INFORMATION FROM CITY COUNCIL’s ACTIVE TRAVEL TEAM
Corstorphine High Street road closure: Temporary shuttle arrangements
Tag: active travel
Have your say on the future of West Edinburgh
People living in and interested in the future of the west of Edinburgh can take part in THREE public consultations just launched.
The city council is asking residents as well as those working and visiting the area how they think it could grow sustainably for future communities to be better connected, cleaner, greener and fairer for all.
Over the next few months there will be an opportunity to comment on three separate but linked key proposal documents:
- Towards West Edinburgh 2050
- West Edinburgh Placemaking Framework Strategic Masterplan
- Broxburn to Maybury Public Transport and Active Travel Improvements.
Available to view together, these proposals could substantially develop the experience of living and moving around communities in the west of Edinburgh, helping the Capital to shape future planning policy and become a net zero city.
Towards West Edinburgh 2050 proposes how we could develop the area over the next 30 years. At this stage there are no detailed proposals but instead an overarching vision to be used as a starting point for discussion.
This has been informed by the city’s current City Plan 2030 (used to guide physical development and planning applications) and City Mobility Plan (for transport infrastructure) and, as the document develops, it will be used to evolve these plans over time.
The West Edinburgh Placemaking Framework and Strategic Masterplan is a consultation on development to the north of Gogarburn, extending from Eastfield Road in the west to Maybury junction in the east, with Edinburgh Airport and Turnhouse Road to the north.
There are a range of new opportunities for housing in this area as set out in City Plan 2030. The aim is to create a new 20 minute neighbourhood with a range of facilities which people will need to live well locally such as schools and medical centres.
Feedback on this document will be used to finalise a masterplan for this area which will go to the Planning Committee later this year for approval. The masterplan will then guide future planning applications.
Travel connections for those living, working and visiting west Edinburgh need to be improved, and to support future growth the Capital’s local authority is working with West Lothian Council to look at public transport and active travel links in the area along the A8/A89 between Broxburn to Maybury.
Known as Broxburn to Maybury Transport Improvements this is a major transport improvement project. The project is funded through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.
The plan is to have better connected communities with major employment, education, healthcare and leisure opportunities easily accessible. This will also make it easier for more people to make more journeys by bus or by cycling, walking or wheeling.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “The west of the city is an area of strategic importance locally, regionally and within Scotland and beyond.
“It has three waterways, major rail and tram routes running through it and is home to the city’s busy airport which has more than 11m passengers passing through it every year. Leisure plays a big part in the community too.
“Every year the Royal Highland Centre in Ingliston hosts many prestigious international and national concerts, conferences, and other events. There are also several major educational establishments serving students locally and from all over the world. This all makes it a popular place to live, work and study and we need to take action to respond to the opportunities and challenges this presents.
“We’re looking to create a new neighbourhood to the north of Gogarburn and so we’ve produced a proposed masterplan with a range of new opportunities for much needed affordable housing.
“We’re also using 20 minute neighbourhood principles as in the rest of the city to make sure future residents live well locally with schools, healthcare and leisure facilities nearby. Like other neighbourhoods in west Edinburgh this new community needs to be well connected to the rest of the city, the wider region and beyond through improved public transport links.
“It’s an exciting time for the west of Edinburgh and I’d encourage you all to give us your views, whether that is online or at one of the drop in events we’ll be promoting in the coming months.”
To take part in these consultations, visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/westedinburgh2050.
£1m Cycle Share Fund announced
Ahead of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, #ActiveTravel Minister Patrick Harvie announces £1 million Scottish Government investment to support bike share schemes.
The Scottish Government is investing £1 million to support bike share schemes. Delivered by Cycling UK, the Cycle Share Fund will get more people in Scotland cycling, by enabling access to a bike in an affordable, easy and convenient way.
It will enable organisations to purchase cycles and equipment for schemes that provide people with access to a bike that they don’t own. It will support a range of delivery models including loan schemes, subscription services, hire schemes, bike libraries, pool bikes and bike shares.
With support from Cycling UK, organisations who run or wish to run any form of cycle share scheme, including third sector and community organisations, charities, schools and other workplaces, will be eligible to apply for funding.
The fund will tackle barriers to cycling including the upfront costs of buying a bike, uncertainty around choosing the right bike or how to maintain it, or lack of a safe place to store a cycle.
