🚲 edi.bike | issue 130 | 2nd Feb ‘26
your weekly edinburgh cycling digest
📰 News this Week
💸 Scottish Budget Spin, Smoke and Mirrors Hide Huge Active Travel Underfunding
When the smoke and mirrors are removed, it seems likely that total funding for active travel will actually fall slightly in cash terms, and, as a percentage of total transport, from 4.3% in 2025-26 to less than 4% in 2026-27 — Spokes
Spokes — the Lothian Cycle Campaign, since 1977! — have put together a phenomenally transparent breakdown of the draft Scottish Budget, in which they dissect the supposed ‘increase’ in funding for cycling, wheeling and walking in Scotland. The post is very technical in nature, but the conclusions from such an in-depth look are vital to safer cycling in Scotland:
Active Travel now looks likely to receive only around 4% of the total transport budget – at a time when spending on trunk roads is rising substantially. Because of the climate, public health and transport benefits of walking, wheeling and cycling, the government should return to its dropped promise to increase this to 10%.
The exact level of government investment in active travel is no longer transparent in the budget, because bus infrastructure has been bundled in with active travel. Although the combined budget for both is rising, the expected very large rise in bus infrastructure funding means that the total allocated to active travel as a whole will fall. More bus funding is very welcome, but should not come at the expense of cutting active travel. The Scottish government should return to having a dedicated budget line for Active Travel.
We’d echo their call to write to your MSPs - and also encourage you to Pedal on Parliament with us in Edinburgh on 30th May 2026 to bring the call for transparency and adequate funding to the doorstep of the nation’s assembly in the first weeks of a new parliamentary session.
🔍 Spokes: Active Travel Obfuscation »
⚡ ‘Monster Bikes’ Bill gets First Parliamentary Reading
Some impressive political delineation between Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (‘EAPCs’) or ‘ebikes’, and the souped-up electric motorcycles that require a licence and insurance to ride safely and legally in the UK, in this first reading of a new parliamentary bill that seems to have settled on the term ‘Monster bikes’ — a term which in all honesty we don’t hate if it lends to a clearer discussion of the dangers and greater nominative distance from safe and legal everyday ebike usage.
👹 ‘Monster bikes’ bill first reading »
🗳️ Council Transport & Environment Committee - January Roundup
We’ve crunched our way through the Transport Committee’s webcast once more to bring you a play-by-play of all the robust discussive action, and the outcomes for cycling in Edinburgh that are on the cards as a result.
🏰 Local Bits
🍜 £100 to go: the fundraiser for a new bike for Deliveroo rider Derek has reached 90%…
📸 Saturday’s Edinburgh Critical Mass ride had a great turnout in spite of dreich weather, with some cracking photos online from Critical Mass, Dr Mark Hartl and Dashed Lines respectively;
🧘 Detour are back with their Yoga by bike session on Sunday 8th March, riding from Portobello out to Longniddry - see more info and book a ticket here and follow them on Instagram »
📋 Reminder: the Barnton Connections consultation closes a week today, on Monday 9th February - just look at how happy the lady above is to have been superimposed via photoshop into such a lovely protected cycleway - don’t let anyone jeopardise her ride!
↖️ The ongoing consultation in Silverknowes also closes soon - respond via the ETRO portal here by 10th February or by emailing TRO.Consultations@edinburgh.gov.uk and quoting "ETRO/21/30C".
👏 More great community safety work published by Merchiston Districts Community Council this week regarding the junction at Merchiston Ave;
📰 Shot: “Let’s be clear about the real reasons for city’s congestion - Iain Whyte”
(Spoiler; it’s the bike lanes, silly!)
🥃 Chaser:
Those same DfT figures used by Cllr Whyte, from the full 156 count points in the city, show that vehicle mileage increased by 7.4% between 2002 and 2025 — @Morningsider on Bluesky
(Also, can we just enjoy for a second the implication from the headline that it’s the Conservative leader’s fault the city is congested? Close enough.)
