📰 News this Week

📉 Scottish Government - budget smoke and mirrors continue

From the fine folks at Spokes, paying close attention to the Scottish Government’s spending on Active Travel:

The Scottish Government’s latest annual Programme for Government policy document (PfG, September 2026) has only one mention of active travel – a graphic which is one of the most misleading we have encountered for a long time

Not only is the amount of money — as a percentage of overall transport spend — falling year on year, but the government are increasingly obfuscating the numbers involved, lumping Active Travel budgets in with (sorely needed) Bus Infrastructure funding, and putting a heavy spin on worsening figures. This sleight-of-hand attempts to hide the reality that each year cycling, wheeling and walking are being less and less invested in, at a time when they’re a more crucial than ever part of the transport mix.

🥃 Half a Full Council round-up…

🏢 Reporting on last Thursday’s Full Council meeting has defeated me this week. The council’s internet-powered document repository for motions and questions has fallen over at time of writing, making it impossible to reference what the amendments contained — and on paper at least, the progressive motions towards a car-free day and congestion charging powers were defeated by the coalition of the apparently unwilling.

There are still bits to review using the webcast links below; any links to council documents below will continue to be broken until someone at Council HQ turns the link machine off and on again when they notice on Monday.

☀️ A possible Grand-Départ-adjacent “Car Free Day” and Playing Out event - Cllr Lorenzo Martinico

• 📄 Motion (Document)

• 🎤 Deputation by Corey Boyle deputation for Living Streets Edinburgh Group from 33m 13s;

• ⚙️ Spokes deputation via their website

• 📺 Cllr Martinico moving the motion and Cllr Booth seconding, webcast from 3h 43m 36s (council audio feed dreadful in places, improves shortly after it degrades)

• 📺 Cllr Jenkinson moving the administration amendment from 3h 50m 20s, followed by Cllr Graham seconding;

• 📺 Powerful words from Cllr MacInnes in support from 4h 10m 30s in, including:

“As, I suppose, what could be termed the ‘political sponsor’ of the City Mobility Plan, I don’t think we’re being bold enough in its implementation. I’ve seen us go backwards, in terms of thinking around this, and although I’m not directly involved in transport issues at the moment, and I have some degree of dismay about how much we’re lacking progress in the city…

”...We as a city have a responsibility to make effective, fast change around the car dominance in this city, and this kind of motion, this talk about a car free day — it’s not a panacea for everything, it doesn’t solve things — but what it does do, it reminds people about the possibilities of our streets. Not the constraints that are currently imposed on us every single day by excessive traffic; those constraints include public health, they also include economic constraints as well… businesses would benefit from a reduction car kilometres, not suffer from it. There’s an enormous amount of misunderstanding around the need and the methods of getting car kilometre reduction actually to happen in this city, and I really regret the fact that people hide behind old, tired tropes around the impact of us making substantial, bold change. Because that’s what the city needs, in order to compete internationally with some of the cities we mentioned here - and also to remind our citizens that we put their public health at the centre of what we should be doing.

_”…it’s like a cartoon watching somebody jump off a cliff and the legs are going - and we’re moving nowhere, unless we take strong action.” — Cllr Lesley MacInnes, SNP

The Administration amendment, accepting amendments from the Lib Dems and Conservatives as addenda, passed with 35 votes defeating the motion (24 votes). Hard to say exactly what that means with the documentation being offline; this link should be back up by mid-week and tell us exactly what made it through.

🚗 Progress and blockers for Congestion Charging Powers - Cllr Chas Booth

• 📄 Motion (Document) [PDF];

• 📝 Written deputation from Spokes (on their website, so working);

• Webcast from

The Administration described the Scottish Government’s decision to halt the regulatory review into demand management powers for councils as ‘disappointing’, but rather than pushing forward as the Green motion suggests, just wants to write another letter to the Scottish Government asking what they’re up to - acquiring another of its many can-kicking trophies for the glass cabinet in the process. While it must be nice having the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Tourism & Economy as a pen pal, it doesn’t really feel like action.

The debate on this is worth watching. It does contain an unfortunate claim from one councillor that traffic on Edinburgh’s roads is down 17% since 2019, which is not backed up by Department for Transport data; on the contrary, by 2025 traffic on Edinburgh’s roads had fully returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Again - hard to have sight of what passed the vote here with the amendments unavailable, so worth a look over those - the Administration’s amended position (also accepting the Liberal Democrat amendment and carefully selected parts of the Conservative amendment) won out again with 35 votes to 24, against a combined Green/SNP position.

