☝️ TRO SubCttee 16.12.25 thread above

👎 #Portobello car-parking restrictions defeated
👍 South Ed #TravellingSafely agreed
👍 Two-way 🚲 agreed in seven 1-way streets
... but 👎 #RoseStreet postponed

@edi.bike @edfoc.bsky.social @sw20.info @alexstaniforth.bsky.social @blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk

Table from report shows as many comments in support as objections (but the Committee only has a legal responsibility to consider objections)

Officers recommend approve making the Order permanent

Cllr Lang

TRO Subcttee 16.12.25 (ctd)

#TravellingSafely

Officer reminds councillors that decision is on the principle, not the materials used

Cllr Lang gets confirmation that situation is same as for other areas

Report agreed unanimous.

TRO Subcttee 16.12.25 #EdinWebCast

#TravellingSafely South area includes
#BuccleuchStreet
#MayfieldRoad
etc
--> democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s9...

Officers recommend making bollarded routes permanent (then upgrading)
North/East/West were agreed 4.9.25
--> www.spokes.org.uk/2025/09/edin...

start of edi.bike commentary... 📋 TRO Sub-committee meeting agenda for Tuesday 16th December 2025 The meeting papers have been published for the council's Traffic Regulation Order Sub-Committee (or 'TRO Sub') meeting this Tuesday 16th December. The sub-committee exists to make 'quasi-judicial' decisions on Traffic Regulation Orders, which have a specific statutory framework that has to be followed, considering objections to proposals in an isolated and self-contained manner (i.e. cannot be lobbied or externally influenced). The 'TRO Sub' survived a recent review process which concluded that while the remit and processes around the committee need to be clearly outlined and convened, it would continue to be the way that the City of Edinburgh Council ('CEC') makes the final decision on 'making' the Traffic Orders that shape our streets. At their last meeting, on the 4th September, we saw an important victory following our open letter with Spokes and sixteen other organisations, which lead to a course-correction from the Council regarding the remit of the committee — who on multiple occassions, deferred making a decision on the 'East Areas' segregated on-road cycleways becoming permanent in Duddingston, Willowbrae, London Rd and beyond, nearly leading to the order expiring and the removal of the cycleways. 📋 Agenda While we're not expecting anything as dramatic this Tuesday, there's still some cycling-related orders up for decision on the sub-committee's agenda: 🪄 4.3 Travelling Safely - South Area ETRO/21/29A - 📄 Report [PDF] » ↕️ 4.4 One Way Streets Exemptions for Cyclists Batch One TRO/24/27 - 📄 Report [PDF] »

TRO Subcttee 16.12.25

Papers-> democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/ieListDocume...
Watch-> edinburgh.public-i.tv/core/portal/...

includes:
- South Ed #TravellingSafely ETROs (bollarded routes)
- 🚲 one-way exemptions including Rose St

Great @edi.bike advance commentary
--> edi.bike/articles/202...

Edinburgh Bike Network saved! Today, 4 September, the TRO Subcommittee finally approved making permanent the Experimental Traffic Orders (ETROs) which enable the main-road Travelling Safely routes in the East, North and West of the city. Orders for the South will come to the Committee at a later date. A rolling programme, for which funding is allocated, will gradually upgrade the existing bollarding infrastructure to more permanent materials and to incorporate useful improvements. The background – of ongoing deferrals which put the bike lanes at grave risk, resulting in a major campaign jointly by Spokes, Edi.Bike, and 16 other local active travel groups – is described here. Media coverage included the Evening News and Road.cc. In the end, the TRO Sub today approved making the schemes permanent at an incredibly short meeting. Only Cllr Lang, whose interventions at previous meetings had led to the deferrals and the threat to the existence of the network, spoke up. But this time his queries were quickly and decisively answered by officers and gained no follow-up from other councillors. Indeed no other councillors spoke at all, other than Convener Cllr Margaret Graham, who said the schemes improved road safety and moved the successful motion to make them permanent.

Finally, we also have great respect for the officers who, largely as a result of the previous two deferrals by the Subcommittee, had to put in an inordinate amount of time and effort to reach this stage (see reports East and West/North and appendices 1-34). Our huge thanks to all who participated in this campaign – led jointly by edi.bike and Spokes, supported by 16 other local active travel groups, and with many letters to councillors from concerned individuals following our member circular. Thank you if you were one of them – it makes a real difference! So, now, the expectation and the hope in our Spring-printed 2025 Bulletin, has happened! And now that the bike lanes are permanent we look forward to the rolling program of physical improvements – and, hopefully, further development into a properly connected network, where doubtless more campaigning will be necessary!

