🚲 edi.bike | issue 116 | 27th Oct ‘25
your weekly edinburgh cycling digest
📰 News this Week
📈 Voi joy: 21.7k trips so far, and more bikes coming
The inimitable Edinburgh Minute was first to break the news that Voi’s hire bike trial scheme will expand this Friday 31st, with an increase from 50 to 340 hire bikes — ooh, enough bikes to actually refer to as a fleet! — and a welcome if slightly strategically weird extension to the hireable area, adding in Holyrood Pk, Abbeyhill, some of Meadowbank, Leith, Newhaven and Bonnington to the existing city centre boundary. Their post has a map of the new area extension, as well as the bounds of the current usage area - though bikes are still frequently featured on the map well outside that area and with three minutes free riding badged on them to tempt riders to bring them back into the permitted travel zone.
New figures from Edinburgh City Council reveal there have been more than 21,700 individual trips by more than 5,800 riders since the scheme launched, covering a total of almost 60,000 kilometres. — article at The Scotsman »
🏆 Spokes ‘My Favourite Bike Ride’ competition results
A cracking set of entries for this year’s Spokes competition - ‘My Favourite Bike Ride’. Always worth setting aside a bit of time and having a read through with a hot drink or over a seasonal soup, and hear from folks in Edinburgh and the Lothians about their bikes, beloved routes and sometimes, an important puddle - see the entries PDF for reading through, and more about the competition and sponsors on the Spokes website.
🏰 Local Bits
📸 This Week In Photos:
🛒 Towards the end of the week a post on City Cycling Edinburgh from Gembo proclaimed the former Biketrax shop location will be the new home of Evans Cycles, reestablishing an Edinburgh branch after the prior tenant went into administration; Laid Back Bikes snapped a photo of the ‘coming soon’ shopfront which is slated for a November launch;
🚸 Friday morning saw the launch of a new bike bus to St. Peters, as shared by Jarlath and later (quite rightly!) publicly commended by Transport Committee Convener Cllr Stephen Jenkinson;
💡 Friday afternoon’s rainfall dried up just in time for a city centre circuit with Infrasisters and Cycling UK’s ‘Glow Ride’, calling for safer night-time active travel infrastructure particularly for women and girls. It was incredible to see all the lit up bikes and also the responses of the public along the way on a damp Friday evening. For more photos, be sure to see these Bluesky posts from Andy Catlin and Marek.
✊ Saturday saw the weekend’s second protest ride with the monthly Edinburgh Critical Mass down to Lochend in partnership with Living Rent’s Safer Roads campaign in the area - great photo on Bluesky from David Hoy;
🎭 Edinburgh Festival of Cycling are currently offering a discount on use of their hireable e-cargo bike - a great opportunity to try out an Urban Arrow for your family or business, or move yourself and some stuff on a day hire!
📝 Some new/updated infrastructure plans spotted by Harry Williams in the wilds of the council’s internet jungle - for the West Edinburgh Link, including Glasgow Rd, South Gyle, Bankhead, Sighthill, Wester Hailes and Clovenstone. The project promises “around 5km of new segregated and improved cycleways, new crossings, path and pavement improvements”, with the first phase (orange section on the map below) commencing build at the start of December this year, with an initial focus primarily on links to Quiet Route 8 - Technical plans [PDF]
(Obligatory route naming whinge: the City Centre West to East Link [CCWEL] and the West Edinburgh Link [WEL]? Nowhere near each other? Don’t make me start a thesaurus / branding gofundme…)
🚶 Living Streets Edinburgh will be hosting a Zoom call on Monday 3rd November at 2pm, to hear from a senior project manager at the Council about walking and wheeling in the planned changes to Dundee St and Fountainbridge (see the ongoing consultation). More information and registration in their Bluesky post »
🤔 Longstone Community Council posted a thoughtful thread on Bluesky on news of permission granted for a new development at the New Mart Rd premises of World of Football, particularly as this new ‘car-free development’ (BYO pinch of salt) lies at one end of the proposed ‘Longstone Link’ active travel bridge over the Water of Leith. Potentially a second candidate for section 75 contributions, wherein a developer is compelled as a condition of planning permission to contribute to enabling local infrastructure adjacent to the planned development.
⚠️ ‘Local MP to host meeting on “dangerous” use of e-bikes and off-road bikes in southwest Edinburgh’ — Deadline News »
On the one hand, the article author manages to get a handle on the difference between an e-bike and an electric motorcycle later in the piece, but I don’t think any of the nomenclature and nuance around what the terms mean is coming from Dr. Arthur et al — who as a former transport convener to the capital should be more than aware of the dangers of turning public opinion against ‘e-bikes’ at a time when we need to be reducing car dependency and getting more people onto them.