There are also (currently inaccessible) councillor questions tabled on Voi Bike stations and availability and the Waverley Bridge to Princes St right turn (more on that below) - the answers to these will be in this document when council links are back from their weekend off.

🏰 Local Bits

⛔ “Well it only took 18 months, multiple emails to council officers and 17 questions to full council, but there's finally an 'except cycles' sign at Waverley Bridge.” — Cllr Chas Booth on Bluesky

📅 Spokes are holding a public meeting, on bikes and public transport:

Spokes campaigns for cycling “within a sustainable transport context,” not purely cycling for its own sake. We need to live in places which are safe, pleasant and easy to get around, and free from climate or toxic pollution. This means quality public transport and active travel provision, with private motor traffic a last resort. Planners and providers must work to ensure the maximum possible integration and synergy between public and active modes, so they work together and minimise conflicts.

Our public meeting brings together speakers from the worlds of bus, rail and tram, to discuss the cycling /public transport relationship. As always, the second half of the meeting will be an audience Q/A, so do come along with constructive suggestions, and to give feedback on the speakers’ introductory talks.

November 19th, from 6.45pm at 📍 Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EL — More info here »

⚠️ Jack from the Healthy and Sustainable Places Data Service (HASP) shared an update to their tool that shows areas where the speed limit is most frequently violated by drivers:

We've updated our speeding dashboard [previously featured in edi.bike issue 128], showing vehicular speed adherence and average speeds down to road level. Data is now updated to April 2024 with coverage now extending across Great Britain, also including personal cars and coaches, and featuring places of interest.

A noteworthy finding in Edinburgh is that adherence for cars around Holyrood Park is consistently low, dropping to 4% in one area. Adherence is also low on Sleigh Drive through Craigentinny Road, largely below 25%.

Fascinating and worrying in equal measure - we hope those with the power to enforce anti-speeding measures have sight of this and act on it.

🔍 Morningside Community Council shared on Officers’ reasoning [FB] behind the removal of Voi parking at Midmar Drive, following their recent meeting where it was discussed. A further Voi locations in the area has been added at the corner of Braid Rd and Comiston Pl, and Officers are looking at other locations in the area;

✊ Cracking shots from Saturday’s Edinburgh Critical Mass from Mark on Bluesky, Stuart on Facebook (who schlepped down fae Fife!) and one Dr Scott Arthur MP who attended and put a wee video up on Bluesky too;

✒️ ”Mandated by our well-attended October meetings, New Town & Broughton Community Council (NTBCC) and Leith Central Community Council (LCCC) are writing jointly to convey our profound dismay and deep frustration regarding the ongoing closure of the St Mark's Footbridge.

”This vital active travel link normally connects some of the most densely populated communities in Scotland to the North Edinburgh path network. It serves as an essential, high-volume artery for daily commuters, families, school children and visitors to Warriston Crematorium.”

📃 Read the full open letter at The Spurtle »

🏞️ With the (half-hearted, in terms of barricade) ‘closure’ of a second bridge over the Water of Leith — between Currie and Balerno at the old Kinauld Tanworks — inspired both an emergency motion at Full Council last week to bring an urgent report to November’s Transport Committee meeting, and an excellent and considered new work by historian, campaigner and seasoned memesmith Andy Arthur:

📊 ‘Bike Rideable Days’ is a brilliant wee tool by Shifter, shared on Bluesky by SW20; put in your personal preferences for the maximum and minimum temperatures and amount of rain / snow you’re willing to cycle in — as well as your city — and the tool will tell you how many days of the year are rideable by your own standards.

🎒 Saw a wee Instagram promo this week from Alleycat Bikes at the Pitt in Granton, for a collaboration with local bike bag crafter Clag Bags (Instagram) — who can be messaged for custom bags too;

🚓 Police Scotland enforcement actions [FB] on illegal e-motorbikes this week seized seven cycles and charged riders with twenty offences, which feels like good news; but if you spot this happening in tandem with Home Office immigration officers as it did this week, my personal opinion is you should be reporting it to the fine folks at Anti Raids Edinburgh. Nobody is illegal.

