Edinburgh gets £5 million funding boost for pop-up cycling and walking routes and pedestrianised streets

Edinburgh is to benefit from £5 million of funding for more pop-up walking and cycling routes to ensure social distancing as Scotland's lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Edinburgh will receive £5 million to carry out improvements like temporary pavement widening, segregated cycle lanes and pedestrianised streets.

The Capital will receive half of the original £10 million Places for Everyone funding total - trebled by the Transport secretary to £30 million - to carry out improvements like temporary pavement widening, segregated cycle lanes and pedestrianised streets.

Earlier this month, Edinburgh City Council published a package of measures aimed at making it easier and safer for people to travel by foot, bike or wheelchair while maintaining physical distancing. A programme of changes is already underway across the city with road closures in Silverknowes, Greenbank, Cammo and Leith.

It comes in response to more people choosing to walk and cycle under the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, which restrict car travel to only essential journeys to buy food or access medical care.

The latest £5 million funding boost from Transport Scotland means the local authority will be able to make more improvements at no extra cost to their budget, including the next phase of measures due to be implemented next week.

In a statement released today, the council says its next priority areas include:

- In Portobello, from June 2nd, the partial closure of Stanley Street and Hope Lane between Stanley Street and Christian Grove to provide a "low traffic corridor," for people to walk and cycle and access nearby green spaces like Figgate Park for exercise.

- Also from June 2nd, the closure of Warriston Road to through traffic to provide a wide pedestrian and cyclist-friendly space leading to access to the North Edinburgh path network. Access to the allotment and Warriston Crematorium will be maintained via Ferry Road.

- The implementation of a temporary segregated cycleway (cycle use only) on Old Dalkeith Road, between Cameron Toll and the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

- An advisory cycle lane (dashed line which allows traffic to enter it when there are no cyclists there) on Crewe Road South, between the Orchard Brae roundabout and Crewe Toll roundabout.

The council say both of these new cycle lanes will allow safer travel by bike for key workers and service users from early June.

Edinburgh City Council also said that, from this week, they will be "prioritising pedestrians" at 150 junctions across the city by removing the need to press the button to call the green man during the day and evening. Those with visual impairments will be able to keep using crossings as before.

The local authority says its overall strategy will be implemented to support the Scottish Government's phased approach to lifting the lockdown.

The proposed partial pedestrianisation of Waverley Bridge, for instance, aims to create more space at a key transport hub. Measures in eight local high streets in outlying parts of Edinburgh are also designed to support local shops, pubs and cafes to re-open in safe environments.

Space will be created on the main routes into the city to support people coming back to work by walking where possible, and by bike.

Transport and Environment convener, councillor Lesley Macinnes, said she is "delighted" with the new funding which can help build a "sustainable future for the Capital" as they emerge from the coronavirus crisis.

She said: "There’s been a step-change in the way people move around the city, with a surge in walking and cycling, and our proposed measures will harness this enthusiasm long term.

"Facilitating active travel and public transport use is essential if we are to limit the negative impacts of congestion, air pollution and carbon emissions as we return to a ‘new normal’.

“Of course, this is a complex process, and our project team is working extremely hard to get schemes in place where they are needed most. We’ve already seen a fantastic reaction to the first phase of improvements in areas like Silverknowes and Greenbank, where road closures have brought communities out to stroll and cycle on newly-peaceful streets, and this is exactly the kind of response we want to see.

"There’s clearly a desire to be able to travel on foot or bike and by giving residents safe and accessible routes to do this, we are encouraging healthier, more environmentally-friendly habits now and for generations to come."

All measures which are introduced will be closely monitored and refined or adapted in response to any issues which are flagged.

A dedicated webpage will also be set up listing schemes that have been implemented, those under consideration and any which have been discounted.