Looking back at the news stories of 2023 is a reminder of the many different aspects of city life. Among the events which made the headlines were the problems with luggage piling up at Edinburgh Airport, the vandal attack on a CCTV camera used to enforce restrictions in a low-traffic neighbourhood and the soaring rents faced by students, as well as other stories like the plan for a replica to replace the too-fragile Jawbone Arch at The Meadows and hundreds of Kate Bush fans recreating one of the singer's most iconic moments in Holyrood Park.
21. 'Roads will deteriorate'
City council transport officials said the condition of Edinburgh's roads would deteriorate further unless millions more was allocated for maintenance in next year's budget. The issued a stark warning to councillors that the one-off boost of £11 million extra agreed for the Capital's roads and footpaths this year must be repeated for 2024/25 or the state of the roads will get worse. Transport convener Scott Arthur said: "Roads and footpaths are awful in Edinburgh. I'm tired of looking at it, feeling ashamed of it and hearing about it from residents - we have to start addressing it." Photo: Ian Rutherford
22. Weedkiller ban
Councillors agreed to introduce a ban on the use of a controversial weedkiller in Edinburgh's parks and green spaces from 2024 as part of a gradual, three-year phasing-out of herbicides containing glyphosate, which threatens bee colonies and has been linked to cases of cancer. Some parts of Edinburgh are already glyphosate-free at the request of local residents, including in Balerno (pictured) where the Pesticide Free Balerno group organises community weeding. Photo: contributed
23. Tram inquiry report finally published
Lord Hardie finally published the report of his inquiry into what went wrong with Edinburgh's much-delayed, over-budget tram project. He said Edinburgh City Council, its tram firm TIE and the Scottish Government all shared the blame for a "litany of avoidable failures". When the inquiry was set up in 2014 it was to be "swift and thorough", but the report's publication came more than five years after the last pubic hearing and at a total cost of over £13m. Photo: Ian Georgeson
24. Melville plaque row
The row over the 18th century Scottish politician Henry Dundas - the 1st Viscount Melville - and his position on slavery was reignited when a plaque accusing him of being "instrumental in deferring the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade" was removed. The Melville Monument Committee, which includes Dundas descendants, admitted responsibility but insisted its action was in line with planning permission secured from the council earlier this year for removal of the plaque. Photo: Lisa Ferguson