The semantic horse may have long bolted by this stage when it comes to e-bike vs. “unrestricted, unlicensed electric motorbike”; but it’s hard to see events like this as much more than a sort of semi-virtuous, public hand-wringing exercise when what’s needed is more capable and better funded enforcement, and better strategies for the policing around this (including reforms around physical challenges during pursuits, and how serial offenders under 18 are charged). Do events like this raise awareness and pressure to change things? Or are they a political point-scoring exercise without the remit to actually deliver anything to communities challenged by this behaviour? I’d imagine the truth is probably somewhere in the murky middle.
📋 From the City of Edinburgh Council - ‘What makes a good place?’ 10-minute questionnaire as part of the ‘City Plan 2040’ programme:
This questionnaire is asking about where you live in Edinburgh:
How would you score it?
What you like about it?
What would make it better?
It covers the key things that make a good place to live such as housing, local shops and services, healthcare, open space, play, community space, jobs and public transport.
⛏️ Burnside Path Repairs & Longstone Sinkhole
Contractors setting up on site w/c 3/11 for repairs required to the retaining wall/sinkhole. Hope to complete the in-river works by xmas, & reinstatement of sinkhole by end of Feb. Option to extend contract if required. — Longstone Community Council on Bluesky » (including site plan images)
⛈️ National
🌅 Tuesday saw Stirling’s inaugural Dawn Patrol hit the streets - more on Instagram »
🧱 Physical separation between cyclists, pedestrians and motorists key to safer streets, research shows »
🔬 Reducing speed limits to 20mph protects cyclists and doesn’t delay traffic, new research finds »
🖊️ New from Laura Laker — Milton Keynes, land of cycling dreams? »
💸 Cycle to Work Scheme a “real success story”, says transport minister – as new report claims scheme delivers £573m annual boost to UK economy and saves commuters over £1,200 a year;
🚲 The Economist [paywalled] — Forget EVs. Cycling is revolutionising transport »
🌍 Elsewhere
Some interesting ideas - How Rivian Spinoff ‘Also’ Is Reinventing The Electric Bike — article at Inside EVs »
🛣 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:
🚛 Kings Stables Rd: Closure between Lothian Rd and the Barrace Steps for Christmas market setup from today (Monday 27th October) until 18th January. It should be possible to dismount for 200m, or West Port and Castle Ter may offer an alternate route.
🚧 Comiston Rd: Road and cyclelanes closed for urgent gas repairs until later this week. Braid Rd and Greenbank – Meadows Quiet Route expected to be busy with displaced motorists. Be especially cautious of vehicles on Braidburn Ter and turning unexpectedly at the closure.
🏫 Boswall Green: Road between Wardie and Wardie Primary School closed for emergency gas repairs at Granton Road. It should be possible to dismount to pass.
🍂 Hawthornvale: Closed at Lindsay Rd by the Sculpture workshop for Scottish Water repairs until later this week. If you’re travelling between to Newhaven and the Hawthornvale path, going to the end of the path may avoid a dismount.
🏃🏽 Forth Road Bridge: Obstruction of NCR1 shared use path for Supernova Run event setup 9:30am Friday 31st October to 5am Sunday 2nd November. Equipment and crowds on the shared use path will mean cyclists asked to dismount.
🏉 Murrayfield: First Autumn Rugby game this Saturday 1st November. Various Road closures in the surrounding area. Exercise caution and consider dismounting if possible on CCWEL to Water of Leith Path around 5pm and after 7pm. Roseburn Path to Union Canal open throughout.
🏗️ Fountain Bridge closed at Lothian Rd for crane lift this Sunday 2nd November until 4pm Tollcross may offer an alternate route.
🚧 Westfield Rd: Closed at Gorgie Rd for Cityfibre works from Tuesday 4th November for 2 days. If you’re travelling between Gorgie and Balgreen, the Roseburn to Union Canal path may be an alternate route.
Longer Term Closures:
🏞️ Water of Leith Path: Closure of Pansy Walk by Balgreen until March 2026 for Scottish Water upgrades. Pedestrian diversion to be signed via Westfield Ave. However, for cyclists, the WOL Conservation Trust advise an alternate diversion via Baird Drive.
🚧 Saughton Crescent: Sections of QuietRoute 9 closed for resurfacing and Active Travel improvements by Balgreen from 20th October into 2026. Impact on cycling is expected to peak in December and January.
🏗️ 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.
🌉 Harrison Road: two bridges closed due to structural concerns with micro-cracking in the original cast iron beams:
The north-west bridge over a small path requires a dismount and use of the footway. The bridge is expected to fully close to pedestrians and cycles for 3 months during rebuilding works, date tbc.
The south-east bridge over the Union Canal is closed to cars but not cycles, with fencing placed across the bridge as a temporary modal filter. The bridge is expected to reopen to cars with a 7.5T weight limit.
🌉 South Gyle Road: Bridge between modal filter and Quiet Route 9 closed for repairs until April 2026. It is required to dismount and use a temporary bridge.
