Consultation and Engagement Hub

The council engaged with residents, visitors and businesses to seek feedback on the Leith Connections and Corstorphine Connections projects which aim to create a safer and more comfortable environment for residents and visitors walking, wheeling, cycling and spending time in the local streets and outdoor spaces of Leith and Corstorphine. To meet these objectives, the Council is developing proposals for:

• a new high quality cycling link from the Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal
• a Low Traffic Neighbourhood in Leith; and
• a Low Traffic Neighbourhood in Corstorphine.

This period of engagement published feedback on a previous phase of community engagement and presented proposals for designs for the low traffic neighbourhoods within each area for comment. Five co-design style online workshops with the public and the design team were held across the two project areas to explore design details in greater depth with the community. 

846 responses for Leith and 794 for Corstorphine to the online surveys were received, together with emailed responses from individuals, businesses and organisations. Feedback on proposals were also taken at the online workshops. We also met with the Community Reference Groups we have formed for the projects, attended Community Council meetings and met with local businesses.

Further information can be seen in the full engagement summary reports:

Leith Connections Stage 2 – Engagement Report

Corstorphine Connections Stage 2 – Engagement Report

Following consideration of the information gathered and comments made on the proposed designs, proposals will be taken forward to the Transport & Environment Committee for approval and timelines for implementation of each scheme published in due course.

The council engaged with residents, visitors and businesses to seek feedback on the project which aims to create a safer and more comfortable environment for residents and visitors walking, wheeling, cycling and spending time in the local streets and outdoor spaces of Leith. To meet these objectives, the Council is developing proposals for:

• a new high quality cycling link from the Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal; and
• a Low Traffic Neighbourhood in Leith.

The engagement sought to raise awareness of the two phases of the project, presented concept designs on the cycle route and asked for feedback to inform the design of the low traffic neighbourhood and the potential changes to the area.

Over 800 responses to the online survey were received, together with emailed responses from individuals, businesses and organisations. We also met with a Community Reference Group we have formed for the project and attended a public Community Council meeting.

From the survey responses:

• 75% of survey respondents strongly support and support the aim for improving cycling conditions in Leith.
• 80% of survey respondents strongly support and support the aim for improving walking conditions in Leith.
• The most popular local destinations were Ocean Terminal, Leith Walk and Leith Links. Walking was used for the highest proportion of these journeys with between 44-65% of trips and cycling was used on 13-23% of trips.

Further information can be seen in the full engagement summary reports:

Leith Connections Stage 1 – Engagement Report Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal Cycle Route

Leith Connections Stage 1 – Engagement Report Low Traffic Neighbourhood

Following consideration of the information gathered, developed design on the Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal cycle route has commenced and proposals for the low traffic neighbourhood are to be presented to the community for further feedback prior to being taken forward.

We asked for comments on our proposals for major refurbishment works on Newbattle Terrace between Morningside Road and Eden Lane.

Although many respondents were supportive of the scheme overall, the most unpopular aspect by far was the proposal to narrow and signalise the junction of Newbattle Terrace and Pitsligo Road, and to render Pitsligo one-way at its southern end.

We have re-examined the arrangement at Pitsligo Road and have amended the design as follows:

• Pitsligo Road will remain two-way over its entire length
• There will no longer be a stand-alone pedestrian crossing on Newbattle Terrace
• The narrowing at the junction of Newbattle and Pitsligo will remain, with a minimum of 2-metre-wide footpaths
• The junction of Newbattle and Pitsligo will be a 3-way traffic signal junction with pedestrian crossing points on all arms