Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy Refresh

The City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Canals are working in partnership to update the Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy.  Originally produced in 2011, we asked for views to help inform the updated strategy.

The consultation received 604 responses, with 599 from the Consultation Hub plus 5 additional responses via email.

• 90% of respondents are using the Union Canal to walk or wheel and 55% to cycle.
• Many respondents are using the Union Canal on a weekly (41%) or daily (36%) basis.
• The most common type of journeys completed are leisure journeys (93%), travelling to the shops (35%), and travelling to work (28%).
• Respondents enjoy the Union Canal due to the access to nature (54%), the path being away from traffic (43%), and that it is quiet (28%).
• Improvements that were most strongly supported: widening towpaths (74%), enhancing vegetation and wildlife (46%), and introducing safety features such as lighting and CCTV (42%).
• The most popular facilities to be integrated are places to sit (60%), toilets (57%), and coffee kiosks (38%). Some flagged that having toilets in coffee facilities would be helpful.
• Respondents would feel safer using the Union Canal given management of cyclist speeds (30%), lighting at night (17%), and widening of the towpath at bridges (11%). Antisocial behaviour in different formats was also flagged as a risk to individual safety.
• 80% of respondents felt that biodiversity along the Union Canal was very important.
• 51% felt the Union Canal’s biodiversity benefited their wellbeing and /or mental health.
• Pollinators (73%), butterflies (67%), and birds (61%) were the most spotted species along the Union Canal.

Thank you for responding to this consultation.

The project team, which is made up of officers from Scottish Canals and the City of Edinburgh Council, will integrate responses and feedback into the refreshed Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy.

Updates and progress will be available in the refreshed Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy as well as on https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/unioncanal.