Friday June 19th 2026
Edinburgh City Chambers
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan
A last-ditch bid to save part of a safe cycling route in Edinburgh has been defeated after a vote by city councillors.
The decision brought years of drama over the Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route at least to a pause, securing the removal of two roadblocks which blocked car traffic on the route.
Councillors voting on the issue at Thursday’s transport committee meeting were almost unanimous in frustration about the situation they were in.
Committee convener and Labour councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “It’s unfortunate that it’s taken so long and taken such a windy road to get here.”
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat councillor Kevin Lang said: “We are going to end up in a situation where virtually everyone in the community is unhappy.”
Three of the temporary roadblocks implemented as part of the safe cycling route faced legal issues towards being made permanent due to an administrative error.
Council officers recommended that one roadblock, on Canaan Lane, be kept in place due to its providing safety to pupils at several schools, despite the legal risk.
But they added that there was unclear data on the efficacy of the other two roadblocks, and that the risk of legal challenge was significant.
Earlier in the meeting, parent groups had spoken out in support of retaining the route, with one councillor saying axing it would ‘endanger children’.
Officer proposed no change to the roadblocks north of Canaan Lane, which run in the direction of Whitehouse Loan to connect with the Links and the Meadows.
The Green group on the council had lodged a bid to save the two other barriers at well, which sit at the junctions of Hermitage Gardens and Braid Avenue with Cluny Drive.
In their amendment, they also wanted to add a new barrier at the junction of Braid Road and Cluny Avenue, and rotate the junction at Braid Avenue 90 degrees.
Green councillor Chas Booth said: “Why are we here? Why are we here in this committee? Is it to cave in to the voices who shout loudest, or is it to save people, especially the most vulnerable?”
He added that the council’s response to anybody threatening a legal challenge against the council over road safety infrastructure should be ‘see you in court’.
The SNP group backed the Green proposal, with group leader Councillor Lesley Macinnes telling fellow members she was ‘disappointed’ of how the vote was likely to go.
She added: “I don’t think any of us wanted to be here as a result of those administrative errors, but unfortunately that’s where we are.
“To see this conversation centre around risk of judicial review reminds of so many decisions we’ve had forced on us by threats of judicial review from richer parts of the city.”
Cllr Jenkinson put forward another position, which supported the removal of the two barriers but supported exploring why the administrative error happened.
It also looked to ensure reviews are put in place a year after any infrastructure is installed as part of the project, and monitor traffic after the barriers are removed.
He said: “What I’ve been quite keen to do is bring some clarity to the community regarding the decisions we take in this committee, and make sure decisions we do take are based on clear data and evidence.
“I think it’s been useful to have the debate. I think we’ve got to remember that this report should be seen as trying to solve problems.
“The real reason that this has run on for so long is a combination of mistakes, maybe not clarity sought or being asked for, and meddling by elected members as well.”
The Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Labour councillors on the committee voted for Cllr Jenkinson’s motion, while the SNP and Greens backed Cllr Booth’s.
Cllr Jenkinson’s motion won out by a vote of 6-5.
Tweet Share on Facebook