What we said in Bulletin 139 in Spring 2025 CYCLE NETWORK 2025 Year 2025 will not see any truly groundbreaking bike route openings like 2024’s CCWEL / Roseburn-Canal schemes, which were revolutionary for Edinburgh. However, by the end of 2025 the Council will decide whether to make the existing main-road Spaces for People routes legally permanent. Assuming so, this will form the initial core of what the Council calls its Primary Cycle Network* largely following main roads, “the most direct, flattest, most socially safe routes” and reflecting Transport Scotland’s ‘Active Freeway’ concept of “high quality, direct and segregated.” Once legally permanent, a rolling programme of improvements should follow, particularly at junctions and replacing bollards by kerb-segregation. The bollarded routes are currently legal under ETRO experimental orders. A report to Transport Committee in expected in early autumn, based on monitoring and consultation feedback, for a final decision on the ETROs: hopefully retaining and improving the routes and building them into a more connected network. *see pages 19-> of the Active Travel Implementation Plan (ATIP), part of the Mobility Plan, at edinburgh.gov.uk/citymobilityplan

🤩 #TravellingSafely West/North/East
.. all now to be permanent

🙋 What happened, and what next
HERE--> www.spokes.org.uk/2025/09/edin...

😍 Thanks..
- @edi.bike
- *you* if you contacted your councillors
- council officers who put in huge effort after the Cttee shenanigans

@thecockburn.bsky.social

☝️ #TravellingSafely

@roadcc.bsky.social @edcriticalmass.bsky.social @blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk @bjpaddy.bsky.social @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social @sw20.info @harryjwilliams.bsky.social @edtiss.bsky.social @jarlathflynn.bsky.social @nigelbagshaw.bsky.social @chasbooth.bsky.social @edfoc.bsky.social

BIKE NETWORK THREATENED Under the Council’s Mobility Plan, the city’s future ‘Primary Cycle Network’ will mainly comprise segregated bike lanes on main roads. It was widely expected that the ‘Travelling Safely’ (covid) bike lanes would form the initial embryonic network, as we highlighted in the 2025 Bulletin (extract here). However, the TRO Subcommittee must first make permanent the existing Experimental Traffic Orders (ETROs) which enable the bike lanes through parking and loading restrictions. The first ETRO, for East Edinburgh, expires soon. Officers recommended approval, but to our surprise and shock, due to an intervention by Cllr Kevin Lang, the May 12 TRO Sub put off a decision. Exactly the same happened at a specially-called meeting on 7 August! The final hope to save the East lanes (which include School Safe Routes) is at their 4 September meeting. The West and North ETROs are also on the agenda! Led by Edi.Bike and Spokes, 18 Edinburgh active travel groups have written to urge councillors to approve the ETROs. Without approval, the East order will fall – the routes, used by commuters, school pupils and leisure cyclists, will go - and the same will likely happen to west, north and south. Please contact your councillors to ensure the ETROs are approve

🤩 #TravellingSafely West North East all now to be permanent

Incredible #TROSub mtg, decided in minutes after inordinate delays/deferrals at previous meetings

One intervention by #CllrLang, quickly disabused by officers

No one else spoke!

The @edi.bike/Spokes campaign has blindsided councillors!

Officer Deborah Paton outlines the order to make traveeling safely schemes permanent with some minor changes

Convener Margaret Graham speaking

Traffic Regulation Orders Sub-Committee 10.00am, Thursday, 4 September 2025 Travelling Safely – North and West Areas and Arboretum Place – ETRO/21/27B, ETRO/21/30A and ETRO/23/23A Decision/scrutiny Decision Wards 1 – Almond; 3 – Drum Brae / Gyle 4 – Forth; 5 – Inverleith 6 – Corstorphine / Murrayfield; 7 – Sighthill / Gorgie 8 – Colinton / Fairmilehead 9 – Fountainbridge / Craiglockhart; 11 – City Centre 12 – Leith Walk 1. Recommendations 1.1 Traffic Regulation Orders Sub-Committee is asked to: 1.1.1 Set aside the objections received to ETRO/21/27B and agree to make the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) into a permanent Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) with amendments as set out in this report; 1.1.2 Set aside the objections received to ETRO/21/30A and agree to make the ETRO into a permanent TRO with amendments as set out in this report; and 1.1.3 Set aside the objections received to ETRO/23/23A and agree to make the ETRO into a permanent TRO without modification. Gareth Barwell Interim Corporate Director of Place Contact: Deborah Paton, Head of Transport Strategy and Partnerships E-mail: deborah.paton@edinburgh.gov.uk

#TravellingSafely West & North
#EdinWebCast

Report--> democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s8...

