Edinburgh roads: Ban on left turn from Leith Walk into London Road is lifted - or is it?

The ban on turning left from Leith Walk into London Road has finally been lifted - or has it?

The council posted on social media on Wednesday that the ban - a long-running cause of controversy - had been removed. And in Leith Walk, on the approach to the junction there's a clear message in large letters in one of the lanes saying 'Left Turn Only'.

But just a few yards away, a road sign tells motorists they are not allowed to turn left there.

The ban was introduced in 2022 as part of a new layout prompted by the tram extension, but it caused a furious public backlash and cameras found more than 930 drivers making the illegal turn in one week.

Law-abiding motorists wanting to go along London Road had to drive straight on at the junction, up past the Playhouse and round the Picardy Place roundabout, then back down to the junction where they could turn right.

Critics complained at the time that the arrangement was just forcing drivers to make longer journeys and adding to congestion, but the council insisted that allowing the left turn would affect tram timetabling and that the ban also benefited pedestrians and cyclists.

However, in May this year a report to the councils transport and environment committee said monitoring showed the arrangement had had an adverse impact on public transport. And councillors accepted a recommendation to reverse the ban.

Originally, officials said the prohibition was expected to disappear at the end of June or beginning of July. But at the end of September, it was still there. Tory transport spokeswoman Marie-Clair Munro said she could not understand why it was taking so long, and the council said it would be gone by the end of October.

On Wednesday, November 6, the council used Facebook to announce: “The left hand turn onto London Road from Leith Walk has now been reintroduced. This follows a decision made by Transport and Environment Committee to ease pressure on Picardy Place without impacting on walking, wheeling and cycling.”

Cllr Munro raised the contradictory signs at Thursday’s full council meeting, asking council leader Cammy Day: “Do you think it wise the co8uncil is advertising on its social media pages that the left turn is now open when the signage in place says it’s closed?”

Cllr Day said in response that he would look into the matter.

Later, a council spokesman said: “The sign remaining there when the turn was reintroduced was an oversight. This will be corrected as soon as possible.”