🌧️ National

🚦 Tired of poor cycling affordances at roadworks and ‘Cyclists dismount’ signage when many can’t practically do so? Don’t forget to respond to UK Government consultation “Updating the safety at street works and road works code of practice” »

💻 Thanks to Alex for sending in
“The last weekend you could cycle down Oxford Street”:

On Saturday 24 October 2026 I rode the length of Oxford Street three times each way with a GoPro on my handlebars. Two days later the middle of it closed to bikes. From those 50 minutes of video I rebuilt the street as a 3D Gaussian splat, and you can still ride it, in a browser. This is how, and everything it took to make it hold together

🚲 “Cyclist behaviour on UK roads has always been a pet peeve for other road users. However, former England racing cyclist Chris Boardman believes police should prioritise driving offences over law-breaking cyclists.”

The culture wars alive and just as unwell as ever, as covered in road.cc here - and for a short video interview, options to link to were either a paywalled Times article or their video on Facebook, so there’s the ethical and useful rock and hard place we’re all looking for when trying to share something on…

😡 “Reform have decided there’s not enough dead people”: Council cancels externally funded safe cycling scheme where two cyclists were killed, leaving campaigners fuming at “shocking waste” — at Road.cc »

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Roles available on Cycling UK’s Scottish Advisory Committee:

The role of members of the Scottish Advisory Committee is to advise, inform and be a critical friend across the strategy to help Cycling UK be an effective organisation within Scotland.

See below for more details about what the role entails and for further information or just to have an informal chat, please contact Scott Runciman, Scotland Advocacy Lead. — More at Cycling UK »

📋 Last week Spokes shared another consultation opportunity open until 23rd November:

In February 2027, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code will be 22 years old. The Rural Affairs Committee is undertaking a short inquiry to understand how well Scotland's outdoor access system is working and consider whether changes are needed to ensure that it is fit for the future. — Respond here »

🛣 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 Robbie who prepares this list for us each week!

🏞️ Holyrood Park: Queens Drive closed from 6pm this Thursday 5th November, due to potential anti-social behaviour. However, cycle access will be maintained.

🚧 Westfield Rd: Closed at Gorgie Rd for SGN repairs to a gas leak. If you’re travelling between Gorgie and Balgreen, the Roseburn to Union Canal path may be an alternate route.

🚧 Leith Walk: Segregated cycle lanes obstructed until mid-Nov at Dalmeny St for Scottish Water Repairs and around Albert St for removal of pedestrian crossings. It is required to dismount or re-join the carriageway for a short distance.

🏉 Murrayfield: First Autumn Rugby game this Saturday 7th November. Various Road closures in the surrounding area. Exercise caution and consider dismounting if possible on CCWEL to Water of Leith Path around 2pm and after 4pm. Roseburn Path to Union Canal open throughout.

🚧 Melville Street: Westbound cycle lane closed at Walker St for Scottish Water works next Monday 9th November for 1 week. It will be necessary to dismount or re-join the carriageway for a short distance.

🧑‍🎄 Christmas Closures:

🕯️ George Street: Section of CCWEL and NCN 1 & 74 closed westbound Sunday 15th November for short period between 1pm-3pm for Diwali Parade.

🎪 Kings Stables Road: Closed to cars from for Christmas Market setup. Cycle access should be maintained until Monday 14th December.

🎪 George Street: Closed to cars from Thursday 5th November until Friday 15th January between Castle St and Charlotte Sq.

🎪 Waverley Bridge: Closed to cars at Princes St from Monday 9th November for Christmas Market Setup. Cycle access should be maintained until Monday 28th December. Beware large construction vehicles.

📜 Long Term Closures:

🚧 Holyrood Road: Road and segregated cycle lane closed at Dumbiedykes Rd for SGN repairs to a gas leak likely until late Nov. An 80m dismount is required. Beware vehicles turning in the road unexpectedly.

🌉 Water of Leith Path: Kinauld Tan Works Footbridge by Currie closed due to a hole in the bridge deck. A diversion is suggested via Lanark Rd, which may be unsuitable. An unpaved gravel farm road may offer a safer alternate route.

🕳️ York Place: Hole in CCWEL segregated cycle lane across entrance to Edinburgh Bus Station. Despite multiple repair attempts, there is a deep gap along a manhole in the cycle lane. Exercise extreme caution eastbound.

