Edinburgh crime: Police investigate hit and run at 'horrendous' Edinburgh Leith Walk junction

Police are investigating after a pedestrian was struck by a car at a busy city-centre junction

Officers received reports of a crash with a pedestrian on Monday evening (December 19) near the London Road junction with the top of Leith Walk which has been plagued with reports of drivers flouting no-left turn. No injuries were reported but the vehicle didn’t stop after the incident, police said.

It comes amid safety fears about the junction which has seen local councillors, MSPs and residents have repeatedly raised concerns about drivers illegally turning left onto London Road from Leith Walk.

The new road layout at the busy city-centre junction includes no left turn into London Road, meaning motorists have to drive up past the Playhouse, round the redesigned Picardy Place roundabout and back down to turn right along London Road.

The busy junction has been plagued by reports of drivers flouting the no-left turn

Video footage filmed by a local resident of drivers flouting the no-left turn was shared on social media by broadcaster Jeremy Vine, who hit out at drivers breaking the rules as “ridiculous”.

Council chiefs have defended the layout but MSP Miles Briggs and others claim it is also making congestion worse. Two-way traffic was scheduled to be restored for the full length of Leith Walk before Christmas but this has been delayed until January.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers in Edinburgh have received a report of a crash involving a car and a pedestrian in the London Road area, which took place around 7.20pm on Monday, 19 December, 2022. There were no injuries reported and the vehicle did not stop at the scene. Enquiries into the circumstances are ongoing.”