Princes Street expected to remain closed 'into August' due to building fire as fears grow for festival season
Council leader Jane Meagher said the council is working closely with festival organisers to minimise disruption during August
Princes Street is expected to remain closed into August following a major fire at the former Debenhams store, Edinburgh council has confirmed.
Council leader Jane Meagher said ongoing works to secure the building are expected to take “several weeks” to complete, with the closure set to remain in place during the early weeks of the Edinburgh festivals.
The street has been closed to traffic and pedestrians between Frederick Street and South Charlotte Street since the blaze broke out in the early hours of Thursday.
Around 50 bus routes through the city centre have been diverted along George Street and Queen Street, while trams are only operating between the airport and the West End due to trams being unable to access the part of the route between Newhaven and St Andrew Square.
Ms Meagher said alternative arrangements will be put in place to limit disruption during the festival season and a dedicated page has been created on the council website for residents to find up-to-date information about the disruption.
George Street had been due to close to traffic between Hanover Street and Frederick Street from July 30 until September 1, with pedestrian and cycle access only.
But with the street now serving as a bus diversion route, those plans are set to be scrapped.
The council said it expected the planned closure would not be able to go ahead as planned, but if the situation changed and Princes Street reopened before the end of the Festival, the position with George Street could be reviewed.
Councillor Meagher said: “While, of course, I’m disappointed that Princes Street is to remain closed for weeks to come, our priority must be on the safety of the public.
“Our focus continues to be on making the building safe while aiming to retain as many of its historic features as we can. This is a painstaking process and will take time.
“I’m acutely aware that we’re now entering the busiest period of the year for Edinburgh, and there will inevitably be disruption in and around the city centre. We will continue to work with bus, tram, and other transport colleagues to keep the city moving as best we can.
“We’re also in regular contact with festival and event organisers with a view to minimising the impact on our events calendar, while ensuring those attending can easily access the latest information and guidance before travelling.
“This an ever-changing situation and we will provide further updates as and when new information becomes available, including through a dedicated page on the council website.
“I want to thank people for their patience and understanding and have no doubt that we can still look forward to a fantastic summer of festivals here in Edinburgh.”
Yesterday, the Evening News reported that members of the Edinburgh Bus Users’ Group (EBUG) had published an open letter to Edinburgh council about the “unprecedented transport challenge” facing Edinburgh in the aftermath of the fire, calling on councillors to bring in emergency bus priority measures to prevent “total gridlock” in the area.
The suggested emergency measures include temporary bus-only lanes on George Street, which is bearing the brunt of diverted traffic, to allow buses to bypass private vehicles and delivery vans.
Campaigners are also calling for a temporary ban on daytime parking and loading, with delivery windows limited to off-peak night hours to protect bus corridors during these periods, as well as temporary adjustments to traffic signal timings at bottleneck intersections to give longer green phases to public transport.
A spokesperson for EBUG said: “Buses carry almost ten times more passengers in Edinburgh than any other form of public transport. When Princes Street closes, the city’s mobility depends entirely on keeping buses moving.
“We appreciate that council teams are working under immense pressure to assess the building’s structural safety.
“However, transport policy cannot sit on the sidelines during a long closure.
“We must protect the reliability of the bus network and ensure that Edinburgh keeps moving during this crisis.”
A Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society spokesperson said: “We are working closely with the City of Edinburgh Council, Fringe venue operators and the other Edinburgh Festivals to ensure that any impact on audience members is minimised.”