A pensioner who died after being hit by a bus in Edinburgh was killed on 'the worst street in the city for pedestrians', say campaigners.

The city was rocked at the weekend as emergency services responded to a horrific incident which happened in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town.

Police were called to reports of a serious crash at around 7.30pm on Saturday, November 2, and Cowgate and its surrounding streets were cordoned off by police while forensic teams conducted investigations.

Officers later said a 74-year-old man had been killed after he was hit by a single decker bus.

Following the tragic incident, the head of Living Streets Edinburgh has described the Old Town thoroughfare as a “dangerous place for pedestrians”

A 2016 audit carried out on the Cowgate by the chairty, which campaigns for local safety and amenity, found “heavy vehicular traffic” was the “biggest problem for pedestrians”.

Now, the group’s convener, David Hunter, has said traffic on the street, which is often packed with nightlife revellers, had been a “known hazard” for more than 20 years.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: “Our report on the Cowgate eight years ago called it "the worst street in Edinburgh". It's been a known hazard for over 20 years, which is why traffic is banned from late in the evening.

“There have been some improvements – the 20mph speed limit and double yellow lines – but with still-speeding traffic and dreadful pavements it is still a really hostile and at times dangerous place for pedestrians.

“We shouldn't jump to conclusions about the cause of the weekend's horrific incident, but reducing traffic – or removing it entirely – from the Cowgate must be a top priority for the council's traffic plans for the city.”

Current rules are supposed to prevent any vehicles from driving along the street after 10pm, while the area is also part of the city’s 20mph and Low Emission zones.

Buses, cars, taxis and HGVs are allowed to use the street prior to the curfew, provided they meet the emission standards. No Lothian bus services use the street.

The City of Edinburgh Council has now committed to improving the safety of road users and pedestrians at the Cowgate.

Original plans to pedestrianise the Cowgate were dropped this year, with one-way traffic proposals the latest solution to be discussed by the local authority.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “First of all, I want to express my sincere condolences to the family of the gentleman who died in the tragic incident on the Cowgate over the weekend.

“The circumstances are still unknown and it’s important that we allow the police to investigate fully before jumping to any conclusions.

“We remain firmly committed to making our city centre a safer, more welcoming environment for all road users, and the proposed improvements to the Cowgate are very much part of our plans.”

In May this year, the Transport Committee recommended that the Cowgate be made one-way before being fully closed, as part of the Edinburgh City Centre Transformation Strategy (ECCT). It also recommended a phased implementation of the circulation plan which would involve further consultation and research, before introducing restrictions.

In an update to these plans in September, the council said the ECCT programme is now “gaining greater momentum”.