🚲 edi.bike | issue 82 | 3rd Mar ‘25
your weekly edinburgh cycling digest
📰 News this Week
🚲 Cycle Hire Scheme - Dott and Lime Hold Demonstration and Q&A Sessions for TEC Councillors
On Wednesday and Thursday of last week, two potential suppliers for a new cycle hire scheme in the capital met with Transport & Environment Committee (‘TEC’) Councillors and Transport Officers, to present on, and answer questions about their offerings.
Unlike the previous cycle hire operation in Edinburgh, the schemes being offered in 2025 consist of dockless pedelecs - heavier, electric cycles without a docking station, instead relying on geofencing (designated physical zones tracked with GPS) to control where they’re allowed to park up. Both providers presenting last week offer a similar step-through cycle with a cargo basket, low-maintenance features, electric assistance and the ability to pause a ride part-way through, for example to grab a coffee or pop into a shop (which assumedly doesn’t require using designated geo-parking spots).
First up on Wednesday was Dott, whose merger with fellow provider TIER completed in Autumn — making them at least corporately-adjacent to the Glasgow cycle hire scheme ‘Nextbike’ that Tier operates. They have an impressive number of locations within Europe, including seven in the UK.
The Segway-powered Dott cycle demonstrated handled the setts of the City Chambers’ quadrangle well; the electric assist looked to be providing a good bit of power, and it struck me that for many people who encounter the scheme that comes out of this process, this will likely be their first experience of an electric bike. Having such easy access to see what an ebike can do for you could be a huge driver of adoption in the city, potentially. Folks have commented to me about whether or not heritage organisations might take issue with their bold colour scheme; in person, they’re very attractive colours, but I could see the potential for critique.
Thursday saw provider Lime — who like Dott, 📺 had also given previous technology and ride demos in Edinburgh — bring two of their cycles and an electric scooter to the quad for councillors to try out. Similar to Dott, they offer a pedelec hire scheme with features like geofenced zones — for example, where parking is disallowed or electric assistance is capped at 8mph — which can be helpful for busy and semi-pedestrianised areas such as the Royal Mile. Our album of Lime App screenshots from the November ‘23 demo gives a sense of the different zones that can be implemented; the GPS features now accurate enough to set a dockless parking zone as small as a single reassigned on-street car parking space.
Most of the features offered by the providers are matched by the other; such is life in what are essentially technology startups, with any unique outmanoeuvring only a software update and logistics plan away.
Where they differ perhaps comes down to public perception. As the larger operator, many have heard of Lime bikes, but not always in a positive light - early implementations in other cities have caused conflict as pedestrian space is cluttered by abandoned hire bikes, with huge numbers of riders being fined for their parking. At their worst, Lime have been accused by the victims of serious crashes while using the electric cycles of skimping on maintenance and switching to cheaper tyres unsuited to British weather. To the outsider, Dott seem to perhaps place more emphasis on responsibility and sustainability in their approach., though have seen their share of issues, too - it’s clear that any scheme will need to be closely monitored and proactively managed.
On that subject, I asked Lime’s representatives whether ultimately the Council are the ones in control of geofencing - anticipating that around things like events, roadworks and other closures, the ability to quickly make changes to speed and parking zoning would be vital. The answer was that Lime are very happy to handle changes like that for their city partners, but can also ‘give access’ to the Council to manage making changes themselves. One would expect this will also be a key question being asked of Dott.
Both operators also offer electric scooters — indeed, Lime brought one with them, though I didn’t see any Councillors giving it a go — these are not being considered as part of the scheme due to not being road legal in Scotland. Both operators also make use of cargo bikes in operating their schemes in some locations too - see stories from Dott and Lime respectively - something worth encouraging here as the schemes become more spread out across the city.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said:
“I was really pleased to meet industry representatives, discuss how a new cycle hire scheme could work in Edinburgh and of course test out some of the bikes. Alongside colleagues from the Transport and Environment Committee, we had some really positive conversations and I’m optimistic about our options.
“We’re looking to introduce a trial scheme as soon as possible. I’m conscious about the issues we experienced with the previous cycle hire scheme but I’m confident we can find a way forward which works for our city.
“We’re committed to making it as easy and as accessible as possible for residents and visitors to get around the Capital. This scheme will also help us to promote active travel, reduce vehicle emissions and help us reach our climate objectives.”
