🚲 edi.bike | issue 80 | 17th Feb ‘25
your weekly edinburgh cycling digest
📰 News this Week
✊🏼 Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood, Critical Mass, and a Protest at the TRO Sub-committee
🗳️ Decision Time, Tomorrow Tuesday 18th
The City of Edinburgh Council’s Traffic Regulation Order (‘TRO’) Subcommittee meets tomorrow, February 18th, and will take the decision on whether to retain the successful low traffic neighbourhood scheme that has cut through-traffic from the area and proven popular with local residents thanks to safer walking, wheeling and cycling space and improved air quality, with little impact on the boundaries of the scheme.
🪧 Join Critical Mass in Protesting In Favour of the Leith LTN
This Tuesday, 18th February, the TRO committee at the council will decide on whether to make the Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) permanent or not. Join folk outside the City Chambers at 8.30am with banners supporting the LTN. The brighter and more colourful, the better! More information on the LTN at Liveable Leith
📰 There’s Nothing Controversial about Safer Streets
Such measures are designed into newly developed areas by default; LTNs or ‘liveable neighbourhoods’ are simply the introduction of similar schemes of traffic filtering to older neighbourhoods, to eliminate unnecessary through-traffic that can make neighbourhoods streets unpleasant and even dangerous to spend time in or even pass through when occurring in high volumes. They’re not particularly restrictive schemes, and are used throughout not only Europe and beyond but also many existing areas of Edinburgh without being at all controversial; but as with all change, there’s always an opportunity to amplify any opposition and make out like the council are some kind of oppressive regime.
The media coverage ranges from our own wee evil cycling lobby internet waffle, all the way through to glorified chip wrappers like the Edinburgh Evening News winding up all the small minds by commissioning frothy nonsense from Tory councillors claiming the council’s policies are ‘anti-car’. I’ve heard that best researched and balanced coverage of the LTN so far comes in the form of this piece by Donald Turvill in the Herald, though it’s behind a paywall…
Perhaps best summed up by Blackford Safe Routes:
A representative, professionally conducted survey, commissioned by the city council & carried out to MRS standards, showed 76% in favour of the LTN.
A handful of anecdotes & a biased community council survey do not evidence make
When questioned by councillors at the Transport Committee in January, Officers stood by the market research conducted as professional and authentic. Here’s hoping that the ‘TRO Sub’ pay closer attention to the facts than the fictions, come Tuesday’s vote.
🛍️ The Bike Station Causewayside’s ‘Moving Sale’ - 28th Feb & 1st March
From The Bike Station via a video on their Instagram:
The Bike Station Causewayside is on the move - and you get the deals!
Our moving sale is happening 28th Feb & 1st of March during our usual opening hours.
⚙️ Second-hand parts - wheels, bars, tyres and more
🚲 A range of sold-as-seen bikes
🧥 Clothing & accessories- cycling tools, shoes, panniers and moreEvery purchase supports our community work - so you’re not just getting a bargain, you’re helping make cycling more accessible. Don’t miss out - see you there!
🚛 City of Edinburgh Council Begins £25m Rollout of New HGVs and Welfare Buses with Enhanced Safety Features
From a City of Edinburgh Council Press Release:
We’ve taken inspiration from the Progressive Safe System (PSS) which was implemented by Transport for London (TfL) in October 2024 to enhance vehicle awareness and reduce the likelihood of collisions. There are seven key requirements under PSS:
Camera monitoring system fitted to the vehicle’s nearside
Class V and VI mirrors
Blind spot sensors fitted to the vehicles nearside
Moving off sensors fitted to the front of the vehicle
Side under-run protection on both sides of the vehicle
Audible warning alerts when vehicles turn left
Prominent visual warning signage
In addition to adhering to PSS requirements, all our new vehicles are fitted with an Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS). AEBS uses sensors to monitor a vehicle's surroundings and automatically apply the brakes if a collision is likely.
Whilst there are no such safety requirement anywhere else in the UK outside of London, we took the decision to ensure all HGVs purchased as part of the replacement programme were equipped with the technology to meet this standard.
Our 152 strong HGV fleet is comprised of refuse collection vehicles, road sweepers, road gritters, mobile library uses, construction vehicles in roads services, and utility trucks for maintaining streets and greenspace.
Whilst our 27 welfare buses, which transport children with Additional Support Needs (ASN), are not classed as HGV we took the decision to order these buses with the new safety features. These vehicles operate in and around schools and built-up areas during peak travel times so it’s important they are as safe as possible for everyone.