🏫 Canaan Lane: Road and eastbound contraflow cycle lane closed at Morningside Rd and near Canaan Lane Primary School by Scottish Power until end Nov 2026. A dismount is likely required to pass.

🚧 Minto Street: Segregated cycle lanes down to Craigmillar Park expected to be obstructed in various locations until the end of the year, in preparation for resurfacing.

🏖️ Silverknowes Road: Road to Silverknowes Beach closed for resurfacing works and reconfiguration of the cycle lane. Update: Now expected to reopen in October 2026.

🌊 Waterloo Place: Closed westbound until end Nov 2026 for Scottish Water repairs. Eastbound access will be reduced to 1 lane. Be aware of vehicles overtaking within the narrow and uphill remaining lane. A dismount will be necessary westbound, and it will not be possible to rejoin the road until after North Bridge, as traffic lights will be altered.

🚧 Dundee Street: Segregated cycle lanes between Viewforth and Gilmore Park obstructed by temporary traffic lights for Scottish Power substation works until November 2026. Access to the Union Canal may require a dismount.

🏞️ Holyrood Park High Road: Closed due to rockfall. A short dismount is necessary to avoid a fenced off area.

🌉 St Marks Path: Bridge over Water of Leith closed due to structural issues. The road bridge at Warriston Rd or pedestrian bridge at Beaverhall Rd may offer alternate routes.

🌉 Harrison Road: Bridges closed due to structural concerns with micro-cracking in the original cast iron beams. The north-west bridge over a small path is closed for rebuilding, including the path below, until mid-Dec 2026. The south-east bridge over the Union Canal requires a dismount whilst kerbs are altered.

🏗️ 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 or by following the shared use footway on Lochside Ave.

🏗️ Port Hamilton Cyclepath: Shared use path between Union Canal and West End closed until 2027 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.

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🎉 Events and Happenings

📆 Upcoming / Ongoing

💚 This Friday: From Bike for Good (Glasgow) on Instagram:

After 14 years of bikes, repairs, rides, learning, volunteering and plenty of cups of tea, it’s time to say farewell to Bike for Good West Hub!

On Friday 6 November, we’ll be opening the doors for one last celebration of the West Hub and everyone who has been part of its story since 2012.

The shop will be open as usual from 9am–5pm, with our farewell celebrations kicking off from 1pm.

Come along to:
🚲 Celebrate the history of the West Hub
🛠️ Pick up pre-refurbished bikes, frames and parts
🪑 Give some of our furniture and equipment a new home
💚 Share your memories and say goodbye to the space with us

All are welcome, whether you've been with us from the start, or as someone just getting to know us!

📅 Friday 6 November 2026
📍 Bike for Good West Hub
⏰ Shop: 9am–5pm | Farewell celebrations from 1pm

⛺️ 11th & 12 November - Introduction to Bikepacking sessions with Ana Norrie-Toch - “These are a super supportive and encouraging opportunity for people looking to start their bikepacking journey - or looking to build confidence! These will be two back to back sessions on the 11th & 12 November. Covering all things kit, logistics and deep diving into bikepacking. Attendees also receive 15% off in-store kit purchases on the evenings” at host Alpkit Edinburgh.

🎟️ Tickets and more info on Eventbrite »

🔁 Weekly Events

🚴 Weekly

• 🍃 Mon, 12-2.30pm: Free, fun group ride on paths from Bridgend Farmhouse;

• 💪 Adult (16+) Confidence Builder bike rides with The Bike Station, 5-6pm from outside Pav cafe, Meadows;

• 🌅 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, 5.40am: Edinburgh Dawn Patrol [IG] Gravel edition - starting from 📍 Cairngorm Coffee;

• ☕ 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 ☕

• 🛠️ Fortnightly (second & fourth Weds each month), 3pm: Bike Kitchen at Edinburgh Tool Library

• 🔧 Weds, 5-8pm Fix Your Own Bike Sessions at The Bike Station, Tollcross

• 👑 Weds 7pm - Queens of Pain evening group ride for women & non-binary folk - ride details & locations

• 🌅 Thurs, ⏰ 5.40am: Edinburgh Dawn Patrol (same as Tues, details above);

• 🚺 Thurs, 5-8pm: Fix My Own Bike session for Women and Minority Genders at The Wee Spoke Hub

• 🪨 Thurs Evenings: Edinburgh Gravel Cycling Club social group rides;

• 👑 Fri 6am - Queens of Pain morning group ride for women & non-binary folk - ride details & locations

• 🪛 Fri, 10am-3pm Dr Bike cycle repairs from ELREC’s Edinburgh Cycling Club at 📍 Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre - no booking required and all welcome;

• ✴️ Fri, 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, 1-3pm on the 1st Friday of each month November to March, usually every Friday 2-4pm between April and Hallowe’en.