Launching the funding, Minister for Active Travel Patrick Harvie visited Bike for Good in the west end of Glasgow, to learn more about their existing non-ownership pilot ‘SWITCH UP’.
Minister for Active Travel Patrick Harvie said: “I’m pleased to announce the Scottish Government investment of £1 million to support and develop cycle access schemes across the country.
“With the eyes of the world on Scotland for the first ever UCI 2023 Cycling World Championships – this investment demonstrates our commitment to removing barriers to cycling by expanding access – helping to keep the wheels in motion for everyday cycling after the event concludes.
“For our health, wellbeing and environment – we’re committed to building an active nation and making it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle for shorter everyday trips.
“That’s why the Scottish Government has committed to spend at least £320 million, or 10% of the total transport budget, on active travel by 2024-25. Through this, we can bring about more projects like the one Bike for Good in Glasgow is expertly offering. Coupled with further investment in infrastructure, we will transform our communities to support the revolution in active travel that we need to see.”
Suzanne Forup, Head of Development at Cycling UK in Scotland, said: “We’re delighted to be delivering this fund that will provide more opportunities for people to cycle in an affordable and accessible way.
“We know that owning a cycle is not the best option for everyone, so we look forward to supporting a range of schemes that will break down barriers and enable people to feel all the benefits of cycling – financially, for their health, wellbeing and for our environment.”
Gregory Kinsman-Chauvet, founder and CEO at Bike for Good, said: ““We welcome the Scottish Government’s Cycle Share Fund, delivered by Cycling UK. The purpose of the new fund aligns well with Bike for Good’s mission to enable people to ride a bike.
“We launched the UK’s first impact-led bike subscription service, SWITCH UP. We offer a safe, reliable and easy-to-use bike subscription service so that users are always ready and confident on the road. SWITCH UP users can access a bike, an e-bike or an e-cargo bike at affordable prices, with maintenance, insurance and mobile repairs included.
“Bike for Good is proud to offer this fantastic opportunity to Glasgow and are expanding it across the UK. A significant part of our fleet is committed to supporting low-income individuals.
“With SWITCH UP, we aim to make available a micro-mobility platform that enables people to access a bike as a mode of transportation. Overall, the new fund is a significant step forward for Bike for Good in their mission to make cycling more affordable, accessible, and widespread.”
Delivered by Cycling UK in Scotland, the #CycleShareFund will get more people in Scotland cycling through organisations like Bike for Good Glasgow.
It will enable access to a bike in an way that is:
affordable
easy
convenient
Transformed Granton walking and cycling path named after explorer
A newly upgraded walking, wheeling and cycling path, which provides a vital link in the north of Edinburgh, has been officially named after a famous explorer who once studied in the area.
Speirs Bruce Way was formally opened yesterday (Friday, 30 June) and celebrates the accomplishments of William Speirs Bruce, a late 19th/early 20th century scientist known for his expeditions to Antarctica and who studied at the Scottish Marine Station for Scientific Research in Granton.
The core path in Edinburgh’s Granton Waterfront connects the heart of the neighbourhood with public transport links and shops along with Granton Beach, the future cultural and leisure offering at West Shore Studios, the promenade and a planned coastal park. Speirs Bruce Way will also serve a future housing development to the west of the path.
The project forms part of the wider £1.3bn Granton Waterfront Regeneration programme and has been supported by funding from the Scottish Government through Sustrans Scotland’s Places for Everyone programme.
Plans for the wider regeneration of the area to make Granton Waterfront a new sustainable coastal town for Edinburgh include 3,500 net zero homes, a new primary school and lots of green and open spaces.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “This major upgrade has not only brought a key walking, wheeling and cycling route back into use, but has created a much more accessible and safe space for people to spend time, whether travelling with a wheelchair, using a buggy or out for a jog.
“Today I was delighted to help officially open the path, which recognises the area’s former student and pioneering explorer, scientist and oceanographer William Speirs Bruce.
“Our £1.3bn regeneration of Granton Waterfront is one of the largest and most ambitious projects of its kind in Scotland. Improving connectivity and strengthening active travel links is central to this, and our wider ambitions to achieve net zero by 2030, reduce kms travelled by car and to create a safer, more sustainable and pleasant transport future for Edinburgh.”
