🚲 edi.bike | issue 127 | 12th Jan ‘26
your weekly edinburgh cycling digest
📰 News this Week
📋 CLOSES TODAY: Dundee St & Fountainbridge Consultation on protected cycleways, ‘Union Canal link’ quiet route and walking improvements
⚠️ Closing today: please respond to the Council’s Dundee Street Fountainbridge Active Travel Project consultation, which has been significantly maligned in the press thanks largely to the efforts of the Living Streets Edinburgh Group [‘LSEG’]. Once more focused almost entirely on the introduction of segregated cycleways and council policies regarding pavement widths, LSEG managed to once more completely omit querying the amount of carriageway given over to motoring users, and instead focused their efforts on claiming that pavement widths are being reduced in several places in the scheme to introduce segregated cycleways (they’re not).
There is no meaningful reduction in the width of footways throughout the length of the scheme; and LSEG continue to falsely claim the ‘floating bus stops’ designed in involve crossing a cycleway while boarding or alighting a bus, when in fact the nine stops in the scheme all have a waiting area and bus shelter on the ‘island’ section from which buses are boarded from or alighted to, in most cases at a width comparable to the existing pavement.
These are ‘bus stop bypasses’, and are the best tool for the job here, albeit a configuration without much ‘prior art’ in Edinburgh itself. One crosses the cycleway to reach a section of pavement to wait for the bus on, sitting in the shelter or standing, and when alighting the bus we’re faced with a cycleway to cross at leisure. If you’re a bus user, you’ve in all likelihood probably crossed a road or two to get there in the first place - crossing a cycleway isn’t going to turn you hameward.
Living Streets Edinburgh’s pandering aboot in the anti-cyclist fog of the culture wars — and to the dafties blinded by it — continues to sully public discourse in the city, which is all the more disappointing being perpetuated as it is by an organisation that should be the cycling lobby’s natural allies.
The weird wee men of Edinburgh don’t need a hero, they need a hobby.
The plans aren’t perfect, and there will be further revisions to the designs - but by responding with your support, you can ensure that the aims of the scheme are not watered down at the behest of those spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt in the face of plans that include numerous demonstrable pedestrian improvements as well as key cycle travel features across a modern and inclusive scheme.
Blackford Safe Routes have a great round-up of the scheme’s features and why they matter; at the links below, you’ll find links to the plans for the interventions. There are several bundled aspects of the scheme, which has three key parts:
- 🛣️ The Fountainbridge to Henderson Terrace corridor including Dundee Street, with segregated cycleways and a CYCLOPS junction at Gardner’s Crescent;
- 🚶 Interventions at Ashley Terrace, including a parallel (‘tiger’) crossing for pedestrians and cyclists crossing to and from Harrison Pk;
- 🚦 Other small infrastructure improvements to encourage the use of a quiet, back-streets ‘Union Canal Link’ route as an alternative to the Canal towpath:
…to encourage commuting cyclists to use the streets rather than the constrained section of the Canal approaching Lochrin Basin. This incorporates changes to the Local routes of Ashley Drive, Ogilvie Terrace, Harrison Gardens, West Bryson Road, Bryson Road and Fowler Terrace, and will include:
- Traffic calming measures, such as modal filters, to reduce vehicle volumes
- Improved pavements and crossings for people walking and wheeling
- Reduced traffic on some streets to make them safer and more peaceful
- 🌐 Dundee Street Fountainbridge Active Travel Project consultation open until today, 12 January 2026
- 🗺️ Mapped illustrations (do zoom in!) — Image 1 and Image 2
- 📄 Technical drawings [PDF, 23.7mb]
🏰 Local Bits
🔄 Thanks to reader John R who sent in news of an upcoming deadline for proposals to address issues at Davidson's Mains Roundabout; as detailed in this thread on City Cycling Edinburgh, this consultation commenced on 19th December so has rather a short window for comments — having published over a time of year when nobody’s paying heed, which is a bit sneekit.
The planned ‘options’ themselves are notable for removing an advisory cycle lane on approach and utterly failing to include any cycling infrastructure at all, which in and of itself is grounds for responding - not even ‘early release’ cycle lights for the signalised options feature. Comments are due in by this Friday, 16th January.
📈 Leith Walk: Edward Tissiman has published some final 2025 data from the Omni centre cycle counter at Leith St, with comparisons to 2024 levels and further commentary in his post on Bluesky.
