Earlier this month councillors approved controversial plans to ban through traffic from major roads in the centre of Edinburgh, including the North and South Bridges corridor, The Mound, the Cowgate and Canongate.
It's all part of a blueprint for the city's roads, called "Our Future Streets", which is intended to advance the council's declared ambitions of reaching net zero and achieving a 30 per cent reduction in car kilometres by 2030. The plans go further than the previously agreed City Centre Transformation proposals and aims to create "a city centre that is far less vehicle dominated".
But the blueprint also extends well beyond the city centre, with proposals for some local town centres and measures on key routes into and out of the city.
13. St John's Road, Corstorphine
The plan to upgrade the A8 corridor includes a town centre improvement for St Johns Road, Corstorphine. The blueprint bills this as "a transformation of St Johns Road as a shopping street for people". And it says it would focus on "better conditions for shopping, walking/wheeling and cycling". | credit steven scott taylor / J P Photo: Steve Scott Taylor
14. Stockbridge
A trial closure on Raeburn Place in Stockbridge at weekends is suggested in Edinburgh' roads blueprint. It says vehicles are currently prioritised over pedestrians and parking dominates the streets. The blueprint says: "A comprehensive redesign of Raeburn Place could be considered." But it admitted reducing through traffic could be difficult because "alternative routes are limited". It notes a traffic-free day was held in Raeburn Place in 2019. And it says: "A potential closure on Raeburn Place could be trialled at weekends initially, when traffic volumes are lower, with suitable alternatives for general traffic to the west (Queensferry Road/Orchard Brae) and to the east (Inverleith Row). Trial restrictions within Stockbridge could be delivered relatively quickly, subject to appropriate levels of consultation and engagement." | JP License Photo: Neil Hanna
15. A71 Calder Road
Calder Road could see traffic lights replace its many roundabouts as part of a revamp. But the A71 corridor is not recommended for early investment. The blueprint says the 1960s dual-carriageway layout of Calder Road prioritises general traffic, roundabouts make cycling difficult and pedestrian underpasses are unattractive. It goes on: "There is an opportunity to reimagine Calder Road, a smaller footprint, constructed to modern design standards, which could accommodate improved walking, wheeling, and cycling infrastructure, and improved bus stops and priority. "Reconstruction of Calder Road will have a high cost and create significant disruption during construction. Nevertheless, some of the cost could be offset against the sale of any remaining land and / or the construction of new housing." | JP licence Photo: Ian Rutherford
16. A70 - Balerno to Haymarket
The A70 between Balerno and Haymarket has been identified as a route to trial faster bus times. With buses currently subject to frequent delays, the proposal is for measures including all-hours bus lanes to be installed from mid-2024. But the blueprint notes that between Balerno and Juniper Green, the corridor is narrow with no opportunity to provide bus lanes or segregated cycle infrastructure. And it warns extending cycling connections into Dalry and Fountainbridge would "require careful consideration" to integrate with reducing bus journey times. | TS License Photo: Malcolm McCurrach