A report will come to TEC in April or May to look at progressing the scheme.
It will be really interesting to see how this progresses - what can be learned from implementations in other cities, and whether this new generation of more robust and heavily tracked hire cycles are the answer to the vandalism and thefts that plagued the previous Just Eat cycle scheme, and doomed it in spite of its popularity.
🍜 Infrasisters Want You, to Use Your Noodle
This year InfraSisters are doing something a bit different to celebrate International Women’s Day - a lunchtime pop-up "safe space" ride around the city centre on Monday 10th March. We'll start outside the City of Edinburgh Council's offices at Waverley Court on East Market Street at 12:30pm
If you're wondering how to decorate your bike to make your presence felt in the middle of the day, we suggest using your noodle. Specifically your pool noodle. The legal distance when overtaking a cyclist is 1.5m...
More on the Infrasisters Website »
⚠️ Match Day Issues on the Roseburn to… rides straight into parked bus
When is a protected cycleway not a protected cycleway? When the fitba’s on in Gorgie and the coaches need something to park in, apparently.
🌃 Images on Facebook taken by Mike Armstrong show not just one but two heavy fan buses parked inside the Russell Rd protected cycle lanes between the Roseburn Path and Roseburn to Union Canal Link on Saturday during the Hearts vs. St Mirren game, in one case also resting illegally on the footway. Mike reports that the drivers were unhappy the vehicles were being photographed and claimed to have been instructed to park there by the Police.
In a slight twist, when ward Councillor Ross McKenzie wrote to Police Scotland on the matter, “Police have confirmed that they weren’t in attendance at this match – some games are ‘police free’.” Cllr McKenzie went on to say: “I have contacted the Council’s Events team and Hearts to request that steps are taken to ensure this doesn’t happen in the future. Please let me know if you become aware of any repeat offences.”
Many thanks to Chris Gibson for sharing.
🤝 Agenda for March Meeting of Transport & Environment Committee Published
The City of Edinburgh Council’s Transport & Environment Committee (‘TEC’) will meet this Thursday 6th March; here’s what’s on the agenda this month (and cycling-adjacent!).
🌐 Meeting Page / Webcast | 📋 Agenda Frontsheet [PDF] | 📂 Agenda Reports Pack [PDF] | 📝 Business Bulletin [PDF] | 📅 Future TEC Work Programme [PDF]
In the Business Bulletin:
🅿️ Page 5: A mention in the ‘Procurement of the Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) Contract’ item that any contractor awarded the enforcement gig should _“Ensure services prioritise accessibility and pay due regard to the transport hierarchy”:
All bidders must familiarise themselves with the City Mobility Plan (CMP) and its actions for Parking before submitting their tender submission. The CMP specifies the Council’s policies on prioritising accessibility and transforming the city to comply with the transport hierarchy.Bidders were also asked how they would support delivery of the CMP objectives, with their responses forming part of the formal tender quality evaluation.
🔒 Page 7: Secure Neighbourhood Cycle Stores update: This item reports back from a TEC request that officers investigate a neighbourhood cycle stores model seen in Dutch cities like Utrecht where old garages or retail spaces are converted into secure cycle storage facilities, often operated by third parties to offer convenient parking for residents in apartment buildings or without sufficient storage space in their properties. A briefing note will follow later in the Spring after the council completes a condition survey of its garage property portfolio but notes that ”any neighbourhood cycle storage project would require initial investment and is likely to require significant ongoing financial support”;
🛍️ Page 12: George Street Public Realm Improvements update:
📐 Stage 4 Technical Design for George Street due to be complete by the end of March;
💰 A ‘cost saving and design options workshop’ will be held with Councillors to look at some value engineering options given a difficult landscape for funding at present (though the project is also namechecked in the City Transformation Fund to be generated from the new Visitor Levy / ‘Tourist tax’);
🅿️ The same workshop will “discuss and consider the advantages and disadvantages of the removal of Pay and Display parking in advance of the permanent scheme’s construction”, with a report coming back to committee in June;
General Reports and Motions:
🏎️ 8.1: Traffic Calming Measures - Dalmeny Park Estate — Report [PDF]
An update following December’s residents petition from local residents, on the implementation of traffic-calming measures that have been delayed largely due to other works scheduled for the area over the time the project has been in development.