• ✊ Last Saturday of the month: Edinburgh Critical Mass is a family-friendly mass protest / group ride, leaving at 2pm from Middle Meadow Walk - don’t forget to grab a t-shirt!

🫂 Help Needed

✨ The SHRUB Foodsharing team is looking for more bikers to volunteer with us! ✨

🤝 Who do we want?

• Someone who is interested in helping our community reduce food waste and food poverty

• Someone who can commit to a regular shift every week

• Preferably someone who is a confident bike rider and has prior food handling experience - but not essential. Training is provided.

🔗 What roles are available?

• Food collector (Night shift, shifts run from 8:15pm to 10pm)

🙌 What’s in it for you?

• Being part of a genuinely inclusive organisation.

• Learning about foodsharing and cooperative organisations.

• Experience in food handling.

• Free food!

• Volunteering makes you a full member of the coop for free.

• Save the planet!

🤔 How do I get involved?
Sign up to volunteer with us here

🚲 The Bike Station - can you volunteer with us? 🚲

Help us make cycling more accessible and connect people with the joy of a bicycle. We have a fantastic team of volunteers who support us in many ways, so please do reach out if you'd like to be part of the team.

📦 Online Sales Support volunteer 📦

Do you have a good eye for detail with some experience with online sales? Do you like tinkering with unique bike parts and connecting these with keen customers?

We are looking for a new online sales support volunteer, who will lead on our eBay sales; from photographing, writing descriptions, communicating with buyers, to carefully packing and sending packages out. This is a fantastic way to ensure we maximise revenue from the brilliant salvaged parts and donations we receive - allowing this to be funneled straight back into supporting our overall mission and communities programmes.

Ideally the incoming volunteer would be able to get involved from start-mid October, to allow for crossover with the outgoing team member. The minimum commitment is 3-4 hours per week, with in store time spent at our Gorgie shop ideally on a Thursday or Friday.

🛠️ Fix Your Own Bike volunteers:

Our main requirement for volunteers at the moment are volunteers to help support on our Fix Your Own Bike (FYOB) sessions; notably those able to support the Saturday sessions which run from weekly 1-4pm.

The ideal candidate would be someone with extensive bike maintenance experience and someone who would feel comfortable articulating ideas and advice to members of the public. These sessions are a valuable resource for shared learning, lower cost self repairs and are a great community addition to the Edinburgh cycling landscape. Being volunteer-led, we cannot keep up with demand without the brilliant team that helps to operate the sessions. If either of these roles are of interest, please contact [email protected] to discuss the role in more detail; it would be wonderful to hear from you. As a volunteer you not only join a community of like-minded individuals passionate about cycling - you can also access bikes, parts and accessories at a discounted price as well as heavily discounted maintenance courses after 6 months of volunteering.

Ongoing: 👥 Get help with routes & road confidence through Cycle Buddies or become a buddy | 🚌 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:

🌱 ‘City Plan 2040’ is the capital’s next Local Development Plan, and Spokes published a thorough and very thoughtful response in October on protecting and enhancing the primary cycle network, integrating cycleways with tram projects on the horizon and undertaking projects like the Powderhall Link. Prepare for plenty of nodding along while reading.

👀 The Redetermination Order (‘RSO’) and other orders for the Council’s ‘Cameron Toll to Bioquarter’ scheme were advertised closing for comments on 16th October per the recent Spokes action update [PDF] — plans can be viewed here [PDF];

💬 From Merchiston Districts Community Council:

Polwarth and Merchiston Road Safety schemes are developing well and need your input - we’re pleased to share a mega-update on several key road safety initiatives within our Community Council area, focused on the Merchiston Ave / Polwarth Crescent / Yeaman Place corridor.