Simon Strain, Head of Places for Everyone Programme at Sustrans Scotland, said: “This upgraded route is an important achievement for Granton Waterfront.
“The Speirs Bruce Way greatly improves the link between Waterfront Avenue and West Shore Road with a path that is suitable for all to use, whilst also enhancing connections to the nearest bus stops and the Waterfront Broadway local centre.
“By making it safer and easier for residents and visitors to the area to walk, wheel and cycle we hope that many more people will have the confidence to leave the car at home when making their everyday journeys.
“We’re grateful to the City of Edinburgh Council and local community members for their hard work and considered input which has helped make this project a success.”
Upgrades include widening the path to provide space for both pedestrians and cyclists, the installation of new lighting and path access improvements at the north end where it meets West Shore Road.
As well as providing a key north-south link, Speirs Bruce Way passes by the 17th century Caroline Park House, the remnants of Granton Castle to the east and the boundary wall of the former Granton Gasworks to the west.
A Historic Environment Scotland plaque has been installed to commemorate Sir Thomas Hope (Lord Advocate to King Charles I) who lived at Granton Castle.
Granton Castle Walled Garden is also accessed directly from the path and is managed by the Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden.
Through Places for Everyone, the Scottish Government has granted Stage 0-2 funding for further projects in relation to Phase 1 of the Granton Waterfront Regeneration, on which an initial planning consultation is currently underway.
Designs for the upgraded path were produced by WSP, with construction carried out by Mackenzie Construction.
Cycling Thursdays with ELREC
ELREC Cycling Club Activities:
All the below activities are taking place on Thursdays and are for FREE, please email cfc@elrec.org.uk for more information:
10am to 12pm – Join our cycle rides every Thursday on flat cycle paths. Our ride leaders will lead the way and everyone is welcome, including children under adult supervision. Bring your own bike, helmet, water, packed lunch, sunscreen, and waterproofs. Register at cfc@elrec.org.uk, and let us know if you need to borrow a bike.
2pm to 4.pm – Also, join our drop-in bike repair service and learn how to fix your own bike! Our experienced mechanics are available to guide you every step of the way, whether you need to fix a flat tire or advice on how to overhaul your entire bike.
4pm to 5pm – Finally, check out our e-bike library and loan one of our top-of-the-line e-bikes for just £10 per week! You can explore the city with ease and comfort, while reducing your carbon footprint. Enquire at cfc@elrec.org.uk.
WOW! ACH visits Cramond Primary
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP for Edinburgh Western met pupils from Cramond Primary School yesterday (Wednesday 29 March) to learn about their walk to school.
Cramond Primary School is taking part in WOW – the walk to school challenge from charity Living Streets Scotland. The MSP was joined by Councillors Normal Work and Lewis Younie.
WOW sees pupils record how they get to school using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker with those who walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or ‘Park and Stride’ to school being awarded a monthly WOW badge.
WOW schools see on average a 13 per cent increase in pupils walking to school in Scotland with a corresponding drop in car use, helping to reduce congestion and increase safety outside the school gates.
Living Streets Scotland is delivering Active Travel Playground Games sessions to the pupils, during the Spring term. Completed over the course of two days, every pupil has the opportunity to participate in fun and interactive activities and learn more about the benefits of active travel for themselves and the environment.
Oh, oh: Council to launch ‘Leith Connections’ active travel project
MORE DISRUPTION FOR BELEAGUERED LEITH BUSINESSES?
Work will soon begin on a scheme to create safer, more welcoming places to walk, wheel, cycle and spend time in Leith, the city council has announced.
The first phase of Leith Connections will introduce measures to limit through traffic and enhance streets for pedestrians and people cycling in areas around Constitution Street, Leith Links and the Shore.
Construction will begin in the week commencing 10 April and is expected to last until late June. Amongst the changes are improved pedestrian crossings, planting and seating in newly created pedestrian spaces, community-inspired artwork and pavement decluttering.
This is alongside new traffic layouts in several of the streets to prioritise people travelling by foot, wheel or bike. These include the closure of Sandport Place Bridge to motor traffic, bus gates at the Shore and Links Place and modal filters to prevent through traffic in some areas.
All residential and business properties will still be accessible by motor vehicle, while blue badge parking will be unaffected. Full details are available on the Leith Connections website.
