Lorna Slater: North Bridge steps back into the spotlight

For nearly a decade now, anyone arriving in Edinburgh by train has been greeted byscaffolding rather than one of the Capital’s most beautiful landmarks. That is finally about to change.

With North Bridge scheduled to reopen fully by the end of July, and the last of the street levelworks being cleared away ahead of the Festival, we are about to rediscover one of the city’s defining views.

North Bridge has always been more than a way to get from A to B. It is a gateway between the Old Town and New Town, between our history and our future. It frames the skyline, carries millions of residents and visitors every year and sits at the heart of Edinburgh’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The restoration has taken longer than any of us would have liked, but the transformation is remarkable. As the scaffolding disappeared, the bridge’s intricate Victorian ironwork has once again taken pride of place, opening up views across the city that have been hidden for far too long.

Just as importantly, this is about how we move around our capital. Better pavements make walking more pleasant. Improved routes help people travelling by bike. Buses can once again move more efficiently through one of the city's busiest corridors. Even those who need to drive, in cleaner Low Emission Zone compliant vehicles, will also benefit from a route restored to full use.

With the Edinburgh Festival about to welcome artists and audiences from across the world, there could hardly be a better moment for North Bridge to step back into the spotlight.

Sometimes we become so used to living alongside scaffolding that we forget what has been hidden beneath it. In hopefully just a few days, Edinburgh will be reminded that one of its greatest landmarks has been there all along, waiting to be seen again.