The final designs for the City of Edinburgh Council’s flagship Meadows to George Street scheme, designed to make walking, wheeling and cycling easier, have been published.
Changes along the route via Teviot Place, Forrest Road, George IV Bridge, the Mound and Hanover Street will be made in a way which respects and enriches the World Heritage Site.
Plans include segregated cycleways, wider pavements and pedestrian priority areas and have drawn on feedback received through various stages of public and stakeholder engagement since 2018. The council said it is aiming to begin construction in early 2024 and once complete, Meadows to George Street (MGS) project will integrate with the forthcoming George Street and First New Town (GNT) scheme at Hanover Street, which is scheduled for a construction start later in 2024.
Following the last public consultation carried out in 2019, some amendments have been made to designs. Amongst these, the two-way cycle track at Hanover Street is changing to one-way cycle lanes on either side of the road to better tie in with the proposed George Street junction under GNT.
A bus gate is also being introduced on Market Street to reduce through-traffic in the area, while footways along the route have been widened further and a new safe cycle crossing over Princes Street tram tracks has been added.
Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The transformation of Edinburgh’s city centre will lead to a truly connected, people-friendly place to live, work and spend time in. The Meadows to George Street project is one of the first steps to achieving this, as well as supporting our net zero goals by promoting sustainable travel, so it’s really exciting to see the final designs.
“We’ve worked hard over recent years to develop proposals which balance the needs of all those who use the street while prioritising safe and accessible travel by foot, wheel or bike. These plans provide a snapshot of how the route will look and operate in the near future, as part of our broader ambitions for the city.”
The final designs for GNT are due later this year.