We’ve now taken delivery of over 70 of our new HGVs, with all new refuse collection vehicles due to arrive by the end of March 2025 and all other HGVs due to be in service this year.
I’d be remiss to include this without acknowledging that we’re coming up on the anniversary of the awful, tragic and untimely death of 11-year-old Thomas Wong on Whitehouse Road last year while he was cycling to school. While the waste management vehicle involved in that awful incident belonged to a private firm rather than the council, the Transport Committee did at the time press ahead with the changes they could make to their own fleet of heavy vehicles regardless, and the rollout of these vehicles during 2025 is most welcome.
It would be great to see this develop further into policy regarding minimum standards for safety systems equipped to any HGV vehicle allowed on our streets - regardless of who owns and operates them.
🏰 Local Bits
💯 Reader Alastair shared with us a new campaign by cycling club Edinburgh RC celebrating its hundredth year:
As part of the celebration of our Centenary year, we are launching our 100x100x100 women's challenge. This aims to get 100 women of all cycling abilities to ride 100k. If you are an experienced rider, why not encourage some of your family or friends to take part in the challenge? If you are nervous about rising to the challenge fear not, ERC is ready to help.
More info at Edinburgh RC »
🚲 Some posts on Bluesky this week of further improvements following the Trams to Newhaven project - the installation of a sizeable number of (properly installed!) ‘Sheffield Stand’ cycle racks at Elm Row as spotted by John Robson and Baxter’s Place as spotted by Cllr Finlay McFarlane. Seeing the quantity installed at Elm Row made me wonder - are these being used as a passive mitigation for some of the dreadful car parking in the pedestrian space that’s been taking place there? A noble aim, but perhaps as John notes, a bit cluttered.
💚 News from Cargo Bike Movement:
🌿 Cargo Bike Movement are hosting a ‘Give it a Go’ event this Wednesday 19th February 12 - 2pm, in collaboration with Edinburgh Garden Partners, who facilitate garden sharing friendships between volunteers looking for a space to grow and garden owners with a space to share. We'll be out to answer questions and get you riding a cargo bike for the first time!
‘Give it a Go’ will take place at 📍 Middle Meadow Walk;
🔒 We are also hosting a Bike Security event alongside Porty Community Energy and the Wee Spoke Hub. This will be taking place on February 25th 5 - 7pm at the 📍 Cargo Bike Movement Hub. We will have speakers who will discuss good practice with bike security, and Police Scotland are bringing along kit to mark and protect your bike and provide guidance on using BikeRegister. Bike locks will be available on sale with a discount code. Come along with your bike to mark and protect, and with any questions for our presenters.
📺 There’s also a lovely wee ‘borrow a bike’ video over on their Instagram featuring several of their cargo bike fleet.
ℹ️ Upcoming Training Sessions
“Cargo bike trainings, providing in-depth instruction. The course will give you Cycling Scotland accredited training for cargo bike use, and we’ll have loads of fun!”
Email jamie@cargobikemovement.org to sign up to one of the training sessions:
1-4pm Wednesday February 26th
1-4pm Wednesday March 12th
1-4pm Wednesday March 26th
✊ In addition to Tuesday’s protest to keep the Leith LTN, Edinburgh Critical Mass also rides out again this Saturday, 2pm at the Millenium Milepost on Middle Meadow Walk;
📋 Following the deadline over the weekend for the ETRO (Experimental Traffic Regulation Order) consultation for the Northern ‘Travelling Safely’ areas, Spokes have shared their final response [PDF] to the various areas and schemes covered - as always, thoughtful input on taking the schemes forward and potential improvements; https://bsky.app/profile/spokes.org.uk/post/3lic3t2wtps2e
🕊️ East Lothian Updates
Many thanks to Councillor Shona McIntosh for sharing these items with us - some good news and progress from the region:
🎉 Protest Works — Buccleuch Estates Access Win
Following the protest at the Old Craighall gate to Dalkeith Country Park, Buccleuch estates have now confirmed they've appointed a contractor to change the gate there, to one which allows non-motorised access via the side, and they hope to have this completed by spring.
Excellent news for local access.
🗺️ Prestonpans to Levenhall - Route Consultation
East Lothian are carrying out consultations on proposed improvements between Prestonpans and Levenhall; there is of course some local resistance, and it would be great to see folks who feel able to review the plans and comment responding to the consultation.
