🚲 edi.bike | issue 108 | 1st Sep ‘25
your weekly edinburgh cycling digest
📰 News this Week
👀 All Eyes on CEC’s Traffic Order Sub-Committee, Meeting this Thursday
This Thursday: Following delays, deferrals, disconnects and dawdling — leading to our Open Letter with Spokes and others after the TRO Sub’s dismal meeting on 7th August — we reach a key day for the ‘Travelling Safely’ protected cycleway schemes this Thursday 4th September when the Traffic Regulation Orders Sub-Committee convenes to review the East, North and West Area ETROs, and votes on whether or not to make them permanent — as well as reviewing the statutory orders for the Meadows to George Street cycling and public transport corridor.
There’s some new, key bits of information from Officers lurking in the many pages of reports released - you can read our new article below looking ahead to Thursday’s agenda.
🔋 Voi Release Initial Hire Ebike Perimeter and Pricing
Voi, the company behind Edinburgh’s new hireable ebike trial, has released price information ahead of its launch on Wednesday this week. Different subscriptions and bundles of riding minutes are available, with an initial offering of free ‘unlocks’ that will normally have a price associated per journey too. The bottom line is a cost of £0.11 per minute, with varying other factors depending on how you’re paying for access - passes and bundles typically coming with unlimited free unlocks.
It can be hard to reason about such prices, particularly as a frequent cyclist who owns a bike (or, let’s be honest, more than one bike!). I’ve found a useful comparison exercise has been between the cost of an Ebike hire for twenty minutes and the cost of a single on Lothian Buses. For hops within the operating area, with an immediate target market of students moving around the city, it feels like it’s probably in about the right place.
Their initial geographic perimeter (pictured above) is disappointing, but for a spread of fifty bikes (or eighty, as reported by STV above) across twenty parking locations, perhaps it’s the right setting for such a small initial fleet. Speaking of which, two bikes appeared in the last few days, near a parking location on New Street - likely in the offices or car parking at the Council’s Waverley Court headquarters, rather than actually being available to the public yet.
Voi’s electric bike hire service will open to the public on Wednesday, 3rd September - for all the details we found out last week, check out our press event coverage »
🚋 Edinburgh’s Long-Awaited North-South Tramline Consultation Launches
The City of Edinburgh Council’s long-planned and somewhat controversial consultation on a North-South tram route from Granton to the BioQuarter Which is Where the Infirmary Is By The Way and Maybe Elsewhere Later On finally arrived this week, with the requisite social media discourse ratcheting up a notch or five along the way.
This week:
- 🚋 The Council released its Press Release and Consultation, which runs until the 17th of November;
- 🗞️ The Edinburgh Reporter published their piece about the launch;
- ⚙️ Spokes published a summary of the plans and issues from a cycling perspective, including lots of background and useful links;
A thread by Edward Tissiman on Bluesky saw conversation around an assertion by Council Officers that where available path widths drop below 3m, alternative cycle routes could be provided on-road, such as at the bridge over Roseburn Terrace. As we put it in response:
Think we need to be disabusing CEC of the notion that cycle traffic needs in any way ‘redirected’ due to the bridge. Firstly, it’s unenforceable so we know it will be used anyway; and secondly, redirection is counter to the reasons folk use the path (safe, quiet, car-free).
A clarification from Council Officers that we were copied in on, provided to Spokes, reassured that in this section the available on-road options are not mandatory or encouraging cycles to leave the Roseburn path, but providing options to link to other routes. South of this section, the path width drops to 2m, due to how narrow the existing embankment is - with the possibility of some expensive engineering to widen it being explored later in the process.
There are likely other compromises lurking in the extensive plans for the route; the lack of a bus gate and management of general traffic on North Bridge, leaving no space for dedicated cycleway, being another current concern - as well as a section of the plans where the Roseburn Path by the tramway appears to completely vanish.
The scope of this project and its effects - not only on the much-loved Roseburn Path section - are vast and will take time to review and query; there are some long weeks ahead while it all gets thoroughly thumbed through. 🔎
🏰 Local Bits
📦 On tomorrow, Tuesday 2nd: Spokes will be hosting an evening around ‘Cargo bikes in Edinburgh’, showing the film Motherload and hosting a discussion;
A special Spokes public meeting, discussing further development of cargo bikes in Edinburgh… 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 tomorrow Tuesday September 2nd from 7pm - 9.30pm at Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge EH1 1EL
(While the event starts at 7pm, doors are open from 6.30pm for chat, tea and coffee and Spokes stall to renew or commence Spokes membership; or purchase one of their excellent maps).