Officer - recommends making schemes permanent

👍 Convener Cllr @leftwing66.bsky.social says they improve safety

No one else speaks!

🤩 Report agreed: West & North schemes to be permanent

@edi.bike

Officer Deborah Paton says the order concerns traffic restrictions, NOT the nature of materials used, although info on that has been supplied at the request of councillors.

cllr lang speaking

#TravellingSafely East

Officer says
1. cash allocated to upgrade #ETRO routes
2. Order concerns traffic restrictions, not materials

🙄 Cllr Lang again queries the materials
A: the materials are safe but will be upgraded if permanent

No other councillors speak!

🤩 Report agreed! - East lanes saved!

The story so far... BIKE NETWORK THREATENED Under the Council’s Mobility Plan, the city’s future ‘Primary Cycle Network’ will mainly comprise segregated bike lanes on main roads. It was widely expected that the ‘Travelling Safely’ (covid) bike lanes would form the initial embryonic network, as we highlighted in the 2025 Bulletin (extract here). However, the TRO Subcommittee must first make permanent the existing Experimental Traffic Orders (ETROs) which enable the bike lanes through parking and loading restrictions. The first ETRO, for East Edinburgh, expires soon. Officers recommended approval, but to our surprise and shock, due to an intervention by Cllr Kevin Lang, the May 12 TRO Sub put off a decision. Exactly the same happened at a specially-called meeting on 7 August! The final hope to save the East lanes (which include School Safe Routes) is at their 4 September meeting. The West and North ETROs are also on the agenda! Led by Edi.Bike and Spokes, 18 Edinburgh active travel groups have written to urge councillors to approve the ETROs. Without approval, the East order will fall – the routes, used by commuters, school pupils and leisure cyclists, will go - and the same will likely happen to west, north and south. Please contact your councillors to ensure the ETROs are approved. More info: spokes.org.uk, blog Edinburgh Groups Unite

Officers recommend making the Travelling Safely East Area schemes permanent Traffic Regulation Orders Sub-Committee 10.00am, Thursday, 4 September 2025 Travelling Safely East Area – ETRO/21/28A Decision/scrutiny Decision Wards 11 – City Centre; 12 – Leith Walk 13 – Leith; 14 – Craigentinny / Duddingston 17 – Portobello / Craigmillar 1. Recommendations 1.1 Traffic Regulation Orders Sub-Committee is asked to: 1.1.1 Set aside the objections received to ETRO/21/28A; and 1.1.2 Agree to make the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) into a permanent Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) with amendments to ETRO/21/28A as in the report to Committee on 12 May 2025 (see Appendix 1).

Report says the cycle lane 'defenders' are not a significant risk to road safety 4.10 In addition, these units have also been installed at many other similar locations, as part of separate programmes of work to widen pedestrian areas outside schools and as part of the Corstorphine Connections and Leith Connections projects. 4.11 Since these types of units started being installed in Edinburgh in 2020, the Council has received 28 claims for personal injury and three claims for vehicle damage relating to them. Eight of these claims relate to incidents that occurred in 2020, 17 to incidents in 2021, five to incidents in 2022 and one to an incident in 2023. No claims have been received for any incidents occurring since 2023. Eighty percent of claims therefore relate to the 2021-22 period when most of the units were being installed and there has only been one claim received for an incident occurring within the last three years. 4.12 Table 1 below compares the numbers of personal injury and vehicle damage claims that have been received by the Council for incidents relating to these units with the total numbers of claims for incidents relating to all types of street infrastructure. Table 1 Personal injury and vehicle damage claims Year of Incident Claims relating to soft segregation units Claims relating to all street infrastructure Personal injury Vehicle Damage Personal injury Vehicle Damage 2020 6 2 102 385 2021 16 1 119 449 2022 5 - 142 488 2023 1 - 188 949 2024 - - 162 737 2025 - - 68 183 TOTAL 28 3 781 3,191 Note - pursuers have 3 years from the date of an incident to present a claim for personal injury and 5 years for vehicle damage so the above figures could potentially increase. 4.13 Where specific locations of concern have been identified, either through the receipt of an incident claim or through other means, the positioning of the soft segregation units was reviewed and modified, where it was considered that this could reduce the potential for similar incidents…

#TravellingSafely East

Report--> democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s8...

