Edinburgh city centre: Princes Street consultation will ask about segregated cycleway and priority for pavements

Green councillors backed a plea from cycle campaign group Spokes for a segregated cycleway, although parallel George Street is set to become a cycle and pedestrian street in a long-awaited revamp.  

And Conservatives pushed for the public to be asked their views on the order in which other proposed works on the street should be done. They suggested improved footways might be top priority despite warnings from officials they could soon be taken over by cranes and scaffolding for major redevelopment projects planned along the street.

The strategy is expected to go out for consultation soon | Google Maps

The draft Princes Street and Waverley Valley strategy also includes an upgrade for the Ross bandstand in Princes Street Gardens, trees on the roof of Waverley Market and a footbridge across the Waverley Valley. It is expected to go out for public consultation soon..

In a written deputation to the council's transport committee, Spokes  said cycle lanes had been installed in Princes Street when David Begg was transport convener, and operated well, only to be removed by a subsequent council.

The group said: "Princes Street has always been a more popular cycle route than the parallel streets, and is clearly an important destination in its own right. We believe that there is adequate space for cycleways once a properly considered design is developed alongside junction safety improvements.

"We therefore ask that, at the very least, further consideration is given to whether carriageway space on Princes Street can be re-allocated to provide protected cycleways."

Proposing an amendment for segregated cycleways to be considered, Green councillor Chas Booth said: "A fundamental principle, which is set out in guidance, is that cycle routes should be direct, they should be quick and safe for cyclists to use.

"We're seeking to explore - and we acknowledge it might be challenging - whether segregated cycling facilities could be provided and if not how we ensure that safety for cyclists."

An official old the committee George Street rather than Princes Street had been designated as a main cycle route.   "What we really want to do is redirect people along the safer routes. I think there's an acknowledgement that if cyclists choose to cycle down Princes Street they will be sharing the space with buses and trams, but there is an alternative there that has been developed as part of the primary cycle network."

The masterplan proposes public realm improvements in three phases - projects at intervals along Princes Street to create rest points, improve accessibility and enhance existing spaces at the West End, Castle Street, Mound precinct and the East End;  new access ramps and steps to West Princes Street Gardens; and upgrades to footways with durable sandstone paving.

A Tory amendment called for the consultation to ask about the order of the three phases "to determine whether the public order the priorities as proposed in the paper, given that recent responses to budget consultations would suggest these should prioritise footway improvements first".

Tory group leader Iain Whyte said: "I think it is clear Princes Street's footways are very badly deteriorated, they have been there an extremely long time and have some of the highest footfall in the city, the drainage in the middle is inadequste, ill-maintained and when there's heavy rain just creates real problems for people.

“I'm not saying that has to be the top priority, but we should ask the public what their priorities are around this. My suspicion is the public will see that as a greater priority than creating parklets at different points."

Gareth Barwell, head of operational services, said: "Where we're going to have a large turnover in the types of businesses on Princes Street, we don't want to spend millions of pounds on footways to then find cranes and scaffolding occupying them for a period of time."

Transport convener Stephen Jenkinson accepted both the Green and  Tory amendments.  After the meeting, he said: "George Street is a cycle street and we want to direct cycle traffic through a cycle street.  However, until the design for George Street is completely financed or nailed down, nothing should be taken off the table.   What we agreed was to include a segregated cycleway in the consultation, as something which will be consulted on rather than excluded."