Tag: road closure

North Bridge to close for six weeks to northbound traffic

As part of the ongoing refurbishment of North Bridge, there will be a northbound closure for six weeks from Monday 17 February.

During this period traffic will only be permitted to proceed southbound (from Princes Street towards South Bridge).

The six-week closure is to undertake resurfacing on both the southbound approach to the bridge (both lanes outside Waverley Gate toward Princes Street) and the southbound departure of the bridge (both lanes from the entrance to the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton on North Bridge to the junction at High Street).

For updates please visit the temporary closures section on the North Bridge project page of our website, and on the EdinTravel social media accounts on X and Facebook.

The wider work on North Bridge has included refurbishing the cast iron bridge facades, grit blasting and repainting structural steelwork, repairing and improving the footway paving and underdrainage amongst a host of other improvements. A full list of the improvements and the wider project benefits is on our website.

The council is targeting the end of this year for the end of major repair works.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “I appreciate this temporary closure will be frustrating for our residents and businesses. I want to thank them for their continued patience as we carry out these essential works.

“These works are part of the wider project to restore this crucial link between the north and south of the city – and of course preserve it for future generations.  

“I’m conscious that this work is taking longer to complete than we had initially anticipated, but this is this a hugely complex project, with the historic nature of the bridge requiring painstaking and specialist work to restore it to its former glory.”

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.