🚪 Sadly, another of Edinburgh’s Local Bike Shops will close its doors this week:
With much sadness Eastside Bikes will close on Saturday 7th Feb. I’d like to give a big thank you to all of our lovely customers over the years, your support and custom is very appreciated and I hope we did a good job for you. We’re going to be selling everything in the shop at 40% off until we close, including bikes. We’ve still got a few ex-hire Raleigh Strada City bikes which are now £225 was £375 was £550 new, and Raleigh Motus E-bikes at £720 was £1200 was £1800 new We’ve got a huge stock of new and used parts, deals can be done for buying in bulk - everything must go! I’ll still be building custom bikes and doing resprays at http://www.armourcustombicycles.com Thank you all so much — Andy Armour
🥐 Leith and Stockbridge bakery legends The Pastry Section have a new Police Box location on Drumsheugh Gardens, as spotted on Instagram this week. As an easy spot for access right from your bike, we of course had to add it to our ride up food and drink map »
🔦 A debate on Women’s Safety: Walking, Wheeling, Cycling and Running was heard in the UK parliament this week, including contributions from, former Transport Committee convener Dr Scott Arthur MP. Taking a wee break from criticising protected cycleways proposed for outside his constituency office on Facebook in order to pretend to be a cyclist again in his contributions, he included a nice mention for Infrasisters in the ‘mother of parliaments’, but that must start to feel like a dubious honour when he’s busy talking out of both sides of his mouth and undermining safe on-road infrastructure back home.
/via Spokes
⛏️ A couple of photos from Simon on Bluesky of the new segregated lanes going in as part of changes in South Queensferry;
🚸 Jarlath shared news of a second bike bus for St Peter’s Primary, this time from up in the Braids, launched this week - even more reason to retain filters in the Braid Estate for a safe route for these kids to cycle to school…
🚌 A bit thin on detail - but following issues, seemingly around the implementation of the ‘Foot of the Walk to Dock St’ protected cycleways project in Leith, buses unable to serve Henderson St due to layout issues have now been able to resume their route;
🗾 Friend of the digest Harry Williams has been up to his online mapping tricks again, this time taking rail routes and all public proposals for tram lines in Edinburgh and making a big auld interactive map, with clickable stations;
📺 Reminder - don’t miss Cycling Norway in Midwinter: A Nine-Day E-Cargo Bike Journey Through Extreme Cold - a gorgeous and truly incredible eight-minute short film by Markus Stitz, founder of Edinburgh Dawn Patrol, now on Youtube — The Best Season »
📅 SAVE THE DATE: Pedal on Parliament is back for 2026, with a mass ride of cyclists of all ages and abilities from Middle Meadow Walk to the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, 11:30am on May 30th.
📲 Follow Pedal on Parliament on Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook | Mastodon | PoP Mailing List
⛈️ National
🔍 British Transport Polis U-turn on Investigating Bike Thefts at Stations
Thanks to campaigning efforts from Cycling UK, an ill-considered policy from the BTP to only investigate bike thefts for cycles left at the station for two hours or less has been put back where it belongs - details at Bikebiz /via Edinburgh Festival of Cycling
💸 ‘Places to Ride’ Project Delivers £100m in Social Value
Places to Ride – a collaboration between Sport England and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport – delivered over 150 community cycling facilities and opportunities across England since 2019. The project has made significant positive differences to those with long term health conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia and depression — Cycling Industry News
🌈 Walk Wheel Cycle Trust CEO to Step Down
Xavier Brice concludes ten years heading up the organisation, formerly known as Sustrans, this Spring - more at Cycling Industry News »
👽 15-minute Cities and Tinfoil Hats
🦇 Following the batsh*t-crazy article “Labour opens door to 'Stalinist 15-minute cities across Britain” in the Telegraph this week, Emma Monk breaks down the origin of the conspiracy theory around the community-building urban planning approach in this thread on Bluesky;
🌍 Elsewhere
🇫🇷 Paris, long known for traffic jams and crowded boulevards, has rapidly transformed into a city defined by bikes. In just five years, cycling’s modal share in the French capital has more than doubled, rising from 5% to 11%, making Paris the 5th highest-ranking city globally for cycling according to Copenhagenize’s Index. This surge didn’t happen by accident: strong political will, a growing network of protected bike lanes, and bold urban planning decisions have made cycling a defining pillar of the city’s unprecedented transformation — article at Momentum »
🛣 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:
🚶 Rodney Street: Segregated Cycle Lanes by Cornwallis Pl obstructed by footway improvement works from today, Monday 2nd February, for 4-5 weeks.
