New bridge linking Edinburgh International Climbing Arena and surf resort set to be abandoned

The proposed bridge, together with a new path, was hailed as a “much-needed active travel link” when the plans first emerged in 2019. But although a design has now been completed, the access ramp is too steep to qualify for funding from active travel charity Sustrans.

And the city council faced having to pay Scottish Canals to lease the air above the canal, costing at least £821,000 over a 50-year term. It was also unclear who would have legal responsibility for maintenance of the new bridge.

The plans announced in 2019 were for a 26-metre bridge linked to the existing Union Canal tow-path by a new cycleway ramp. The four-metre wide structure was to be built out of weathering steel main girders and recycled plastic with timber effect deck planks and parapets. A report to next week’s transport and environment committee says that although Sustrans has fully funded the design of the project to date, its funding panel had rejected the latest plans due to the steep gradient of the access from the climbing arena end of the bridge to the arena’s car park and reception.

The report adds: “There is no feasible way to achieve an accessible gradient.” And it says the cost of the air lease meant the bridge was “deemed uneconomic for the council to sustain”. Committee convener Scott Arthur said: “All these points considered, it’s looking unlikely that the bridge will go ahead, which is a shame - I know people in Ratho saw this as a big opportunity and there was a hope it would better connect neighbourhoods, but it is looking really difficult to deliver.

“There will be a lot of people unhappy about the situation. But I think the fundamental issue is the technical feasibility of the bridge rather than the money. If the bridge could be designed to work they would have got the money from Sustrans and then the issue of leasing the air over the canal may well have been solvable.”

He said the matter would now been passed back to the planning committee for it to consider the implications.