Edinburgh 2029 vision: Princes Street and Lothian Road set for overhaul to prioritise pedestrians

Under the proposals, Princes Street will remain accessible by buses, but the volume of services will be reduced and fewer bus stops could line the famous route.

Proposals also indicate that investigations could take place to open up Princes Street Gardens to create a plaza across Castle Street.

Project director Daisy Narayanan added: “We have proposed three interchange points and we are working with Lothian buses to see which of the key city centre buses still need to do that and which buses can just kiss the city centre.”

Changes to the layout of Princes Street and North Bridge are likely to take place towards the end of the ten-year strategy – with an initial timescale set between 2025 and the summer of 2028. The council’s strategy states there will be a “reduction in volume of buses stopping on Princes Street”.

Edinburgh 2029: ‘Tram loop’, car ban and pedestrian zones part of 10-year city vision

Four transport hubs would be set up across the city centre at the West End near Haymarket, Tollcross, Picardy Place/St Andrew Square and Potterrow/Nicolson Street.

Edinburgh 2029: New tram loop proposed for city centre

Local Junction improvements that provide more footway space could take place at Tollcross, Lothian Road, the High Street/North Bridge junction and Hanover Street.