🚦 8.2: Improving Signalised Crossings — Report [PDF]
An interesting report about Edinburgh’s signalised crossings, the gradual shift from ‘Pelican’ to ‘Puffin’ crossings, and a bunch of interesting stats:
There are currently 655 sets of signals on the Council’s adopted road network. Of these, 378 standalone pedestrian crossings include: 79 Pelican crossings; 226 Puffin crossings; and 71 Toucan crossings…
As crossings are upgraded, they are installed as a Puffin or Toucan crossing. All new crossings since 2004 have been installed as either a Puffin or Toucan. The Council does not, as yet, have any Pegasus crossings.
If, like me, you need to look up the differences between these, here’s a reasonable guide. A ‘Pegasus’ crossing is the same as an ‘Equestrian’ crossing - like a toucan with horse iconography in place of a cycle, and with a higher-up call button more suitable for folks on horseback - or, assumedly, this unholy steed someone spotted parked up at Astley Ainslie…
🏘️ 9.1: Motion by Councillor Booth - Liveable Neighbourhoods - inline on meeting page
A motion from Cllr Chas Booth following on from the vote by the TRO sub-committee to retain the popular and welcome ‘liveable neighbourhood’ installed as part of the Leith Connections project, looking to double down on its success with a series of tweaks and interventions based on feedback from residents and stakeholders.
🏰 Local Bits
💚 News from Cargo Bike Movement:
‼️ STOLEN CARGO BIKE ‼️- CBM’s Yellow ‘Yoonit’ mini cargo bike was stolen and last seen in the Gorgie / Dalry area. If you see it, get in touch with them.
👕 Clothing Fundraiser for Zero Waste Food Runs
We are launching an Everpress clothing campaign to raise money for the continuation of the food collections by cargo bike, picking up surplus food and distributing it to people who need it in Edinburgh.
The food collections face an uncertain future, and we are hoping the funds from this campaign can help sustain this important work.
You can pre-order merchandise now until 24th March on Everpress. Garments are made after the orders have closed to reduce waste.
Cargo Bike Movement volunteers pick up surplus food from 11 supermarkets in Edinburgh and drop them off at the Zero Waste Hub, where they're sorted and distribution happens. In 2024, the food collections recovered 47,011 kg of food waste, getting the food to people who need it!
The food collections have been happening in this way since 2020 through the hard work of Cargo Bike Movement and Shrub Cooperative volunteers.
With the winding up of Cargo Bike Movement CIC and changes at the Shrub Cooperative, the food collections have an uncertain future.This fundraiser is aimed at covering future costs that may include cargo bike maintenance, insurance, and storage. While we don't know exactly what these runs will look like, we hope funds from this campaign will help guarantee the continued distribution of food to the community.
📆 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 March 12th
1-4pm Wednesday March 26th
🦋 On Bluesky? There’s a couple of new accounts worth a follow this week: hot on the heels of Wee Spoke Hub last week, community centre and active travel hub Bridgend Farmhouse have recently joined, and so have Liveable Neighbourhoods campaign Liveable Leith;
⚙️ Spokes, the Lothians Cycle Campaign, recently published their latest ‘Action Update’ [PDF] which includes details of their next public meeting, featuring Transport Convenor Cllr Stephen Jenkinson and Deborah Paton, the Council’s Head of Transport, Strategy and Partnerships:
This will be our first public meeting with Transport Convener Cllr Stephen Jenkinson, who took over when Cllr Scott Arthur was elected as an MP... He will speak on the place of cycling within Edinburgh’s overall transport policies, and what we can expect to see happening this year. Also speaking will be Deborah Paton, Head of Transport, Strategy and Partnership at the Council. As a senior officer, whose remit includes active travel, she is knowledgeable both on detailed active travel issues and on how individual projects fit into overall council transport plans. Deborah previously worked at Glasgow City, drawing up their new Local Transport Strategy, and before that preparing West Lothian Council’s Active Travel Action Plan, thus rising rapidly through the ranks!