Leith Connections designs draw from two years of engagement with the community and local stakeholders, encompassing online co-design workshops, public drop-in sessions and focused meetings. Some of the measures, those to the east of the Shore, will be implemented on a trial basis under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO).
The project is being funded through Places for Everyone, an active travel infrastructure programme funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Sustrans.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “Leith Connections is a really exciting opportunity to create safer, more welcoming spaces to walk, wheel and cycle in Leith, as well as for spending time with friends or visiting local businesses.
“These changes have drawn on feedback from the community, as well as the Council’s own monitoring. They will also provide better connections to popular walking and cycling routes nearby, like the north Edinburgh path network and the Water of Leith walkway and soon, protected cycle lanes on Leith Walk, delivered as part of the Trams to Newhaven project.
“The team has drawn up a robust monitoring and evaluation plan so that once it’s in place, they can understand the benefits and impacts of Leith Connections. I look forward to hearing what the community thinks too, as part of the ETRO process. I shall be watching this installation closely as I am keen to see more schemes like this in Edinburgh.
Michael Melton, Grant Manager at Sustrans, said: “We are pleased to be working with City of Edinburgh Council to make Leith a safer and more accessible place to walk, wheel, cycle and spend time. The Leith Connections project has been shaped by the local community, with changes including new traffic layouts, improved pedestrian crossings and community-inspired artwork.
Officers will closely monitor the impact of the project through automatic traffic counts, air quality monitoring, market research and focus groups. Information gathered will feed into recommendations for the future of the project.
Further phases of Leith Connections will deliver protected cycle lanes running from the Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal (delivered in parallel to the Trams to Newhaven project) and from the Hawthornvale path to Seafield.
These plans are still under development and will include additional improvements to the public spaces in the area.
Corstorphine Primary School pupils kick off The Big Walk and Wheel
Children at Corstorphine Primary School celebrated the first day of The Big Walk and Wheel with a silent disco, walking bus and cycle obstacle course.
The inter-school walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting challenge, organised by charity Sustrans, encourages primary and secondary school aged children to make active journeys.
The children were joined by Transport Convener Cllr Scott Arthur.
Elizabeth Gilles, Depute Headteacher at Corstorphine Primary School, said: “It is wonderful to see our pupils embrace a range of activities for the Big Walk and Wheel.
“We really enjoy taking part in this every year and we can see how walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling can be great fun for everyone involved. Leaving the car at home can also have a positive impact on local traffic congestion and air pollution near the school too.”
Cecilia Oram, Sustrans Head of Behaviour Change, said: “Hundreds of thousands of pupils have risen to the challenge and embraced active travel each year, and this is such a fun event for schools to take part in.
“There’s a serious element to the Big Walk and Wheel too. Not only does the event help reduce pollution around the school gates but in 2019 it helped parents to save an estimated £1.6million in petrol costs during the fortnight.”
ABOUT THE BIG WALK AND WHEEL:
The Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel takes place 20 – 31 March 2023 and it inspires pupils to make active journeys to school, improve air quality in their neighbourhood and discover how these changes benefit their world.
The competition has been running since 2010, initially as the Big Pedal, and sees schools compete on each day of the challenge to make the most journeys by walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling.
Run by charity Sustrans and sponsored by Schwalbe, The Big Walk and Wheel has become the UK’s largest inter-school walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting competition.
A total of 391 schools in Scotland have signed up for this year’s challenge.
More than 2 million active journeys to 1,519 participating schools took place during the 2022 challenge. This resulted in a saving of 1,335 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of 6,000 return car journeys from Edinburgh to London.
More traffic chaos looms: Haymarket Terrace to close until NOVEMBER
Yet more misery for businesses and residents
Haymarket Terrace will be temporarily closed eastbound from 3 April as part of a project to transform the area for people walking, wheeling and cycling. The road will be closed eastbound between its junctions with Rosebery Crescent and Magdala Crescent until November.
The traffic disruption is dreadful news for local traders who have already seen their trade hammered during the city council’s controversial City Centre West to East link (CCWEl) works. The work was planned to take seven months but has seriously overran and some businesses fear that the latest disruption could be the final straw.
The local gas network will be upgraded by SGN at the same time.
The Council has requested SGN divert a gas main to allow for City Centre West to East link (CCWEL) construction. SGN will carry out the necessary diversion and renewal of the gas main at the same time, to minimise disruption as much as possible. SGN’s work is scheduled to last 12 weeks, while CCWEL construction in the area is expected to finish in January 2024.