🙋🏽♀️ Volunteering Vacancy
The Active Travel subgroup of the Musselburgh Area Partnership are seeking a Volunteer Chair:
The Active Travel subgroup meets quarterly to discuss how to make Musselburgh, Wallyford and Whitecraig better and more inclusive for walking, wheeling and cycling.
We have a productive relationship with Roads officers at East Lothian Council and have secured many improvements to local infrastructure, including dropped kerbs, refuge islands and improvements to signage.
They are currently looking for someone to chair the group. Chairing involves:
Identifying items for the agenda
Encouraging participation from attendees
Bringing summary reports to main Area Partnership meetings (also quarterly)
An enthusiasm for active travel in all its forms!
Support is provided from the Connected Communities manager and Area Partnership Chair.
If you would like to talk about this informally, please contact the Connected Communities Manager, Scott - smckail@eastlothian.gov.uk
We particularly welcome expressions of interest from women, people with disabilities, or any other demographics under-represented in transport planning forums.
They are also always looking to welcome new members, so if you live in the Musselburgh, Wallyford and Whitecraig area and just want to join as a regular member, do get in touch for details of the next meeting.
🏖️ Elsewhere in East Lothian, Alastair Dalton cycled the most dangerous road section of the long-campaigned-for Drem to Gullane path and interviewed some of the campaigners: “'Dangerous as hell': I cycled this scary Scottish road that campaigners insist must be bypassed” at The Scotsman »
🍃 Meanwhile in Midlothian…
Spokes this week highlighted a new consultation from Midlothian Council to create Active Travel provisions along the A7:
The aim of the project is to improve active travel connections within the study area making it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle for their everyday journeys and to connect to public transport services more easily. Currently, there is no or limited provision for walking, wheeling and cycling along the majority of the A7 corridor.
The consultation has a deadline of 30th March for comments and input.
☔️ National News
🧭 Your mileage may vary, but — “Apple Maps cycling directions expand across UK and Ireland” at 9to5Mac »
🧑⚖️ Petition asks government for drivers to be "presumed liable" for cyclist collisions:
The proposal for civil cases would mean motorists would be presumed liable unless they prove otherwise when involved in collisions with vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians — article at road.cc »
🏴 Active Travel England (ATE) has announced almost £300 million in funding to boost walking, wheeling and cycling in communities across England — at Bikebiz.com »
🌍 Elsewhere
🚺 /Via Edinburgh Festival of Cycling:
Women In Cycling was launched almost four years ago, and we now have a thriving network of more than 3000 women. The initiative is further expanding to national level with WIC initiatives in place in Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy, in addition to Women In Cycling CIE and Women In Cycling Mountain biking! — Cycling Industries Europe »
🛣 Route Closures and Issues
⛔️ Rodney Street tunnel approach from George V Park closed for another week
Spokes have been doing a fine job pressing for better communication and diversion signage, some of which is now in place (though still small, A4 arrow signage rather than anything more obvious) and provided the diversion map below. Unfortunately a better diversion route - the contraflow cycle lane on Eyre Pl - is currently blocked by building works. Thanks to Martin for sending through.
📪 The week’s road closure info - many thanks as ever to contributor Robbie:
⛔️ North Bridge closed to northbound traffic from today, 17th Feb for 6 weeks. The diversion will temporarily allow vehicles to turn right from Chambers St onto George IV Bridge, so be aware of unexpected vehicle manoeuvres here. Passing northbound is feasible providing you are able to dismount and use the pedestrian route provided;
🚧 Dundee St segregated cycle lanes closure from the 17th for delayed BT manhole repairs: Angle Park Ter closed westbound. Unfortunately, the diversion via Gorgie Rd is lengthy and has only advisory cycle lanes.
🚶CCWEL at Melville Street – Wed 26th closure of Stafford St to repair continuous footway, may affect westbound segregated cycle path.
🧭 CCWEL at Rosebery Crescent - further sewer repair works are ongoing – it was raised that works failed to mention cycle accommodation, as pointed out by Spokes. Scottish Water are reviewing adding a cycle diversion Northbound via Grosvenor St and accommodating cycles in the next phase of the works.
🚂 Waverley Bridge - concrete barriers have been placed across the southbound lane with no gap. Council officers are planning to replace them with temporary barriers with a southbound cycle lane.