Wednesday 30th April, 📍 Augustine United Church. 7.30pm - 9.30pm, with doors open from 6.45pm for coffee, stalls and chat, including a special stall to join Spokes or renew your membership
🧡 Amidst the sad news of changes at Shrub Coop [FB] likely leading to the closure of their Zero Waste Hub, it was lovely to hear that the folks at The Wee Spoke Hub will be continuing to operate out of their base at Guthrie St;
💸 Thanks to Michael for sending in:
People and Place Community Grant Fund opens for applications: The national “Smarter Choices Smarter Places (SCSP)” funding pots that so many cycling organisations have been supported by over the years closed last year, and now Transport Scotland gives that cash to Regional Transport Partnerships (for Edinburgh that’s SEStran) for them to dish out regionally. SEStran’s fund just opened for applications for the year ahead for “community groups, community interest companies and charities” for “active travel or sustainable transport interventions”.
☀️ Lovely wee short but sunny clip of the James Gillespies bike bus in action last week;
💧 As shared by Spokes; There are a number of upcoming drop-in sessions on the Burdiehouse & Niddrie Burn Restoration project, which includes some active travel route aspects, in the coming weeks:
Weds 5th March, 9.30am - 12.30pm at 📍 Magdalene Community Centre
Thurs 6th March, 4pm - 7.30pm at 📍Valley Park Community Centre
Tues 11th March, 3pm - 6pm at 📍Craigmillar Library
🧱 Good to see progress on the flat-top setts being laid at Lochrin basin - will be a vast improvement to the rumblers there before. Spokes also posted a lovely, sunny close-up.
👺 From Edinburgh Bicycle Coop on their Instagram:
We supplied S2 and S3 pupils of James Gillespie's High School with non-recyclable bike packaging and they created some incredible artwork on the theme of 'faces'. On display in our Bruntsfield branch of what is hopefully the first of many exhibitions.
🚾 From Councillor Neil Ross on Facebook:
Good news! – preparatory work started today on the new public toilets for the Meadows, near Middle Meadow Walk, with expected completion in May. These are fully accessible toilets with facilities for people with complex and severe needs. The plans include a boardwalk for access from Middle Meadow Walk, two benches and three Sheffield cycle stands. New toilets are also to be installed in Inverleith Park and Leith Links. More information on new public toilets can be found here
🌉 Celebrating the 135th anniversary of the Forth Bridge, a new five mile walking and cycling trail with several possible pit-stops and points of interest has been published;
☔️ National News
🌱 From Sustrans:
We've created the first ever Children’s Walking and Cycling Index, designed to help us understand the behaviours, barriers and attitudes affecting how children walk, wheel and cycle in the UK.
Children are often overlooked by decision-makers in transport except on journeys to and from school.
This leaves out the role that travel plays in their day-to-day lives, supporting development of their independence, socialisation skills, overall mental health and wellbeing, and reducing the family workload.
This new report gives a voice to children across the UK.
And by listening to young people, decision-makers can change how they approach children’s journeys so we can make walking, wheeling and cycling a more attractive, and everyday way for children to travel.
📺 “Si Richardson has been riding an e-cargo bike for the past three years, and he’ll be the first to admit—it wasn’t cheap. In fact, it’s the most expensive bike he’s ever bought! But with frequent use and the savings from skipping out on a second car, was it worth it?” — Youtube video
🔦 /via Edinburgh Festival of Cycling on Bluesky: “A cycling scheme aimed at encouraging women to rediscover cycling for physical and mental health is proving a success across Cornwall.” — article at the BBC »
🧠 Sustrans — Neurodivergence and active travel: addressing the barriers. “We believe that everyone should be able to experience the benefits of active travel. A new report by Sustrans summarises the evidence around neurodivergent people’s experiences of walking, wheeling and cycling in Scotland.”
🌍 Elsewhere
🇫🇷 When Hugh Dennis persuaded David Baddiel to cycle 500km across France, there was just one small catch – David wasn't exactly Tour de France material. With an e-bike (and a trusty turbo button), he embarked on a journey packed with laughter, camaraderie and the occasional shortcut. The result? Two Men on a Bike – a hilarious and heartwarming cycling adventure, airing Mondays at 9pm on More4. Interview with David Baddiel here
🛣 Route Closures and Issues
⛔️ Rodney Street tunnel approach from George V Park closed until 7th March
This diversion should be coming to a close around the 7th of March, according to Sustrans.
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 - huge thanks to contributor Robbie for sending these in
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.
