🚲 edi.bike | issue 125 | 29th Dec ‘25
your weekly edinburgh cycling digest
📰 News this Week
🏰 Local Bits
💬 We’re quoted in this week’s Edinburgh Reporter article “Bid to scrap city traffic order sub-committee fails” by local democracy reporter Joseph Sullivan, following yet more hand-wringing and can-kicking at the TRO Sub’s last meeting regarding two-way cycling on Rose St.
🧅 Some great stills shared by John Robson this week of French onion sellers and their bikes around Edinburgh in the 1950s. The shots are taken from this BBC archive video on Youtube, and John mentioned the footage of Edinburgh appearing around the 17m mark.
🔧 #EverydayHeroes: Olivia’s Bike — Built to Last, Built with Care
For Olivia, The Bike Station has always been part of growing up.
“I always got my bikes from The Bike Station,” she says. “And I used to donate my old ones back as well.”
A charming post from The Bike Station this week - a good reminder that they are continuing their #EverydayHeroes crowdfunding campaign »
📋 Are you local to Pennywell Road?
Walk Wheel Cycle Trust are working with the City of Edinburgh Council to help improve walking, wheeling and cycling conditions for local residents in the Pennywell Road area, and would like to hear the views of the local community — fill out their survey »
⛈️ National
😮 Who says you can’t pop a wheelie on a cargo bike?! For proof, see this madness [IG] on a Tern longtail at London Critical Mass…
🚲 Cycling is changing at speed – but is Britain keeping pace? Emulating the bike-friendly highways enjoyed by our continental neighbours will take a lot more money and political will — article at The Guardian »
🎧 Bit of holiday podcast listening:
This time Ned, Adam and Laura talk targets - and why the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS3) needs outputs, not simply outcomes. They are joined by the CEO of the Walk, Wheel, Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans), Xavier Brice, who knows all about strategies, and delivering active transport networks.
🔈 Outputs not outcomes (CWIS3) from the Streets Ahead podcast »
🛣 Route Closures and Issues
📅 No updates this week: if you find Robbie’s weekly list of closures helpful why not wish him a Merry Christmas (and thanks!) on Bluesky »
🏗️ Open again: St Marks Path: Section of Quietroute 20 between McDonald Road and Warriston Path which has been closed for CEC Powderhall redevelopment works. The path has reopened until Sunday 4th January 2026 and Cllr Jack Caldwell posted to Bluesky, on Thursday:
🚶🚴♀️👨🦽 Delighted to pass on that as councillors were discussing, this afternoon, the need for the St Mark's Park walking/wheeling/cycling path to re-open, the Powderhall site manager's confirmed their intention to re-open tomorrow (w/ some asterix ie initial controlled crossing & nearer diversion).
Councillor Caldwell also included the following updated site map with the new and more suitable intended diversion for when works have resumed:
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 season’s road closure info as of 14th December - many thanks to regular contributor Robbie for collating and preparing these, weekly updates will resume after the Christmas break:
⛳ Gilmerton Road: Obstruction of segregated cycle lanes at Kingston Avenue by Liberton Golf Course for Scottish Water repairs.
🚧 Caledonia Place: Dalry footway improvement works underway until April 2026. Closures of Caledonian Rd and Caledonian Pl underway. Later phases will impact the Telfer Subway entrance.
🚧 Saughton Crescent: Sections of QuietRoute 9 closed for resurfacing and Active Travel improvements by Balgreen until March 2026. Impact on cycling expected in phases 4-8, for which a signed cycle diversion is to be provided. Update 15th December: Phase 4 still delayed but may begin this week.
🚧 Silverknowes Road: Closed for resurfacing works and reconfiguration of the cycle lane. Works have halted, with cycle access in the meantime currently unclear.
🎄⚠️ Christmas Markets: New temporary arrangements for cycles on George St and Waverley Bridge. Exercise caution around vehicles loading in the morning and crowds in the evening, especially by the queuing area in the Waverley Bridge Pedestrian and Cycle Zone.
New Years Events:
🏉 Murrayfield: 1872 Cup game Saturday 27th December. Various Road closures in the surrounding area. Exercise caution and consider dismounting if possible on CCWEL to Water of Leith Path around 3pm and after 5pm. Roseburn Path to Union Canal open throughout.
🔥 Middle Meadow Walk: Torchlight Procession evening of Monday 29th December closed 3pm – 10pm.
🥳 Princes Street: Hogmanay Street Party closure from 7pm Tuesday 30th December. Castle St, Market St, Waverley Bridge and Freddick St begin closures from Monday 29th December.
🏊 Holyrood Park: New Year’s Day Triathlon 8am – 5pm on Holyrood Park Road, Queen's Drive, Holyrood Gait and Horse Wynd.
Longer Term Closures:
🏰 Dalmeny Estate: Private Roads within estate closed to walking and cycling every Saturday until 1st February for an undisclosed private event. NCR 76 on John Muir Way unaffected.
🚦 Bankhead Drive: Quietroute 8 along the tramline obstructed at junction with S Gyle Access until Summer 2026 for construction of West Edinburgh Link.
🚛 Kings Stables Rd: Closure between Lothian Rd and the Barrace Steps for Christmas market setup until 18th January. It should be possible to dismount for 200m, or West Port and Castle Ter may offer an alternate route.
🏞️ 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 Water of Leith Conservation Trust advise an alternate diversion via Baird Drive.
