Reposted by Martin McD
#GeorgeStreet #PrincesStreet
🙋 Spokes #TrafficCount
! 🚲 are 1 in 3 of all traffic
! #VoiBikes success
! #CCWEL #MissingLink vital
--> www.spokes.org.uk/2026/10/city...
@edi.bike @chdot.bsky.social @edfoc.bsky.social @edtiss.bsky.social @davidfkey.bsky.social @chasbooth.bsky.social @sw20.info
![From the spokes article...
[also artist impression of Richard Murphy proposals, showing much widened footways, tram/bus lanes and bike lanes]
The Ambitious Pragmatism content and rationale were laid out in an overall presentation and a more specific briefing on transport aspects. As can be seen from the above slide, the Princes Street element of this basically comprises repaving footways, some widening to the south footway, improved seating and garden accesses.
The Complete Rethink was exemplified by a presentation from Richard Murphy, expanding on his earlier material as in our 25 Feb article. Since his presentation is 36MB, and includes a lot on Princes Street gardens, we have not uploaded it, but have extracted relevant slides around Princes Street itself.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2ood4k4wojq5jku2zl3myqco/bafkreigcgcdv6xvsrxb6esa5feclhqqrw2cb6zo3d27uoe4rlbbz7d2gna)
![Spokes input
Although the only presentations at the workshop were by officers and professionals, points made by Spokes during discussions included…
Whilst George Street is important for many bike journeys, for many others there is no sensible alternative to Princes Street. For example, to use George Street when travelling from Waverley station/ Waverley Bridge to the West End would entail turning right off Princes Street whilst crossing tramlines [see section 1 of our February article]
We believe that cycling is at least as prevalent on Princes Street as on George Street, and is likely to grow with the increasing use of the Voi bikes in the city centre. The Council has not published any figures on this, and Spokes hopes to organise a count after the Festival
The dangers of bike/tramline crashes on Princes Street are real, not imagined, and we are not convinced that this, and the resulting injuries, are being taken seriously enough. For example, this is not mentioned in the above transport-issues paper. Yet, see this BBC Scotland report detailing crashes, injuries, the death of Zhi Min Soh, and compensation paid by the Council following early successful court cases brought by victims. Here is a more recent example, from January 2026. Fortunately, the rate of crashes appears to have declined since the early years, as the Council has tackled known blackspots. However, analysis of tramline crashes reported to Spokes suggests, perhaps unexpectedly, that roughly 50% occur not at crossing-point blackspots, but at random locations when the cyclist is travelling in the same direction as the tramlines, not needing to cross them, but is forced into them by traffic, or encounters them for other reasons. The only realistic safety solution is physical separation from the tramlines.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2ood4k4wojq5jku2zl3myqco/bafkreiavlhooti26qcdeoytdgtyamcb34aba4vmlxssqhvusd5nf4dwch4)
![Tram Granton to Bioquarter – Spokes early draft response, as of 6 Oct
With the consultation now well underway, the Spokes draft response is developing well. You can find it here [1.9MB pdf]. We strongly stress that this is a work in progress and there are likely to be considerable further edits, particularly to the second part of the response, dealing with individual sections of the route.
Major updates and ideas in the draft, since our initial thoughts, include..
An introductory section on bikes and tramlines, which includes lessons from our tramline-crash reporting tool and from earlier phases of Edinburgh tram
Detailed commentary on all sections of the route [several sections still require considerable fleshing out]. Some major issues/opportunities arising include..
Great concern over cycling safety in the Bridges corridor. We urge single-line working for this section, or possibly the tramlines on one side of the road with bidirectional segregated cycling on the other side
We suggest dropping North Bridge tram stop and replacing it by two stops – at Waverley Steps to serve east Princes Street and the rail station, and at the North Bridge arcade, to serve the Old Town and again the rail station. There are multiple reasons for this suggestion, in addition to a major cycling safety aspect
There may be an opportunity to incorporate an active travel bridge over the mainline railway, linking the North Edinburgh Network to the new Fountainbridge link, without the long ramps down to road level and up again.
What you can do
Above are just some of the highlights of our draft response – there is a wealth of other detail, and we welcome any feedback
Forward our draft to anyone who may be interested
Repost our bluesky post
Like our facebook article
Most important of all – submit your own response to the consultation. Use the online QA and/or the email address given.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2ood4k4wojq5jku2zl3myqco/bafkreigib6e7nxkej6iv7ahnfjxo24ty6zmpwthvbnfrmvceottxqg43tm)
![Crewe Toll to City Centre, via Roseburn corridor
Top issues
The Council is to be congratulated on modifying the project north of Roseburn bridge to single track, and with battery running, enabling a 3m+ active travel path (with one pinch point). This follows the instruction to the tram team by councillors at the 1.2.24 Transport Committee, for which we again thank all members and others who contacted councillors at that time.
However, south of Roseburn Bridge, to Russell Road, there is a lack of clarity, and indeed contradictions, in the consultation materials – see these clarifications from the tram team, the Roseburn bridge cross section, the path cross section, the artist impression and the map view. Further investigation is essential, with a firm intention to continue the 3m offroad path through this section.
The tram project should incorporate a 3m active travel bridge over the mainline railway, thus providing a level offroad path from Leith right through Roseburn to Dalry and Fountainbridge. This bridge is included in the Council’s Mobility Plan, Active Travel Delivery [page 43]. To forget it now, with major earthworks likely for the tram project, would make a mockery of these intentions. Whilst costly, the cost would be lost in the overall tram project.
Crewe Toll to City Centre, via Orchard Brae
Top issues
The onroad tramlines, combined with traffic pressures, including at several junctions and narrow sections, present a major hazard to cyclists, given the absence of segregated provision. Indeed, the current proposals actually remove existing segregation, presenting a situation similar to the first tramline. The Council needs to provide detailed plans of how these dangers will be averted if this route option is chosen.
CEC should give consideration to single-tracking on Dean Bridge rather than stating “cross-section prohibits segregated cycle provision”.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2ood4k4wojq5jku2zl3myqco/bafkreihbcs4ptbebs6ym43cciywcxcqgntmmidfqtdy36x52kufoxir5u4)