🌉 Harrison Road: two bridges closed due to structural concerns with micro-cracking in the original cast iron beams. Until works begin, a pleasant temporary low traffic area has been created; however, access will likely be restricted soon.
The west bridge over a small path is to have its deck rebuilt, with a closure of the path and signed diversion for an estimated 6 months. Update 3rd March – path open but bridge roadway closed to cycles.
The east bridge over the Union Canal is being inspected and may require the same. Please be especially aware of inspection works in this narrow section.
🚧 East London Street – Closed this week for CityFibre works. The route forms a quiet link between Leith Walk and Broughton St that avoids Picardy Pl. A diversion will be signed via Bellvue Place.
🧭 CCWEL at Rosebery Crescent – Potential re-opening The next phase of Scottish Water sewer repair works begins this week, 3rd March, which is planned to include a bi-directional cycle path along the west side of the works. This follows Spokes raising that plans failed to mention cycles and was missing a northbound diversion.
🚂 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.
⛔️ North Bridge closed to northbound traffic from 17th Feb for 6 weeks total (~4 weeks to go). It is possible to pass via Cockburn St and Waverley Bridge or on the footway by dismounting. Southbound, be aware of vehicles overtaking in a narrow lane, adjacent to an unclear coned-off area.
🧱 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;
⚡ 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;
🏹 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
♻️ The Bike Station’s 📍 Causewayside branch also has a Moving Sale, over this past weekend and coming up again on the following dates, ahead of their relocation:
8th March;
15th March
🚲 From Edinburgh Leisure: “Back in the Saddle: New Course Helps Seniors Rediscover Cycling Joy”, an 11-week course starting today, 3rd March;
🛄 Union Canal exhibition launch tomorrow, 5pm: Check out the new ‘Travel Agents of Change’ [IG] exhibition by Porty Community Energy and BANZAI. Having first exhibited in Portobello and subsequently the Water of Leith Visitor Centre, it will open again on 4th March on the Union Canal:
🦆 4th Mar – 17th Mar near the 📍 Leamington Lift Bridge on the Union Canal, hosted by BANZAI. Opening event tomorrow, 4th March — with pancakes! — from 5pm.
🚴🏼♀️ Ongoing SCORE Scotland weekend cycling training over the rest of March:
‘Advanced Cycle Training with Safety Advice and Route Planning’ at 📍 Rannoch Community Centre — 6 Rannoch Terrace, Edinburgh EH4 7ES
🗓️ Saturdays 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th March, from 3pm to 5pm
🗓️ Sundays 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th March, from 11am to 1pm
Booking is essential: Call / text Madhavi on 07496190752
💯 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 »
🖼️ 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;
✊ 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? “Milnathort, Cairneyhill or Troon 💪HELP needed! Can you collect/drop a bike donation on your commute to Glasgow or Edinburgh hubs?” — bikedonations@bikesforrefugees.scot
🙋🏽♀️ 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.
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
✨ 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. ✨
📋 Consultation: Edinburgh BioQuarter Active Travel Gaps - Sheriffhall Park & Ride to BioQuarter Campus Route
Now closed (2nd March at 23:59): Consultation spotted by Spokes last week; seeking to connect up both some missing internal links in the active travel pathways around the Edinburgh BioQuarter site at Little France, and also deliver protected cycleways and quiet routes between the site and the Midlothian Council park and ride facility at Sheriffhall:
“Edinburgh BioQuarter partners (City of Edinburgh Council, NHS Lothian, Scottish Enterprise and The University of Edinburgh) are in the process of improving active travel routes and facilities in and around the campus…
The improvements being looked at within this project will see the development of a new active travel route to Edinburgh BioQuarter from Midlothian in the south to plug a 'gap' in the infrastructure. Eliminating the 'gap' will improve accessibility for walkers, wheelers, and cyclists during everyday journeys.”
Detailed Plans and Rationale on the project’s StoryMap »
In Previous Updates:
🗺️ East Lothian Council 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 comment responding to the consultation.
Download the (muckle!) combined plan [PDF] or browse the list
🍃 Spokes recently 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;
📋 Following the recent deadline for the ETRO (Experimental Traffic Regulation Order) consultation for the Northern ‘Travelling Safely’ areas, Spokes shared their final response [PDF] to the various areas and schemes covered - as always, thoughtful input on taking the schemes forward and potential improvements;
📃 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!