After the film there will be short presentations from several local organisations using cargo bikes, including:
- 🔧 The Bike Station – continuing the work of former Cargo Bike Movement
- 🌱 Banzai [Bruntsfield Area Net Zero Action Initiative] – who run a new cargo bike library
- ⚡️ Porty Community Energy – who runs a cargo bike library on Portobello Promenade
- 🪴 Cycling Gardeners of Edinburgh – a small business using cargo bikes as their main form of transport
Afterwards, Spokes will host a question & answer session with the panel of speakers – due to the 90-minute film, the Q&A is likely only to be 30 minutes rather than the usual hour.
⭕️ Merchiston Districts Community Council have a new post up about the proposed changes to the awful mini-roundabout in Polwarth Gardens - worth a look and also responding to the consultation by 21st September. Note - on the current / proposed layout images in their post, you can grab the white diamond in the centre of the image and slide it left or right to scrub between the images of how things are, and how they could be.
💬 Enjoyed this clip on Instagram of some fascinating conversation with Tim Godwin of Ariel Bikes, from a new upcoming podcast called ‘Carspiracy’ (from its pilot episode, yet to be released) — we’ll be sure to link to the full episode when it’s out;
From @towpathtalks on Instagram:
🚨 We're back! The first Towpath Talk of our new series is happening on September 26th, 18:30! 🚨
Come on down to our new venue, 📍 Gamma Transport Division, to hear from some incredible guests: Steven Shand from Willow, Rachael Hadjitofi of @swimmingwithscars [IG] from the Firth of Forth, and the amazing Iza Murtagh [IG].
⚒️ New route consultation: the Queensferry Connections project is now open for comments until 10th October;
🥷🏻 “Rates of e-bike theft are rising fast... A recent survey by the Workers’ Observatory, a gig work monitoring group involving workers and researchers from St Andrews and Edinburgh Universities, found that 40 per cent of riders had bikes stolen” — Time to Stop the Rough Ride for Food Delivery Workers at The Scotsman »
🤫 Ahead of upcoming changes to reopen rat-runs on the Braid Estate, part of the Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route, Blackford Safe Routes have written an update regarding the newly published Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) - TRO/25/17 - and the current state of play;
⚙️ Spokes have published their monthly Action Update for August, with a news and issues roundup in PDF form; this week they also published an Ebike battery safety factsheet »
🚲 Score Scotland’s Youth Cycle Training sessions for high school age kids start tomorrow, Tuesday 2nd September at 📍 Gate 55 - Registration is open »
🚓 Some photos on Bluesky from regular contributor Robbie, who went along to a Police Scotland event held on Castle St this week, trying to inform vulnerable road users about vehicle blind spots - something that arguably they could be targeting drivers about more effectively. As always, Charlie was on point with the memes, though I had a shot mid-rant too.
Folks have rightly pointed out that the police should be supported in any positive engagements they attempt; I think this can be true and still call them out for events like this, in the middle of a pedestrianised street where no motorists are being reached whatsoever, and seeming to place the onus for safety on the road on the most likely victims of harm rather than those most likely to cause it…
🌦️ Overland - New Film from Markus Stitz launches a new Coast-to-Coast Bikepacking Route in Scotland
A new short film, Overland, has been released by Bikepacking Scotland with the support of waterproof sock specialist DexShell. The nine-minute film, available on YouTube, follows an overland journey across the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park from east to west and introduces a new 177km-bikepacking route.
Devised by adventure cyclist and author Markus Stitz, the route runs from Culross on the Firth of Forth to Kilcreggan on the Firth of Clyde. Designed for gravel and mountain bikes, it is now available at bikepackingscotland.com/coast-to-coast-bikepacking.
🏔️ New term for School of Rocks! Still time to Join
Edinburgh School of Rocks is a women-led off-road cycling community. Every Autumn and Spring we run a 6 week term for novice off-road female, trans and non-binary riders to develop their skills in a supportive environment.
Our Autumn term started 26th August and runs until the end of September. We meet every Tuesday night at 6.30pm at various locations around the City to make the most of Edinburgh’s best urban gravel trails.
To get involved please DM us on Instagram @edinburghschoolofrocks or email us edinburghsor@gmail.com
We look forward to introducing women to the joys of off-road riding and getting involved in this term. It’s likely to be a little darker and muddier than our spring term so come prepared.
