Friday October 9th 2026
Milton Link Junction, which is part of the route
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Bus lanes on a key Edinburgh route will operate for longer in a bid to reduce delays and improve journey times, as an 18-month trial launches next week.
From Monday, October 12, bus lanes between Milton Road East and London Road will operate from 7am to 7pm, seven days a week.
Currently, the restrictions apply only during peak hours, from 7.30am to 9.30am and 4pm to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday.
The trial aims to establish whether extending bus lane hours can improve bus reliability and encourage more people to use public transport instead of travelling by car.
The route is served by several bus services, including the number 44, which Lothian Buses has identified as being particularly affected by delays outside existing bus lane operating hours.
Initial analysis shows bus journey times on part of the route have increased by 22% since 2019.
Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, the City of Edinburgh Council’s transport and environment convener, said the trial would help assess whether longer bus lane hours could reduce delays outside traditional peak periods.
He said: “Edinburgh is lucky to have a first-rate public transport system, which hundreds of thousands of people rely on every day. We want to make travel by bus an attractive, accessible and reliable alternative to the car and bus lanes support that.
“However, travel behaviour is changing and bus demand is increasing, leading to delays outside of traditional peak periods. This trial will help us to assess whether extended bus lane hours can reduce journey times on one of our busiest routes.
“Thanks to the nature of the trial we’ll be able to carry out real-world monitoring of traffic impacts and network performance, alongside feedback from the public.”
The 18-month trial will be introduced through an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), allowing the council to monitor the effects before deciding whether the changes should become permanent.
Monitoring will include bus journey times, traffic, parking and loading surveys, business surveys and feedback from residents and other stakeholders.
The first six months will also serve as a consultation period.
Some parking and loading restriction times will change during the trial, and motorists and other road users are advised to check road signs and markings.
More information is available on the City of Edinburgh Council website.
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