Pedestrian space at risk in Dundee Street active travel plans, campaigners warn

Walking charity Living Streets Edinburgh has urged the city council to prioritise pedestrians when delivering new active travel projects, warning that current proposals risk contradicting the authority’s own policy commitments.

The call follows concerns over plans for Dundee Street, where campaigners say space for people on foot would be cut back to make way for new cycling infrastructure. According to the group, pavements would be narrowed at a minimum of 12 points along the route, with some sections losing up to 2.4 metres of width.

Living Streets argues that reallocating pavement space to cycling undermines the principle that walking should come first in street design. The group says similar issues arose during the redevelopment of Leith Walk and fears the same approach is now being repeated.

Campaigners have also raised objections to the absence of meaningful pedestrian improvements around Boroughmuir, Tollcross and Craiglockhart schools. They are further critical of proposals for nine “floating” bus stops, which would require passengers to cross a cycle lane when boarding or alighting from buses.

While supportive of improved cycling links to the Union Canal towpath, Living Streets Edinburgh believes these should be delivered via quieter or traffic-free routes through areas such as Shandon and North Merchiston, rather than by reducing footway space on a busy road like Dundee Street. At one point near the Edinburgh Printmakers building, the pavement would be reduced to just over one metre in width.

David Hunter, convener of Living Streets Edinburgh, said the plans fell short of accepted standards despite their scale and cost.

“Even with a £10 million budget, these proposals would leave sections of pavement narrower than the minimum widths set out in both Scottish and local guidance,” he said. “In some cases, space for pedestrians would actually be reduced, which is the opposite of what active travel schemes should be achieving.”