Haymarket Terrace will be closed eastbound between its junctions with Rosebery Crescent and Magdala Crescent until November 2023. A signed diversion route will be put in place for traffic travelling eastbound via Magdala Crescent, Eglinton Crescent, Palmerston Place, Lansdowne Crescent and Grosvenor Street. Temporary bus stops will be placed along this route.
Once complete, CCWEL will connect Roseburn to Leith Walk via Haymarket and the West End with a safe and direct cycle route, as well as significantly enhancing streets for those walking, wheeling and spending time there.
This will tie into a new George Street cycling route delivered as part of the George Street and First New Town project.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “In consultation with Lothian Buses, we’ve worked closely with SGN to make sure these two major projects are carried out together to reduce disruption as much as we can for residents, visitors and people travelling through the area.
“CCWEL is a landmark scheme for the city, providing a safe, welcoming route for all those travelling from the east to west by foot, wheel or bike, as well as transforming public spaces along the way to help support local businesses. Using funding from Sustrans to invest in active travel projects like this supports our net zero goals, boosts the local economy, and helps improve people’s health and wellbeing.
“I’d like to thank all those who live, work or run a business along the route for their patience as we carry out these improvements.”
SGN Project Manger Matthew Ferguson said: “Carrying out our gas main diversion and renewal work at this time will both allow the CCWEL project to progress and reduce disruption for the local community and commuters in future.
“Our work involves replacing our existing metal gas pipes with new plastic pipe, which will ensure a continued safe and reliable gas supply to the local area for many years to come.”
During the closure, eastbound bus stops will be relocated to Magdala Crescent and Grosvenor Street and the Haymarket taxi rank will be removed with alternative locations available nearby.
Information on bus diversions can be found on Lothian Buses’ website.
CCWEL is funded by Places for Everyone, an active travel infrastructure scheme backed by Transport Scotland and administered by Sustrans. Find out more about the CCWEL project.
Families urged to take to their feet this International Walk to School Month
- Pupils around the globe will celebrate International Walk to School Month this October.
- Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking is urging UK families to join in and enjoy the benefits of safer streets and being active.
- Data released by the Department for Transport this week revealed that car usage and road casualties in Great Britain started to increase again in 2021, the year that lockdown ended.
- Members of the public are being asked to share their #WalkToSchoolStories to celebrate the benefits that come from walking to school.
Living Streets, the UK charity behind the biggest walk to school campaign is encouraging families to leave the car at home for International Walk to School Month this October.
Pupils around the globe will walk to school to celebrate International Walk to School Month and Living Streets is urging UK families to join them.
The results of the Reported road casualties Great Britain data released by the Department for Transport (29 September 2022) show that we drove more in 2021, the year that lockdown ended, than in 2020. At the same time, road casualties started to increase.
Casualty numbers remained lower than the pre-pandemic levels but are higher compared to 2020 when restrictions were tighter and motor traffic usage lower.
Stephen Edwards, Chief Executive, Living Streets said: “We all saw the benefits to our health and air quality when we walked more and drove less. Quieter streets are safer, cleaner and healthier streets. Where possible we should avoid a return to the car and instead walk, wheel or cycle our short journeys.
“Making small changes can also help alleviate some of the rising living costs we are all facing, while we reap the health, social and environmental benefits of moving more.”
Living Streets is being supported this year by Dr Ronx, who has joined the charity as the celebrity ambassador for WOW – their walk to school challenge. The children’s television presenter and emergency doctor is joining the charity in encouraging more families to walk to school.
A generation ago, 70 per cent of children in Great Britain walked to school but now it’s dropped to around half.
Dr Ronx said: “October is International Walk to School Month – the perfect opportunity to give walking to school a go. Walking to school is simple, fun and free. More children walking to school means fewer cars around the school gates, better air quality, less congestion and less road danger.
“With notable increases in air pollution, rising childhood inactivity and post-lockdown poor mental health, encouraging children to be more active and ditching school run drives for more sustainable modes of transport is imperative.”
Living Streets is running a prize draw throughout October and encouraging people to share their #WalkToSchoolStories, whether they are walking to school now with children or grandchildren or sharing a childhood memory.
To enter the prize draw and for free walking resources, visit: