Transport in Edinburgh - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

constitutes a major transport hub in east central Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

and as such is at the centre of a multi-modal

Modal

Modal may refer to:* Modal , a textile made from spun Beechwood cellulose fiber* Modal analysis, the study of the dynamic properties of structures under vibrational excitation...

transport network comprising road, rail and air communications connecting the city with the rest of Scotland, the United Kingdom and internationally.

Transport is an area under the control of the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...

and Scottish Government who have the statutory ability to control, fund and regulate transport projects of national importance within the city. Transport Edinburgh is the City of Edinburgh Council

Politics of Edinburgh

The politics of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, are evident in the deliberations and decisions of the council of Edinburgh, in elections to the council, the Scottish Parliament, the House of Commons and the European Parliament....

's executive body responsible for the development of all transport projects within the city and brings a number of key transport providers together under the one umbrella.

Public transport

Public transport

Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...

in Edinburgh is generally extensive and efficient, but problems such as traffic congestion

Traffic congestion

Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...

and the delivery of key transport projects in the city are a prevailing concern.

Airport

Edinburgh's International Airport (Turnhouse

Turnhouse

Turnhouse is a suburb in the west of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.The area is east of Edinburgh International Airport, and Turnhouse is also the name for the former Royal Air Force base, now closed, which dates back to the First World War and was the origin of the current civilian airport...

) is located 8 miles to the west of the city centre, on the A8 trunk road

Trunk road

A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...

, and is the principal international gateway to the city, as well as the busiest airport in Scotland. It is owned and operated by BAA plc

BAA plc

BAA Ltd. is the Spanish-owned operator of six British airports and Naples Airport in Italy, making the company one of the largest transport companies in the world. BAA stems from British Airports Authority and is owned by a consortium led by Grupo Ferrovial, a Spanish firm specialising in...

. The airport serves a wide range of domestic and an expanding number of European and transatlantic destinations, currently handling in excess of 9 million passengers per year. In 1991 over 2m passengers used the airport - this represents an annual increase in excess of 10%. Forecasts suggest that the number of passengers using the airport will further increase to nearer 26 million by 2030.

The main terminal building was built in 1977 by the Edinburgh architect Robert Matthew

Robert Matthew

Sir Robert Hogg Matthew, OBE, FRIBA was a Scottish architect and a leading proponent of modernism.- Early life & studies :Robert Matthew was the son of John Matthew . He was born and brought up in Edinburgh, and attended the Edinburgh College of Art.- Career :Robert was apprenticed with his...

, and was substantially extended and modernised in the late 1990s. A £14m project to construct a new international pier, further increasing capacity, is expected to near completion in late 2006.

A masterplan for the growth of the airport was published in May 2005 indicating that the main terminal building will need to be increased in size, new aircraft hangar

Hangar

A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...

s, maintenance facilities, and cargo

Cargo

Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...

handling facilities will need to be constructed. The possibility of a second runway

Runway

According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...

built on land to the north of the current airfield, has been mooted, to cope with the forecast growth in air traffic. A new air traffic control

Air traffic control

Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...

tower was opened in October 2005.

Currently the airport is connected to the city centre by a dedicated bus link operating from the main terminal building to Waverley Bridge

Edinburgh Waverley railway station

Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...

. A new tram link from the airport to the city centre and Leith is currently under construction, and is due to commence operation in 2011.

Bus services

Bus transportation is the principal means of public transport in Edinburgh, with an extensive bus network, covering all parts of the city, its suburbs and the surrounding city-region. Edinburgh is widely regarded as having one of the most extensive bus services in the country, with some of the highest patronage figures in the UK outwith London. The number of bus trips taken by Edinburgh residents in any one year is 188, more than double the national average, with a growth rate of 27% over the period 1998 to 2005, representing an annual increase of around 4%

There are two major bus operators in Edinburgh:

Lothian Buses
Lothian Buses
Lothian Buses Plc is the only municipal bus company in Scotland and the largest provider of bus services in Edinburgh, Scotland. City of Edinburgh Council own 91.01% of the company with the remainder being owned by East Lothian and Midlothian councils. As well as serving Edinburgh, Lothian Buses...

- the main provider of bus services in the city.
First Edinburgh
First Edinburgh
First Edinburgh is a bus operator which operates in the south east and central Scotland, and was created by the merger of three companies: Lowland Scottish, Eastern Scottish and Midland Scottish to form a single company for the area and is part of First Group plc...

- Part of the First Group.

Lothian Regional Transport was the precursor to Lothian Buses

Lothian Buses

Lothian Buses Plc is the only municipal bus company in Scotland and the largest provider of bus services in Edinburgh, Scotland. City of Edinburgh Council own 91.01% of the company with the remainder being owned by East Lothian and Midlothian councils. As well as serving Edinburgh, Lothian Buses...

and was formed in 1986 after bus services were de-regulated by the Transport Act 1985

Transport Act 1985

The Transport Act 1985 was a Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. It introduced deregulation of bus services throughout Great Britain, although a different system of franchised routes was applied in Greater London. It was introduced by the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher.Bus...

. Lothian Regional Transport changed its title to Lothian Buses in 2000. It is a publicly owned company with Edinburgh City Council having the 91% controlling stake in the company with the remainder divided between the local authorities of Midlothian

Midlothian

Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....

, East Lothian

East Lothian

East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....

and West Lothian

West Lothian

West Lothian is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire....

. Lothian Buses also run the Airport Express shuttle between Edinburgh Airport and the city centre, as well as a network of night buses operating on popular routes between midnight and 5am.

Both First Edinburgh and Lothian Buses

Lothian Buses

operate a day ticket system, allowing unlimited travel on their buses during the day for £3.20. A single flat fare of £1.30 for adults (£1.10 if bought from an on-street ticket machine before boarding), 70p for children between 5 and 15 and 85p for Students between 16 and 18 holding valid concession cards, applies to one-way journeys with most buses running at intervals of between 10 and 30 minutes during the day and a reduced service after 7pm.

As well as local services within the city, several companies offer inter city services between Edinburgh and various other cities within Scotland and the UK. Scottish Citylink

Scottish Citylink

Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd is a long distance express coach operator in Scotland and the Republic of Ireland . The company was formed as a subsidiary of Scottish Transport Group in June 1985...

offer services from Edinburgh to places such as Stirling

Stirling

Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...

, Perth

Perth, Scotland

Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...

and Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

, and Megabus

Megabus (United Kingdom)

Megabus is a UK coach service operated by Stagecoach Group. It started in 2003 and as of February 2010 operated 19 UK coach routes serving 41 destinations in England, Scotland and Wales. Some services link with Megatrain services which are also operated by Stagecoach...

operates budget services between Edinburgh and Glasgow and London.

Edinburgh Bus Station

Edinburgh Bus Station

Edinburgh Bus Station is the bus station serving central Edinburgh which opened in its present form in February 2003....

is located on St. Andrew Square

St. Andrew Square

St. Andrew Square is a city square in Edinburgh, Scotland located at the east end of George Street. The construction of St. Andrew Square began in 1772, as the first part of the New Town, designed by James Craig. Within six years of its completion St. Andrew Square became one of the most...

in the city, but is not used by local services.

Bus corridors

From December 2004 to January 2008, a 1.5 km long guided bus

Guided bus

Guided buses are buses steered for part or all of their route by external means, usually on a dedicated track. This track, which often parallels existing roads, excludes other traffic, permitting the maintenance of reliable schedules on heavily used corridors even during rush hours.Guidance systems...

way - "Fastlink" - ran between the west Edinburgh suburbs of Stenhouse

Stenhouse

Stenhouse is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It lies to the West of the City Centre, adjacent to Whitson and Saughton Mains and close to Broomhouse and Sighthill...

and South Gyle

South Gyle

South Gyle is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland, lying on the western edge of the city and to the south and west of an area of former marshland once known as the Gogarloch, on the edge of Corstorphine. To the north, some streets in the area have names including the words "North Gyle" but North Gyle...

, parallel to the railway line from Haymarket

Haymarket railway station

For the Tyne and Wear Metro see Haymarket Metro station.Haymarket railway station is in Haymarket, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is Edinburgh's second largest station after Waverley, a major commuter and long-distance destination, located quite centrally near the West End...

to South Gyle

South Gyle

. There were four passenger halts on the busway at Broomhouse

Broomhouse

Broomhouse is a district of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is mainly residential, low-rise housing. It borders on Sighthill, and Saughton Mains. The Glasgow railway passes to the north but there is no station. The arterial route of Calder Road passes to the south...

East, Broomhouse

Broomhouse

West and Saughton

Saughton

Saughton is a suburb of the west of Edinburgh, Scotland, bordering on Sighthill, Longstone, and Stenhouse. In Scots, a "sauch" is a willow...

East and West. It is expected that the busway will be used in future for the 3-line Edinburgh Tram Network

Edinburgh Tram Network

Edinburgh Trams is a tramway system which has been under construction in Edinburgh, Scotland, since 2008.There have been several delays and cost over-runs in the construction of the tramway. The new tram system was originally scheduled to enter revenue service in February 2011...

. Tram Line 2, which will run from the city centre to Newbridge in the west of Edinburgh, will eventually run on the corridor previously occupied by the Fastlink guideway.