🙋 Last chance for #TROSub to make the 🚲 lanes permanent before #ETRO expires

Story so far & joint @edi.bike letter
--> www.spokes.org.uk/2025/08/edin...

@sw20.info @edfoc.bsky.social @blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk

Looking ahead to the TRO Sub-Committee Meeting, Thursday 4th September The meeting papers have been published for the council's Traffic Regulation Order Sub-Committee (or 'TRO Sub') meeting this Thursday 4th September. This Sub-Committee controversially has been putting safe cycle infrastructure in jeoapardy through their recent decisions and deferrals, so all eyes are on them as they meet to once more quasi-ly adjudicate the statutory roads process in Edinburgh later this week.

👍 Great @edi.bike story re 'TRO Subcttee,' a questionable setup not seen in other councils
--> edi.bike/articles/202...

🤔 Instead of Transport Cttee, TRO Sub decides the fate of #TravellingSafely (bollarded) schemes, the start of #Edinburgh's future main-road 🚲network

@stephenjenkinson.bsky.social

👆

!! Threat to #EastEdinburgh #TravellingSafely main-road bike routes

@edi.bike @edfoc.bsky.social @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social @chasbooth.bsky.social @jackrmcaldwell.bsky.social @alexstaniforth.bsky.social @dastonsnp.bsky.social @kate-c.bsky.social @portyenergy.bsky.social @urchaidh.bsky.social

Extract from the Committee report, showing the schemes covered by the East Edinburgh ETRO. All now under threat. Measures introduced under East Area ETRO/21/28A 3.11 This ETRO promoted the following trial measures: 3.11.1 A1 Corridor (including London Road, Willowbrae Road and Milton Road West): Sections of waiting restrictions and loading prohibitions, bus lanes in both directions along Milton Road West and a prohibition of motor vehicles at the junction of Southfield Road West and Milton Road West, with physical measures; 3.11.2 Duddingston Road: Sections of waiting restrictions and loading prohibitions at pedestrian crossing points along the corridor and neighbouring street junctions; Traffic Regulation Orders Sub-Committee – 12 May 2025 Page 4 of 36 3.11.3 Duddingston Road West, King´s Place, Seafield Street and Seafield Road East: Sections of waiting restrictions without loading prohibitions; and 3.11.4 Hope Lane and Stanley Street: Sections of waiting restrictions and prohibitions of motor vehicles along both roads, between their junctions with Christian Grove and a local access road, with physical measures

Officers recommend makes the schemes permanent (with some minor changes)... Travelling Safely – City Centre and East Areas - ETRO/21/26A and ETRO21/28A 2. Executive Summary 2.1 This report seeks approval to set aside the objections received during the formal advertising of ETRO/21/26A and ETRO/21/28A and to proceed to make most of the trial measures permanent under two Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs).

screenshot of officers' response to objections about bollarded routes in general and London Rd in particular [we agree some changes needed at one London Rd point]. As far as we could gather, Cllr Lang verbal objection was merely that it is not stated when there will be funding for upgrades, but in reality the deferral puts all the schemes at risk Report extract... mpact on road safety for cyclists Most of the objections around this theme were raised against the measures on London Road but also against all corridors where the new restrictions have enabled the implementation of soft segregated cycle tracks. Segregation improves safety for cyclists since these have their allocated road space separated from other traffic by physical barriers. All measures were subject to a Road Safety Audit. Concerns around this theme were also raised in relation to the road surface (see theme 14), as well as to the maneuvers required by cyclists at bus stops or junctions. The risks raised by the objectors are largely a factor of the trial nature of the measures. Should the measures be made permanent, consideration will be given to upgrading the temporary materials used during the trial to permanent materials and to the use of alternative design details to address specific concerns raised. Impact on road safety for motor vehicle users Most of the objections around this theme were raised against the measures on London Road but also against all corridors where the new restrictions have enabled the implementation of soft segregated cycle tracks. The soft segregation units are a product compliant with UK standards for use on public roads and have elements to enhance their visibility to all road users. All measures were subject to a Road Safety Audit. Should the measures be made permanent, consideration will be given to upgrading the temporary materials used during the trial to permane

👍 Officers recommend making #Duddingston, #A1 & other East Ed #TravellingSafely routes permanent

-> democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s8...

🤔 Intervention at TROsub Cttee by #CllrLang results in deferral

😧 Legally, the routes will be scrapped if not approved by October when ETRO/21/28A expires