🏗️ 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
💙 Ride for Tim: Edinburgh talks mental health and cycling - coming this Wednesday 29th October, 18:45 — Edinburgh Quaker Meeting House
In August 2025 we cycled from Land's End to John o' Groats (LEJOG) in memory of our friend Tim, who tragically took his life earlier in the year. The Ride for Tim website gives a bit of background to Tim and the charities that we raised money for, and there's a diary of the journey as well.
This event is a chance to share stories from the LEJOG ride as well as talk about cycling and mental health, and pay tribute to Tim. It's in aid of the three charities we raised money for during the ride: Mind, Sustrans and Flight Free UK. The event is free to attend but you will be encouraged to make a donation to the fundraiser!
All welcome.Speakers:
Anna Hughes - Long distance cyclist, including round-Britain, Director of Flight Free UK, and Tim's friend. I'll be talking about our LEJOG ride and showing some pictures, as well as sharing a couple of stories from Tim's travels and his motivations.
Nick Ray
Sea Kayaker, Wild Walker, Writer, Creative & Creator, Mental Health Advocate & Suicide Prevention. Nick will be talking about his adventures, his own journey with mental health, and his work on suicide prevention.Lynne Stanford
Health in Mind, Edinburgh's mental health charity. Lynne will talk about the reality people face who are dealing with mental health conditions, and signpost people towards services that can help.
18:45, 29th October, at 📍 Edinburgh Quaker Meeting House
⚡️ From Porty Community Energy:
🚲 Never got round to learning to cycle, but would love to try? Cycled when you were younger, but feeling too nervous to ride on the roads? We had just the thing! Free lessons for adults running every Friday morning at our bike library. Lessons for complete beginners, to competent riders who want to ride safely on the roads.
Every Friday until the end of October. Book your place here »
🚶🏻♀️ 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.
📆 Cycling UK's annual Scottish gathering, featuring speakers including ultra-endurance rider Emily Chappell and MTB powerhouse Aneela McKenna — Saturday, 1st November from 10:30am - 4pm at 📍 Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge
(with a led ride from Haymarket starting at 9.30am). Details and Tickets here »
🎟️ ‘True tales of the Tour De France’ talk by Carlton Kirby at Ghillie Dhu, 12th November;
⚡️ Porty Community Energy are promoting [IG] their Sea Ceilidh on November 15th:
We live by the sea and we want our seas and rivers to thrive. By taking care of biodiversity we in turn can be nurtured by it.
Our Sea Ceilidh follows on from our previous sell-out Hot, Hotter, Valentine’s, and Solar ceilidhs, and the Sea Rising Festival. Now it is time for our Sea Ceilidh to coincide with our community Sea Health project. We’ll work with local groups, taking forward art and citizen science projects to better connect us to our beach and waters, looking after the living world.
Hud Yer Wheesht will be our band for a twirling evening of music, dance, local bar, raffle and food from 5-10pm. Run by the Ceilidh Collective, this family-friendly event is supporting, fundraising, and fun raising for our charity Porty Community Energy.
🦺 Cycle Law Scotland have released tickets for their Cycle Road Safety Roadshow in Edinburgh on the 17th November;
🖼️ The ‘Pedal Power’ exhibition about cycle campaigning in Edinburgh has finished its run at Norton Park. It’ll be taking a short break before opening again later in the year at North Edinburgh Arts;
💯 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 from Bridgend Farmhouse - every Friday 2-4pm between April and Hallowe’en, 1-3pm on the 1st Friday of each month November to March.
✊ 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 »
🚲 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… in 2026? 😅 ✨
✏️ In the Works:
⛲️ Dundee Street Fountainbridge Active Travel Project consultation open until 12 January 2026 | 🗺️ Mapped illustrations (do zoom in!) — Image 1 and Image 2 | 📄 Technical drawings [PDF, 23.7mb]
🤔 The ‘Curriehill Active Travel Link’ reported by Spokes to have been delayed beyond its 2025 due date by ‘biodiversity concerns’.
🚋 Major North-South Tramline Consultation until 17th November| Spokes’ Summary | Officers A8 ‘Diversion’ Clarification | Spokes’ detailed draft response
🤫 Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route having detrimental changes made, delayed to January ‘26: Detailed Designs [PDF] | ETRO Published as TRO/25/17
⚒️ Road Resurfacing & early ‘Dalry Living Well Locally’ Outcomes
🧱 Vital path upgrade through Muir Wood park in Currie
🦦 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
📋 Consulted On:
⭕️ Polwarth Gardens road layout consultation;
⛏️ Marionville Rd and Smokey Brae improvements;
🧪 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 - Prestonpans to Levenhall | Combined plans » [Large PDF]
🚧 Under Construction:
⛴️ Queensferry High Street Improvements | Technical drawings [PDF]
⚓️ Foot of the Walk to Dock Street | Works leaflet » [PDF] | Progress photos »
🚋 Trams to Newhaven Snagging / Defects List »
🤬 Silverknowes Rd North being returned to cars | Spokes’ area history
Thanks for reading - ride safe 🚲
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