🧱 Ellen’s Glen Rd, a quiet link in Liberton, closed at the modal filter to repair flooding damage for 4 months. Closure includes pedestrians and a diversion is signed via Malbet Wynd;
💧 Union Canal: Towpath improvement works are ongoing from Leamington Lift Bridge to Edinburgh Quay until May 2025. A section of towpath is closed with diversion across the lift bridge and along the southern side of the canal - more info at Scottish Canals;
⛔️ A member of Merchiston Community Council dropped us a note to let us know that a part of the Roseburn to Union Canal link — the ramp from Dalry Community park down to Dalry — is currently closed, due to the construction of new Toucan crossing as part of Roseburn to Union Canal project from 15/01/25 to 25/02/25
🛤️ Cheers Martin for passing on another update from Midlothian Council on the partial closure of NCN 196, on the Auchendinny-Rosewell railway path for resurfacing with ‘flexipave’:
”Resurfacing will restart on 3rd February 2025. It is estimated that the remaining works will take roughly 2-3 weeks to complete weather dependent.
There will be limited through access to use the pathway at the Rosewell end the section which is to be completed. If users can cooperate with the workers as they pass this section, that would be much appreciated.
The council would like to thank local residents and users for their patience.”
⚡ 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, though recently ban signs have been absent (we’re seeking clarification with station management);
🏹 Lawnmarket and Upper Bow: Road improvements are ongoing until July ‘25; be sure to read the Council’s page about the closures, which managed to completely omit arrangements for a certain human-powered transport mode so mind how you go;
📣 Help edi.bike ✍🏼
🗣️ Recommend us to someone - why not forward to a friend, or just point them to edi.bike online
📝 Share a story / issue - If you run into anything that might be a good fit for next time, feel free to send it over.
💜 Join the Supporters Club for £1/month to help us cover costs and promote to a wider audience. More info below.
🎉 Events and Happenings
📆 Upcoming / Ongoing
♻️ Circular cycle economy champs and new home of Cargo Bike Movement, The Bike Station will be holding their AGM a week today on the 24th February, in Gorgie or by joining online, 2-4pm; their Causewayside branch also has a Moving Sale coming up on 28th Feb - 1st March ahead of their relocation;
🚲 From Edinburgh Leisure: “Back in the Saddle: New Course Helps Seniors Rediscover Cycling Joy”, an 11-week course starting on 3rd March;
🛄 Check out the new ‘Travel Agents of Change’ [IG] exhibition by Porty Community Energy and BANZAI. Having first exhibited in Portobello, it’s now open at Water of Leith Visitor Centre:
🦦 7th Feb – 21st Feb: 📍 Water of Leith Visitor Centre;
🦆 4th Mar – 17th Mar near the 📍 Leamington Lift Bridge on the Union Canal, hosted by BANZAI. Opening event on 4th March — with pancakes! — from 5pm.
💃🏽 This Saturday: Friends of the Earth Scotland and Porty Community Energy are hosting a fundraising Ceilidh in February:
“Ceilidh 💃 on the 22nd Feb with Friends of the Earth Scotland and Ceilidh Collective... See you Portobello Town Hall for a dance? It’s going to be a belter! Fantastic band, yummy food, raffle and a bar- go on and bring all yer pals.”
🖼️ The Spokes, Infrasisters, Bike Buses and Edinburgh Critical Mass co-curated campaigning exhibition ‘Pedal Power’ has opened at its new venue [IG] of Duncan Place in Leith - well worth a visit;
🔁 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 - contact Markus [x];
☕️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, 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
🔁 Monthly Events
🚲 First Friday of the month: Inclusive social bike rides with A Wee Pedal, 1-3pm, from Bridgend Farmhouse;
✊ This week! Last Saturday of the month: Critical Mass Edinburgh, Family-friendly mass protest / group ride, 2pm, Middle Meadow Walk;
🫂 Help Needed
🚐 Could you shift a bike donation into Edinburgh on behalf of Bikes for Refugees? “CALLLING Largs, Troon, Kincardine, Cairneyhill, Milnathort 💪HELP needed! Can you collect/drop a bike donation on your commute to Glasgow or Edinburgh hubs?” — bikedonations@bikesforrefugees.scot
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 or ‘Brake the Cycle’.
🌈 Infrastructure Progress & Consultations
✨ This section of the digest will receive a revamp in the coming months to move long-running, detailed consultation information onto web pages, and instead publish a list of links for open and recent consultations (along with summaries for anything actually new). In the meantime, anything new or changed is found near the top. ✨
In Previous Updates:
📃 From lurking in Community Council mailing lists, I spotted this rather handy document listing upcoming City of Edinburgh Council consultations and their approximate launch dates for the coming year;
🏞️ Via Spokes - in an update from Friends of Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park the start of a new project to improve the valley is ongoing:
Burdiehouse Burn Restoration - Concept Design
“For the Burdiehouse Burn to become a successful and notable blue-green regeneration project, restoring approximately 5 km of the burn and surrounding habitats”
Core project objectives:
Sustainable river restoration
Habitat restoration in the surrounding landscape ✨ 3. Active travel connections
Placemaking & access improvements
Education & engagement of people and organisations local to the burn
Net zero gains
Improve the resilience of the site to climate change.