Priority bus lanes on arterial routes into Edinburgh city centre, known as Greenways, because of the distinctive green tarmac

Tarmac

Tarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...

used to surface them - were introduced in 1997. Currently the main Greenways into the city are on the following routes:

A8	Glasgow Road – Maybury Maybury Maybury is an area on the western edge of Edinburgh, Scotland, near South Gyle and Ingliston, named after the civil engineer Sir Henry Maybury .... to Princes Street Princes Street Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and its main shopping street. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile from Lothian Road in the west to Leith Street in the east. The street is mostly closed to private...
A900	Leith Walk – Leith Leith -South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river.... to Princes Street
A702	Lothian Road – Leven Street to Princes Street
A70	Slateford Road – Inglis Green Road to Haymarket
A71	Calder Road – City Bypass to Ardmillan

A Traffic Regulation order bans general traffic from using these priority lanes during the day, restricting use to buses, Taxis and bicycles. Red lines at the side of the road prohibit parking and stopping on Greenways as a measure to reduce the congestion faced by normal bus lanes caused by on-street parking. Most Greenways are operational between 7.30am to 9.30am and 16.00pm to 18.30pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am to 6.30pm on Saturdays. There are exceptions to this e.g. on Glasgow Road the Greenway is not operational at all on a Saturday and Sunday. On the main route into Edinburgh city centre from the west - the A8 - 55% of the 6.7 km route is inbound bus lane, whilst 54% is outbound bus lane. Lothian Buses

Lothian Buses

and First Edinburgh

First Edinburgh

First Edinburgh is a bus operator which operates in the south east and central Scotland, and was created by the merger of three companies: Lowland Scottish, Eastern Scottish and Midland Scottish to form a single company for the area and is part of First Group plc...

are the main providers of bus services using the greenways scheme, with services every 12 minutes.

Edinburgh Waverley

Edinburgh Waverley railway station

is the main Network Rail

Network Rail

Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...

station serving the city. Located in a ravine the heart of the city centre close to Princes Street Gardens

Princes Street Gardens

Princes Street Gardens is a public park in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. The Gardens were created in the 1820s following the long draining of the Nor Loch and the creation of the New Town. The Nor Loch was a large loch in the centre of the city. It was...

, it serves over 14 million passenger journeys per year. It is a principal station on the East Coast Main Line

East Coast Main Line

The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...

between London and Aberdeen

Aberdeen

Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....

, and is the terminus as well as start point for many rail services within Scotland. East Coast

East Coast (train operating company)

East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...

serves the main Edinburgh to London route. First ScotRail

First ScotRail

ScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...

are the operating company for many routes within Scotland. First Transpennine Express

First TransPennine Express

First TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...

and CrossCountry

CrossCountry

CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...

provide the remaining services to long distance destinations via the West Coast Main Line

West Coast Main Line

The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...

.

Trains leave Waverley in two directions:

Eastward for the suburban services to Newcraighall
Newcraighall
Newcraighall is a southeastern suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. A former mining village, its prosperity was based on the Midlothian coalfields and in particular the now closed Monktonhall pit. The village had a miners club and bowling green...

and the North Berwick
North Berwick
The Royal Burgh of North Berwick is a seaside town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately 25 miles east of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the 19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the...

branch line, and the East Coast Main Line to London King's Cross. The proposed reopening of the Waverley Route
Waverley Line
The Waverley Line is an abandoned double track railway line that ran south from Edinburgh in Scotland through Midlothian and the Scottish Borders to Carlisle in England. It was built by the North British Railway Company; the first section, from Edinburgh to Hawick opened in 1849. The final section,...

, which will reconnect several towns in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...

to the railway network, will also enter Edinburgh from the east.

Westward the line runs through a cutting near the cliffs of Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...

and through Princes Street Gardens. It then passes through a tunnel before emerging at Haymarket Station
Haymarket railway station
For the Tyne and Wear Metro see Haymarket Metro station.Haymarket railway station is in Haymarket, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is Edinburgh's second largest station after Waverley, a major commuter and long-distance destination, located quite centrally near the West End...

. From there lines lead north to Fife, Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...

and Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....

over the Forth Bridge
Forth Bridge (railway)
The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge over the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, to the east of the Forth Road Bridge, and 14 kilometres west of central Edinburgh. It was opened on 4 March 1890, and spans a total length of...

, west to Glasgow Queen Street railway station
Glasgow Queen Street railway station
Glasgow Queen Street is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, the smaller of the city's two main line railway termini and the third-busiest station in Scotland. It is between George Street to the south and Cathedral Street Bridge to the north, at the northern end of Queen Street adjacent to...

