Bus lanes restored in plans for new cycling corridor to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary

Active travel project will put cycleway into Inch Park

The route connects residential areas of south Edinburgh to the Royal Infirmary

BUS lanes will be reinstated in plans for an active travel corridor to the Royal Infirmary after comments from the public in a consultation.

The corridor from Cameron Toll to Little France is a multi-million pound project to boost cycling and walking on a key city route.

It will see a continuous segregated, two-way cycle lane from Craigmillar Park, via Lady Road, Cameron Toll roundabout and the A7 Old Dalkeith Road to to the Royal Infirmary and BioQuarter campus.

The overall construction cost for the project is estimated at £2 million.

But proposals drawn up last year removed sections of bus lane in both directions along the route.

And when the plans went out to consultation, members of the public said the move would increase journey times for drivers and bus users.

Now council transport officials have modified the proposals, reinstating the bus lanes and moving the northbound cycleway into Inch Park.

Construction is hoped to start in the summer of next year with completion due in spring 2022.

Temporary segregated cycle lanes were introduced on Old Dalkeith last month as part of the measures to make cycling to and from the Royal Infirmary easier during the coronavirus lockdown. But officials say the design of the permanent scheme will be very different.

The project is intended as the first of a series of projects for this part of the city, including ones that would connect to the Midlothian boundary and

Sherriffhall in the south and Edinburgh University’s King’s Buildings campus to the west.

The council says the current proposals will promote cycling and walking to the Infirmary and the BioQuarter as well as leisure visits to parks along the A7.

A report to councillors on the consultation said 490 responses had been received as a result of a series of events and an online questionnaire, with 73 per cent strong in support and another 10 per cent in support.

“Positive responses focused mainly on the improved safety of the route, with many comments suggesting the current route is intimidating and feels dangerous.

“In response to feedback, the design proposals have been updated to retain the northbound bus lane along Old Dalkeith Road, by realigning the cycleway into the Inch Park.

“The final design will also retain the southbound bus lane on Craigmillar Park.

“To improve pedestrian and cyclist space along the route, narrow sections have been redesigned to move pedestrians to one side of the carriageway and cyclists to the other.

“In addition, crossing points have been reviewed to ensure that priority and suitable space has been given to pedestrians and cyclists.”

The report said a compromise design had been agreed with members of the Inch Community, Bridgend Community and local residents to address their concerns about the original design for the crossing near Inch Park.

And it said the footpath on the west side of the road near Kingston Avenue would be widened and improved, with a cycle-only path created on the east side of the road, where there are no property frontages.