🏗️ Edinburgh Park Station: Quiet Route 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
📦 Local bike shop Substance Cycles in Inverleith are moving - relocating from 26 Montagu Terrace just up the road to 📍 6A Montagu Terrace over the Christmas break. They’re throwing a re-opening party on January 6th, from 19:00 to 21:00 - and all are welcome. Check them out online in the meantime;
👶 This January a NEW friendly, play-based balance bike club is coming to Edinburgh, helping children aged two and up to build balance, coordination and confidence. The perfect start to independent cycling.
Hitting the Glencorse Centre, Tuesday mornings from the 13th January 2026!
trailtribe.club
🎤 Save the date for Towpath Talk #4 at Gamma Transport Division; 23rd January 2026 will see Tom Taylor speak on ‘Creating a Cycling Community’, along with a talk from adventure racer Rich Rothwell, hosted by Izabela Murtagh. 19:00 start - follow Towpath Talks on Instagram and listen to previous talks on Spotify »
🔁 Weekly Events
❄️ Seasonal warning; some of these might be on a break over the Christmas holidays, so worth checking in with them individually before you travel!
🍃 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 talks and discussion on Zoom
☕ Weds, 8:15 - 9:45: Coffee Outside [IG]: Wednesday morning hangouts at 📍 Lochrin Basin - bring a mug, water, a way to boil water, and coffee ☕
🛠️ Weds, 3pm: Bike Kitchen at Edinburgh Tool Library
🔧 Weds, 5-8pm Fix Your Own Bike Sessions at The Bike Station, Tollcross
🌅 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, 1-4pm Fix Your Own Bike Sessions at The Bike Station, Tollcross
⚙️ 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.
✊ No ride in December - see you Jan 31st! Last Saturday of the month: Critical Mass Edinburgh, Family-friendly mass protest / group ride, 2pm, Middle Meadow Walk; see you again 31st January, and check out the poster below for other upcoming ride dates - don’t forget to grab a t-shirt!
🫂 Help Needed
💙 PARIS. [5] December 2025 – Association EBN today is launching 2nd annual €5,000 Architecture and Arts grant for young adults in the memory of Emma Burke Newman.
The grant supports the realization of a community-shaping artistic, educational, or cross-cultural project by a young adult (17-35) residing in the EEA, the U.K., or U.S. in the fields of art, architecture, or place-making—including ones that address cycling or road safety—and reflecting the values of Emma Burke Newman.
“The grant is dedicated to the memory of Emma, to honor her compassion, community, and creativity as well as her zest for life and learning,” said association President Rose Marie Burke and the young woman’s mother. Tragically, Emma was killed by a truck driver while she was cycling to university on Jan. 27, 2023, in Glasgow.
⏩ More information on the grant here - thanks to Jim Winston for sending over.
👑 Some of the Edinburgh Dawn Patrol [IG] regulars will be riding Doddie's Triple Crown 2026 — an epic annual cycling challenge to raise funds for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, a Motor Neurone Disease charity. The challenge takes place from the 10th - 13th March 2026 with the team riding 800 miles. Mark Baker posted a video promoting the endeavour to Instagram and you can sponsor them via their team Just Giving page here or Mark’s page here »
💰 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! 🚲
With us settling nicely into our new Tollcross shop, we've received a great deal of support from volunteers, both experienced and new - thank you. We are still recruiting for volunteers for 🛠️ 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 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
📋 Overviews: CEC’s Active travel improvements programme | Interactive Map from City Mobility Plan prioritisation exercise
✏️ In the Works:
🍕 Proposals detailed in The Spurtle for food kiosk and seating areas by the footway at the Omni centre are causing concerns about inevitable queues affecting the already busy pedestrian through-way and cycle lanes at this location. Comments can be made on the planning application until January 6th.
👏 Safety Wins: Residents Choose New Polwarth Junction Design, Construction to Begin Within 18 Months at Merchiston Districts Community Council »
✉️ In letters issued to residents and businesses in the area, the Council have recently been giving notification of public realm upgrades at Tarvit St and the area around the King’s Theatre refurbishment project, which has key integrations with the use of Tarvit St as a key part of the Meadows to Union Canal link project, Road surfacing aside, this phase of the project does not deliver any tangible improvements to the experience of cycling through the area, but has been a notable blocker on progress to deliver the rest of the route which is scheduled for around eighteen months’ time - and what’s another year and a half on an eleven year wait?
🛣️ Sign the petition to Stop the £55 Million A701 Relief Road »
🐚 The consultation on Station Road as part of the Musselburgh Active Toun project is currently open: respond online by mid December /via Cllr Shona McIntosh;
🚋 Recently closed: Major North-South Tramline Consultation until 17th November| Spokes’ brilliant, detailed response [PDF] | Officers A8 ‘Diversion’ Clarification
💬 Resistance in Silverknowes to new cycleways; comments from supportive users on ETRO/21/30C can be made here using the ‘Respond to Consultation’ button at the bottom of the map - open until 10th February.
🚲 Consultation: Barnton Connections; open for comments until January 26th;
📝 West Edinburgh Link, including Glasgow Rd, South Gyle, Bankhead, Sighthill, Wester Hailes and Clovenstone. “Around 5km of new segregated and improved cycleways, new crossings, path and pavement improvements”, with the first phasecommencing build at the start of December this year, with an initial focus primarily on links to Quiet Route 8 - Technical plans [PDF]
⛲️ 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’.
🤫 Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route having detrimental changes made, delayed until at least a Standards Commission hearing in March ‘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:
⛏️ 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)⛴️ 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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