The junction at Merchiston Avenue / Rochester Terrace will be also redesigned this year, following a successful submission by our Community Council to CEC’s Local Traffic Improvement Programme… The CEC road safety team has now proposed significantly widened pavements at all four corners of the junction, which will create a much shorter crossing radius for pedestrians, and improve sightlines for drivers and pedestrians and cyclists alike. The narrowed junction would also force speed reduction and discourage larger vehicles (especially HGVs) from using this road as a rat run. There will be ground-level planters here as well, and which will be placed to deter illegal parking which also blocks sightlines. CEC wants to hear your views! If you have any views on these proposed improvements, please fill out this short survey.

The same survey also covers proposals for further up the road, at the junction with Colinton Road:

We are delighted to share that CEC is also examining how to make improvements for this heavily used junction (near Starbucks and Tesco), which also happens to be an entry point for the Merchiston Ave / Polwarth Crescent / Yeaman Place rat run. We are in touch with the Road Safety Officer managing the scheme, and will share updates once the project is further along. Tell us what you think! If you have any views on this junction (problems and ideas for improvements), please fill out the survey.

⛏️ “West Lothian Council has been granted planning permission (application 0034/FUL/26) to construct a cyclepath, including bridge crossing over the A706, from Stoneyburn to connect to core path WL24 Fauldhouse Rail Path.” — more details and plans in this Facebook post »

📋 The Council’s consultation report for Barnton Connections has now been published, and is available to read on the project website;

🎭 With works on the refurbishment of the King’s Theatre concluded, but commencement on the build of this ‘missing link’ cycle route not due until next year, there were concerns that potentially Tarvit Street — part of the new route and closed to motor traffic for around four years during works on the theatre — might be reopened to through-traffic and add to an already busy junction and close again shortly afterwards. Instead, a modal filter will be installed at the junction of Tarvit St and Drumdryan St — which will be made one-way — so motor traffic will only be permitted one-way round a loop of Tarvit westbound, Drumdryan north and then east, returning to Brougham St - with two-way cycling allowed on both arms of the loop. — More details [PDF] »

🚊 A couple of linksfrom the June Workshop on the future of Princes St and George St, posted by Spokes this week; the collated renders and sketches of the project by Edinburgh architect Richard Murphy, and a brief concept video on Youtube;

🏞️ “The prize is a lin­ear path­way from the Pent­lands through Fairmil­e­head, Bur­die­house, More­dun, Gilmer­ton, Nid­drie and Craig­mil­lar and all the way to Joppa where it could meet the Por­to­bello coastal cycle­way and link up to the city’s entire water­front. You could in the­ory cre­ate a tri­an­gu­lar route that would include the Water of Leith Walk­way. That route would be around 25-30 miles and would include some of the finest urban green space and views in Scot­land.” — Pent­lands to Porty path could be huge asset for city com­munit­ies, Evening News / Press Reader »

📝 The good folks at Spokes have spotted a planning application 24/05843/FUL for a “Cycle path link connection and associated works from Gogar Station Road south to land east of 1 Gogar Station Road” - though they also note in their Bluesky post the width of the path being around a meter less than design guidance would instruct…

🅿️ Seven new on-street ‘cycle hangar’ storage units are planned for the locations marked with a green dot on this newly published Traffic Regulation Order - thanks to Spokes for sharing;

🆕West Edinburgh Link - Torwood path section between Torwood Crescent and Meadow Place Rd ready for use [FB];

🔐 Recently Closed:

• 📋 Comments recently closed (8th July) for Craigmillar Niddrie Connections — see the technical plans;

• 🧭 Comments on North Edinburgh Connections - protected cycling and walking improvements for West Granton Road, Pennywell Road, and Ferry Road — closed 9th June;

• 📨 Closed 10th Feb: consultation period for the Silverknowes Rd ETRO providing protected cycleways (ETRO/21/30C).

• 🚲 Closed February 9th: Barnton Connections consultation on safe, protected cycle routes through the area;

• ⛲️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

• 🌳 Meadows to Union Canal Link

• 🦦 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

🚧 Under Construction:

• ⚒️ Work has commenced at the former Dalton’s Scrap Yard on Yeaman Place - which includes a ‘Section 75’ requirement for the developer to create a new walking, wheeling and cycling access to the Union canal from the site. A linear connection through the new purpose-built student accommodations slated for the land (surprise!) connect to Dundee St, while a ramped access looks to link to the Yeaman Pl side directly. Planning application documents here »

• 🧱 Changes to southside protected cycleways at Summerhall under construction until July 2026;

• ⛴️ 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

📋 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]

Thanks for reading - ride safe 🚲

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