📌 A post to /r/edinburgh on Friday highlighted several spots on Leith Walk where nails / tacks had been strewn on the cycleway - big thanks to Ctri and the delivery rider who stopped to clear them up <3
⛏️ As shared by SW20, work will begin on the paving of a key link between Bloomiehall Park in Juniper Green and Muir Wood Road in Currie on the 9th of February. Owned by developer Taylor Wimpey, an informal path link along the edge of the field has been used for decades since the development of the nearby housing estates, but will only now be formalised into a path suitable for all weather conditions and night-time passage. The linked article at Deadline News provides some slightly cryptic technical drawings and for some reason gives platform to local NIMBYs concerned about how giving people safe spaces to walk and cycle guarantees anti-social behaviour, like existing and moving around.
🍜 Derek is a Deliveroo rider in Edinburgh who has had an incredibly difficult year. He lost his home, then his pet, and suffered a heart attack. Due to his health condition, he relies on an electric bike to work - he physically can’t cycle a regular bike.
On Friday 2nd January around 5:45pm, his e-bike was stolen from North Bridge. This bike was his only means of earning a living.
There’s a fundraiser for a new bike for Derek. Delivery riders are the most maligned and misunderstood group of cyclists in the city, and it would be amazing to see our readers (if you’re able) showing solidarity by supporting someone directly in this way.
🦞 In Voi hire bike news — we’ll be back to our parking and amenity campaign soon, following a bit of a break over the holiday period — ‘free unlocks’ have now ended with an unlocking fee of £0.49 introduced, which affects ad-hoc usage pricing vs. subscribing for unlimited free unlocking.
We also learned this week from CCE user Pringlis about the commendable Voi Equitable Access scheme:
Disadvantaged users, including low-income individuals, refugees, asylum seekers, people with disabilities and those aged 60 and over, are eligible for a 50% discount on minute bundles and subscriptions.
NHS staff, Blue Light Card holders, military personnel and veterans qualify for a 20% discount on minute bundles and subscriptions.
Students, apprentices and staff at higher education institutions qualify for a 50% discount on minute bundles and subscriptions.
🚲 Reece & Erin from Scottish Bmx School are running weekly Bmx workshops every Tuesday from 6:30pm at 📍 the Pitt market in Granton.
If you would be interested in supporting them and coming along, check out tickets here »
⚙️ Spokes have published their January ‘action update’ with a summary of all things Spokes org, volunteering and summaries of current consultations - always worth a read!
🚵 Maria Ramirez is taking on Maratona dLes Dolomites - one of the hardest cycling races in Europe - in aid of Bikes for Refugees Scotland and halfway to their fundraising goal. Meanwhile, the organisation are calling for more bike donations, particularly ‘small adult bikes’:
Our demand for bikes & waiting list is high! Can you help?
Do you have an unused bike in the shed or garage- we would love to give it a good home 🫶
Spread the word amongst family, friends, workplace, networks etc.
Donations via online bike donation form at www.bikesforrefugees.scot
📕 Markus Stitz of Edinburgh Dawn Patrol [IG] has a new book coming out this week:
Gravel Rides Loch Lomond & The Trossachs, the latest guidebook from adventure writer and filmmaker Markus Stitz showcases 15 of the finest gravel cycling routes through the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park and Argyll in Scotland. Published by Vertebrate Publishing, the book will be released on 15 January 2026.
Covering routes from 15 to 79 kilometres in length, plus a 177-kilometre bonus route, the guidebook includes a mix of easy, straightforward and challenging rides across some of Scotland’s most spectacular and remote landscapes. Readers can immerse themselves in the Gravelfoyle trails around Aberfoyle, the heart of Scottish gravel riding, sample sections of the West Highland Way and John Muir Way, two of Scotland’s Great Trails; and take on coastal adventures on Mull, while scanning the skies for Scotland’s eagles. The bonus route, a coast-to-coast challenge, takes riders from the Firth of Forth across the Central Belt into the national park.
The book also includes an introduction to gravel riding in Scotland, covering the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, bike and kit advice. Eleven of the routes are directly accessible by train or bike-friendly bus services like Ember - supporting low-carbon travel choices.
If that sounds like your cup of tea, you can order the book directly from Markus and deliveries within Edinburgh are typically made by bike!