🚧 Stafford Street: Closed for resurfacing from today, Monday 2nd February, for estimated 3 weeks. If you’re accessing the CCWEL segregated cycle path on Melville St, Queensferry St may be an alternative.
🚧 Crewe Road South: Segregated Cycle Lanes obstructed at Carrington Rd for BT manhole repairs Wednesday 4th February for 2 days.
🏗️ Hanover Street: Closed for crane lift weekend of Saturday 7th February, potentially obstructing access to The Mound. Exact timings are still not clear, which may be late at night.
🏉 Murrayfield: Six Nations games Saturday 14th February and Saturday 7th March. 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.
🚧 Telfer Subway: Closed from 7pm Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th February for Roseburn to Union Canal path remedial works. Works may affect the toucan crossing over W Approach Rd and access to Caledonian Cres.
🚧 Pennywell Road: Segregated Cycle Lane southbound at Ferry Rd expected to be obstructed by Clarke Telecoms works from today Monday 18th February for 3 days.
Longer Term Closures:
🚲 Valleyfield Street: Closed for Meadows to Union Canal Improvement works until April 2026. A cycle diversion is to be provided, which will be lengthened during the nearby Gilmore Pl resurfacing works. Update 2nd February: Diversion now in place on place on Glengyle Ter until end of works.
🚲 Summerhall: Segregated Cycle Lanes by Melville Dr and Melville Ter expected to be obstructed by Summerhall improvement works until April 2026.
🏗️ 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.
🚦 Bankhead Drive: Quietroute 8 along the tramline obstructed at junction with S Gyle Access until Summer 2026 for construction of West Edinburgh Link.
🏞️ 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.
🌉 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
🚲 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 »
🔁 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, 5-8pm: Fix My Own Bike session for Women and Minority Genders at The Wee Spoke Hub
🎙️ 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, 5-8pm: Bike DIY Session at The Wee Spoke Hub
🪨 Thurs Evenings: Edinburgh Gravel Cycling Club social group rides;
🪛 Weekly Dr Bike cycle repairs from ELREC’s Edinburgh Cycling Club, 10am-3pm at the 📍 Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre - no booking required and all welcome;
🔧 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
🍃 The Cycling Gardeners are hiring — see their website for more details »
🚵 Maria Ramirez is taking on Maratona dLes Dolomites - one of the hardest cycling races in Europe - in aid of Bikes for Refugees Scotland and is now over halfway to their fundraising goal;
👑 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 Instagram, sponsor them via their team Just Giving page here or Mark’s page here »
💙 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.
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:
⛏️ 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.
✍️ Take Action:
📨 There’s 9 days remaining on the consultation period for the Silverknowes Rd ETRO providing protected cycleways in the area. A vocal minority of local residents are up in arms — this is Lib Dem territory after all, who have been stoking the ire pot — so good to send representation if you frequent the area, live nearby or would otherwise make use of the proposed infrastructure. Respond to the consultation online by 10th February or by emailing TRO.Consultations@edinburgh.gov.uk and quoting "ETRO/21/30C";
🛣️ Sign the petition to Stop the £55 Million A701 Relief Road »
🚲 Consultation: Barnton Connections; open for comments until February 9th;
🔐 Recently Closed:
⛲️Dundee Street Fountainbridge Active Travel Project consultation closed 12 January 2026 | 🗺️ Mapped illustrations (do zoom in!) — Image 1 and Image 2 | 📄 Technical drawings [PDF, 23.7mb]
📝 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
🦦 Burdiehouse & Niddrie Burn Restoration - blue-green regeneration project including 3m wide ‘Pentlands to Portobello’ core path;
🔄 Proposals to address issues at Davidson's Mains Roundabout; City Cycling Edinburgh thread | Planned ‘options’ | Comments closed Friday, 16th January
🔬 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 »
⛏️ 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:
🧱 Changes to southside protected cycleways at Summerhall under construction until April 2026;
⛏️ 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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