More in their newsletter »
🏚️ New plans for 21 flats on the site of the derelict Longstone Inn - damaged due to local flooding - have been published, featuring a ramp and alley access to the Burnside path; in addition, the council have now progressed with identifying who owns which bits of land and wall where the Burnside path sinkhole is situated, so discussions with the landowner will be ongoing to come up with a plan for remedial works here to fix not only the sinkhole, but hopefully the underlying cause too.
⚒️ Merchiston Community Council are back on the campaign trail to improve Polwarth’s worst junction. News of the Council commencing a redesign, and more background on the project, can be found on their website;
📋 Dalry ‘Living Well Locally’: the council have published an Initial local resident feedback Report on the Dalry Town Centre proposals [PDF]. There is a summary on the main Consultation page.
🕳️ Photos shared by Longstone Community Council show recent works have provided “Some improvements to the diversion path surface and the gradient made on the Burnside path. Barriers also secured more robustly stopping access to the sinkhole.”;
⬆️ The statutory process for a handful of one-way street cycle exemptions have been published by the Council - available here as a list and more detailed plans: ‘TRO/24/27 - One-way street exemptions for cyclists - Various Roads - Ending on 31 January 2025’. Just one part of a city-wide project over the next 18 months or so to make more one way streets legal for contraflow cycling.
🚧 Works on the West Edinburgh Link project look to be starting at the end of May according to the listings on the Scottish Road Works Commissioner web portal spotted by Longstone Community Council;
🚢 Leith Connections: Foot of the Walk to Dock St Construction Underway, Schedule Shared
🦶Foot of the Walk to ‘Ocean Terminal’ (actually Commercial St)
⚓️ 'Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal' - construction is underway on the Great Junction St cycleway, with work on Henderson St recently started too, for around ten months - a protected cycle route as part of Leith Connections, which promises to be a great continuation of the segregated routes slowly taking root in the city centre.
This Leith Connections works leaflet [PDF] outlines the rough timeline for construction of the route.
Confusingly, the project doesn’t go to Ocean Terminal (shades of Roseburn to Union Canal here) and instead gives up at Commercial St, with the Commercial St to Ocean Terminal leg covered by the third phase of Leith Connections (below);
⚓ Leith Connections Phase 3 - Hawthornvale to Seafield
View the:
Consultation Hub Page (now closed to responses);
Detailed Design drawings (PDF) »
🌳 Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route
Some recent movement on the Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route, in an update from Blackford Safe Routes and this update from Cllr Ben Parker;
📋 Travelling Safely Schemes (Various)
ETROs for these schemes have various end dates (barring ‘South’, which is not yet published) and can be found for comment at the Council’s Travelling Safely Commonplace microsite; also by emailing TRO.Consultations@edinburgh.gov.uk quoting the relevant scheme.
🌊 Musselburgh Active Toun Consultation
Updated plans over on Musselburgh Active Toun with further consultation ongoing: these may be of particular interest to Edinburgh residents as they cover the East Lothian section of Edinburgh Road that would eventually facilitate the long-held ambition of a tie-in to Joppa and Portobello prom, as well as the rest of the North Edinburgh network.
Comments on the consultation can be emailed to musselburgh.uki@aecom.com
Thanks for reading - ride safe 🚲
💜 Join our 'Supporters Club'
The weekly edi.bike digest will always be free (gratis) to read for anyone who subscribes, as well as remaining ad-free.
For £1/month, you can join our Supporters Club, and help with existing costs for our domain name, hosting, and promotional materials like posters and stickers.
Huge thanks to those of you who have already signed up to support us - we really appreciate it 💜
🎁 Club Perks
As well as supporting us, we're also planning the following perks for Supporters Club patrons:
A bi-monthly (around 6 times a year) behind-the-scenes update sharing subscriber numbers / growth, promotional efforts, and other stuff about the running of edi.bike;
A shiny 'Supporters Club' sticker;
Over time, we might also consult Club patrons on strategic decisions and other matters.
If you can't support us in this way, that's grand too - thanks for reading!