🚵 This week from Hervelo; FREE Women’s Intro to Cyclocross Coaching Sessions, to give women the skills and confidence to race cyclocross — more on their website »
👩🏻🔧 The Bike Station are continuing their call for new Board Members and running their #EverydayHeroes crowdfunding campaign »
👑 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. As featured in this piece by Alastair Dalton, 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 follow them on their team Instagram page, sponsor them via their Just Giving page here or Mark’s page here »
⛈️ National
‘Ghost plates’ themselves look normal to the naked eye, though. These are vehicle registration plates unreadable by ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras because some or all digits have been obscured or are invisible to the infra-red used by those cameras. They literally disappear under infra-red light. Many – not all – 3D plates are made from a plastic that do this. Some drivers might have bought a plate not even knowing it is ghost…
As many as 1 in 15 vehicles has a ‘ghost plate’ - fantastic journalistic and campaigning effort from Laura Laker, ensuring that the issues surrounding these dodgy plates makes it into the UK Government’s new Road Safety Strategy:
This road safety strategy aims to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) on roads in Great Britain (GB). With an average of 4 lives lost daily in 2024, this strategy sets GB-wide targets to cut KSIs by 2035.
It commits to review policy areas such as the safety of young and novice drivers, older drivers and motorcyclists, to shape smarter, evidence-led interventions.
🛣 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;
📪 Road closure info — many thanks to regular contributor Robbie for collating and preparing these:
🚲 Valleyfield Street: Closed for Meadows to Union Canal Improvement works from today Monday 12th January until April 2026. Cycle diversion is to be provided, which will be lengthened during the nearby Gilmore Pl resurfacing works.
🚧 Pennywell Road: Segregated Cycle Lane southbound at Ferry Rd expected to be obstructed by Clarke Telecoms works from today Monday 12th January for 3 days.
🚧 Haymarket Terrace: CCWEL segregated cycle path potentially obstructed by Openreach and Virgin Media works from this Tuesday 12th January.
🛒 Gilmerton Road: Segregated Cycle Lanes expected to be obstructed south of Morrisons for Scottish Water works from Tuesday 13th January for 1 week.
🚂 Meadow Place Road: Segregated Cycle Lanes at the rail bridge expected to be obstructed by Network Rail works from Friday 16th January for 1 week.
🚲 Summerhall: Segregated Cycle Lanes by Melville Dr and Melville Ter expected to be obstructed by Summerhall improvement works from Monday 19th January until April 2026.
🏞️ Holyrood Park: High Road including footway closed to cycles from Monday 19th January until Friday 23rd January.
🏗️ St Marks Path: Section of Quietroute 20 between McDonald Road and Warriston Path impacted by CEC Powderhall redevelopment works. The path is expected to remain open during the majority of the construction programme. Until a temporary path is provided, exercise caution at manned crossing gates when passing through the site.
🚧 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. A signed cycle diversion is to be provided in phases 4-8.
🏖️ Silverknowes Road: Road to Silverknowes Beach closed for resurfacing works and reconfiguration of the cycle lane. Works have halted, with cycle access in the meantime currently unclear.
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
👶 Starting tomorrow: 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 winter, 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.
- ✊ Last Saturday of the month: Critical Mass Edinburgh, Family-friendly mass protest / group ride, 2pm, Middle Meadow Walk; check out the poster below for 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.
🚲 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:
- ⛲️ Ending today: Dundee Street Fountainbridge Active Travel Project consultation open until 12th January 2026 | 🗺️ Mapped illustrations (do zoom in!) — Image 1 and Image 2 | 📄 Technical drawings [PDF, 23.7mb]
📋 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 »
- 🛣️ Sign the petition to Stop the £55 Million A701 Relief Road »
- 🚲 Consultation: Barnton Connections; open for comments until January 26th;
- 💬 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.
- 📝 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”, the first phase underway with an initial focus primarily on links to Quiet Route 8 - Technical plans [PDF]
- 🤔 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
- 🌳 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
📋 Consulted On:
- 🐚 The consultation on Station Road as part of the Musselburgh Active Toun closed mid December;
- 🚋 Major North-South Tramline Consultation | Spokes’ brilliant, detailed response [PDF] | Officers A8 ‘Diversion’ Clarification
- ⭕️ Polwarth Gardens road layout consultation | “Safety Wins: Residents Choose New Polwarth Junction Design, Construction to Begin Within 18 Months” at Merchiston Districts Community Council »
- ⚒️ Queensferry Connections project;
- ⛏️ 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 - 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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