⏳ In Brief
- ✊🏼 Lovely photos of Saturday’s Edinburgh Critical Mass ride to Porty on 🦋 Bluesky and 📷 Instagram »
- 💛 Councillors still to agree to hold start of Tour de France in Edinburgh, at STV »
- 🎭 A glorious Instagram gallery of Fringe Artists who got a free bike through Dion Owen’s Cyclopath programme »
- 🧶 Ever worry about your bike lock catching a chill? Glasgow’s guerilla knitters have you covered »
- 😊 Care home Cramond Residence share on Instagram about what Joy Rides brings to their residents.
🇬🇧 National
⚡️ Contrasting decisions on licensing electric bikes by councils on either side of the Thames have created a difficult situation for cyclists.
Hounslow has given permission for Forest and Voi’s e-bikes to be used in its area while Richmond has licensed rival company Lime, creating a boundary between the boroughs.
Interesting wee video on Instagram »
🌎 ELSEWHERE
🗽 Some amazing ride-through footage on Bluesky of Broadway in New York City coming back to life after being reclaimed as a cycle street;
🛣 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:
🚣♀️ Union Canal: Works to remove an unstable tree unexpectedly resulted in a closure of the towpath by Harrison Park, resulting in a lengthy diversion involving steps. The path has now reopened but beware further works this week.
🏡 Whitehouse Loan: Footway resurfacing on Greenbank-Meadows QuietRoute until end Sep may result in obstructions and large vehicles. Update 1st Sep: Construction works by James Gillespie may present further obstructions.
🚧 Albion Road: Obstruction of Quietroute 20 due to burst sewer. At time of writing, cycle access is possible. However, the Crawford Bridge may offer an alternate route. Update 1st Sep: Investigations revealed further issues and road likely to be closed long-term.
🔥 Holyrood Park: Closure of High Road until further notice amid concern that the recent gorse fire has damaged the rockface. Full closure of footway and road past Dunsapie Loch.
🏫 Duddingston Road: Segregated cycle lanes closed in both directions for BT works outside St Johns Primary School next Monday 7th Sep for 2 days.
🥾 Kiltwalk: Walking event Sunday 14th Sep all day. Expect Edinburgh’s offroad paths to be busy around Roseburn Path, Ferry Rd Path, Portobello Prom, Holyrood Park and Innocent Railway.
Longer Term Closures:
✔️ Festival: George St and Cowgate now re-opened. Lawnmarket to re-open this weekend, with new ETRO traffic restrictions between 10:30am and 7pm.
🏞️ Water of Leith Path: Closure by Balgreen until late 2025. The great folks at the WOL Conservation Trust have provided 2 diversions, though they may not be signed.
🏗️ London Road: Eastbound cycle lane closed at Jocks Lodge from 1st September until end 2027 for building works.
🏗️ Edinburgh Park Station: Quietroute 8 cycle path between Hermiston Gait and the Gyle Centre closed for works in preparation of the Edinburgh Arena development. It’s only possible to go around by carrying your bike up roughly 20 steps. It’s been queried whether the cycle path will reopen or remain closed long term.
⚡ Marchmont Road: Closed southbound between Marchmont Cres and Strathearn Rd for Scottish Power works until late September, affecting the old faint on-street cycle lanes. Greenbank – Meadows QuietRoute may offer an alternate route but be aware of works on Whitehouse Loan.
🚂 Waverley Bridge: Issues with cycle access following the road being temporarily re-opened to airport buses. A new temporary arrangement has been installed for the festival period. Officers are looking to install similar long-term arrangements in September.
🌉 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. Update 2nd August: Work delayed and paths remain open for now.
- The south-east bridge over the Union Canal has been closed for investigations, with fencing placed across the bridge and a gap for cycles. Update 18th August: Beware of trial pits dug on bridge to ascertain weight-limit ahead of reopening.
🌉 South Gyle Road: Bridge between modal filter and Quiet Route 9 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.
🏗️ 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.
🏗️ 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.
⚡ 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;
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🎉 Events and Happenings
📆 Upcoming / Ongoing
🎥 Coming to Summerhall Cinema on the 24th & 26th September (7pm), and again on October 5th (5pm): ‘BIG BIKE FILM NIGHT: SCOTLAND’ sees a curated evening of cycling short films (teased on their website) to inspire and move. Tickets and more information on their website »
☀️ Some lovely summer Sunday family rides throughout August with Porty Community Energy:
Why not join us for one of our led family picnic rides every Sunday from 10th August.
Learn some good, family friendly local cycle routes and enjoy a picnic (🤞🏽for☀️).
Borrow a cargo bike for you and your family for the ride if you'd like (book in advance), or come on your own bikes.
