project, restoring approximately 5 km of the burn and surrounding habitats”
Core project objectives:
- Sustainable river restoration
- Habitat restoration in the surrounding landscape ✨ 3. Active travel connections
- Placemaking & access improvements
- Education & engagement of people and organisations local to the burn
- Net zero gains
- Improve the resilience of the site to climate change.
More in their newsletter »
🏚️ New plans for 21 flats on the site of the derelict Longstone Inn - damaged due to local flooding - have been published, featuring a ramp and alley access to the Burnside path; in addition, the council have now progressed with identifying who owns which bits of land and wall where the Burnside path sinkhole is situated, so discussions with the landowner will be ongoing to come up with a plan for remedial works here to fix not only the sinkhole, but hopefully the underlying cause too.
📋 Dalry ‘Living Well Locally’: the council have published an Initial local resident feedback Report on the Dalry Town Centre proposals [PDF]. There is a summary on the main Consultation page.
🚢 Leith Connections: Foot of the Walk to Dock St Construction Underway, Schedule Shared
🦶Foot of the Walk to ‘Ocean Terminal’ (actually Commercial St)
⚓️ 'Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal' - construction is underway on the Great Junction St cycleway, with work on Henderson St recently started too, for around ten months - a protected cycle route as part of Leith Connections, which promises to be a great continuation of the segregated routes slowly taking root in the city centre.
This Leith Connections works leaflet [PDF] outlines the rough timeline for construction of the route.
Confusingly, the project doesn’t go to Ocean Terminal (shades of Roseburn to Union Canal here) and instead gives up at Commercial St, with the Commercial St to Ocean Terminal leg covered by the third phase of Leith Connections (below);
⚓ Leith Connections Phase 3 - Hawthornvale to Seafield
View the:
Consultation Hub Page (now closed to responses);
Detailed Design drawings (PDF) »
Thanks for reading - ride safe 🚲
💜 Join our 'Supporters Club'
The weekly edi.bike digest will always be free (gratis) to read for anyone who subscribes, as well as remaining ad-free.
For £1/month, you can join our Supporters Club, and help with existing costs for our domain name, hosting, and promotional materials like posters and stickers.
Huge thanks to those of you who have already signed up to support us - we really appreciate it 💜
🎁 Club Perks
As well as supporting us, we're also planning the following perks for Supporters Club patrons:
A quarterly behind-the-scenes update sharing subscriber numbers / growth, promotional efforts, and other stuff about the running of edi.bike;
A shiny 'Supporters Club' sticker;
Over time, we might also consult Club patrons on strategic decisions and other matters.
If you can't support us in this way, that's grand too - thanks for reading!