FREE but please BOOK in advance »
The remaining ride in this programme is from (and back to) Portobello, headed for Bridgend Farmhouse, this Sunday 7th September, 11am - 3pm
🧘 More upcoming rides and movement / yoga sessions from Detour [IG]:
20th September - Yoga by Bike, Porty to Longniddry - 🎟️ Details and Tickets »
28th September - Yoga by Bike, East Linton - 🎟️ Details and Tickets »
🤝 Cycling and Society 2025 Symposium
Negotiating limits: finding, creating and renegotiating space for cycling: this Wednesday 3rd & Thursday 4th September, Glasgow Caledonian University - More Information »
🚶🏻♀️ 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.
🚸 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.
🚌 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. See this video on Instagram for more. 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.” Read more from Markus Stitz at The Times - or see Info and Timetable »
🖼️ 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.
💯 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
💰 The Movement for Good Awards is an annual programme of giving by The Benefact Group donating over £1 million to charities and good causes, and you can nominate The Bike Station to receive £1,000 here »
In addition, you can sign up for the Edinburgh Kiltwalk this September — and walk in support of The Bike Station!
Every mile you walk helps create healthier, more sustainable communities through access to cycling, repair, and reuse.
📅 Sunday 14th September
📍 Edinburgh
🔗 Sign up at Kiltwalk »
✅ Choose “Bike Station” as your charity
💰 100% of funds raised (plus Gift Aid!) go straight to them
🏡 Social Bite’s 100 Mile Challenge: Walk, run, or cycle 100 Miles from September 1st to World Homeless Day on October 10th to help end homelessness. Your fundraising has a tangible impact on helping break the cycle of homelessness across the UK by helping Social Bite provide meals, jobs, homes and support to people who are experiencing homelessness — More Information »
🚲 The Bike Station is recruiting new volunteers! 🚲
After the successful move into our new Tollcross shop, we are seeking the support of new volunteers to help us do the brilliant work of getting more people on bikes. The priority roles that we are seeking help with include:
🛒 Shop volunteers:
Helping with customer service and the smooth running of our Tollcross store.
📦 Cargo Bike Riders:
Independent and confident riders to help courier goods between our Edinburgh stores.
🛠️ Fix Your Own Bike:
Those experienced in bike maintenance to offer advice to those keen to fix their own bike.
✅ Benefits of volunteering:
Join a wide team of volunteers and staff passionate about cycling, discounts on parts, services and maintenance courses. Internal recruitment opportunities made available to volunteers as well as access to events and social rides to celebrate our work.
If you are interested in any of the above roles, or would like to know how else you may be able to get involved, please email jamie.henderson@thebikestation.org.uk
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’.
🌈 Infrastructure Progress & Consultations
✨Now a shorter, sectioned list - website updates for hosting consultation details and plans coming by the time the North-South tramline is built 😅 ✨
✏️ In the Works:
- 🤫 Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route having detrimental changes made in September: Detailed Designs [PDF] | May’s questions at Full Council [PDF, Page 17]
- ⚒️ Road Resurfacing & early ‘Dalry Living Well Locally’ Outcomes
- ⭕️ Polwarth Roundabout improvements
- 🧱 Vital path upgrade through Muir Wood park in Currie
- 🌳 Meadows to Union Canal Link
- 🦦 Burdiehouse & Niddrie Burn Restoration - blue-green regeneration project including 3m wide ‘Pentlands to Portobello’ core path;
🔬 Trials & Programmes Underway:
- ✨ Improving Old Town Streets | Includes current ETRO for Lawnmarket & Johnston Terrace
- 🎭 Until Sept 7th: Summertime Streets 2025
📋 Consulted On:
- ⛏️ Marionville Rd and Smokey Brae improvements;
- 🚶🏽♂️ Walking, wheeling and cycling improvements in Currie
- 🧪 Edinburgh BioQuarter Active Travel Gaps - Sheriffhall Park & Ride to BioQuarter Campus Route;
- 🌞 Dalry Living Well Locally | Initial Feedback Report » [PDF]
- ⚓ Leith Connections Phase 3 - Hawthornvale to Seafield | Detailed Designs (PDF) »
- 🚴🏽♂️ Midlothian Council - A7 Sustainable Transport Corridor
- East Lothian Council - Prestonpas to Levenhall | Combined plans » [Large PDF]
🚧 Under Construction:
- ⚓️ Foot of the Walk to Dock Street | Works leaflet » [PDF]
- 🤬 Silverknowes Rd North being returned to cars | Spokes’ area history
Thanks for reading - ride safe 🚲
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