(via Falkirk High and Lenzie
Lenzie
Lenzie is a small town by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in the East Dunbartonshire council area of Scotland. It is about six miles north-east of Glasgow city centre and one mile south of Kirkintilloch. It has a population of about 10,000.-Name:...

) or Glasgow Central Station
Glasgow Central station
Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line railway terminals in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The station was opened by the Caledonian Railway on 31 July 1879 and is currently managed by Network Rail...

(via Shotts
Shotts
Shotts is a small rural town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located almost halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh . As of the 2001 census, the population was 8,235...

or Carstairs
Carstairs railway station
Carstairs railway station in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, is a major junction station on the West Coast Main Line , situated close to the point at which the lines from London Euston to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh diverge...

, Motherwell
Motherwell
Motherwell is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, south east of Glasgow. The name "Moderwelt" appears on a map of Lanarkshire made by Timothy Pont some time between 1583 and 1611 and printed in the Netherlands in around 1652, although the settlement was probably little more...

and Cambuslang), north-west to Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...

, Dunblane
Dunblane
Dunblane is a small cathedral city and former burgh north of Stirling in the Stirling council area of Scotland. The town is situated off the A9 road, on the way north to Perth. Its main landmark is Dunblane Cathedral and the Allan Water runs through the town centre, with the Cathedral and the High...

and Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

, and south-west via Carstairs to Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...

and the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...

. Another short branch line runs westward from Newbridge Junction to the town of Bathgate
Bathgate
Bathgate is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, on the M8 motorway west of Livingston. Nearby towns are Blackburn, Armadale, Whitburn, Livingston, and Linlithgow. Edinburgh Airport is away...

. Work is currently underway to fully re-open the section beyond Bathgate, connecting with the Glasgow suburban network at Airdrie
Airdrie, North Lanarkshire
Airdrie is a town within North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It lies on a plateau roughly 400 ft above sea level, and is approximately 12 miles east of Glasgow city centre. Airdrie forms part of a conurbation with its neighbour Coatbridge, in the former district known as the Monklands. As of 2006,...

and opening up a fourth railway link
Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link
The Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link is a railway in central Scotland.Instigated as part of a round of transport improvement projects proposed by the then Scottish Executive in 2003, the plan was to open up a fourth direct railway link between the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. The project was...

to Glasgow.

History

Edinburgh at one stage had a well-developed rail network. Starting with the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway

Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway

The Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway, also called the Innocent Railway, was Edinburgh's first railway. It carried coal from the mines in Lothian to its city centre terminus at St Leonards...

, whose terminus was at St Leonards

St Leonards (Edinburgh) railway station

St. Leonards railway station is a closed railway station on the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway. It was Edinburgh's first station. The railway was built in 1831 to transport coal from the mining towns south of the city; and the following year opened passenger services.St...

on the east of the Old Town, and the Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway

Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway

The Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway, which later became the Edinburgh, Leith and Granton Railway, was a railway in Edinburgh. It carried passengers and freight between the city centre and the northern ports. It was Edinburgh's second railway, after the Duke of Buccleuch's Edinburgh and...

(later the Edinburgh, Leith and Granton Railway), whose terminus was at Canal Street (on the site of today's Waverley Station). The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway

Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway

The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was a railway built to link Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Act of Parliament for building the railway received its Royal Assent in 1838 which was open on 28 July 1863. Services started between Glasgow Queen Street and Haymarket on 21 February 1842. The line was...

opened in 1842. By the mid-20th century competition between the North British Railway

North British Railway

The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...

and the Caledonian Railway

Caledonian Railway

The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...

, together with the conservatism of the city's local government, combined to make the network very inefficient, with much duplication of routes. Many stations closed down and, following the Beeching Axe

Beeching Axe

The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...

in the late 1960s, the city was left with a skeleton network. The South Suburban

Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction Railway

The Edinburgh Suburban and South Side Junction Railway is a freight and former commuter railway which runs in a loop across the southern suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. It opened in 1884 for both freight and passenger services...

line was left in place, mainly as a bypass for freight services to avoid the city centre. New stations have been opened on the existing lines at , , and in recent years.

Other stations and services

Edinburgh itself has a small suburban rail network - the backbone of which is the Edinburgh Crossrail - which commenced operations in 2002, running in an east-west axis across the city, linking the stations of Edinburgh Park

Edinburgh Park railway station

Edinburgh Park railway station is a railway station in the west of Edinburgh serving the Edinburgh Park business park and the Hermiston Gait shopping centre. The station opened in December 2003 and is the first intermediate station between and since 1951....

, in the west with Haymarket

Haymarket railway station

, Waverley

Edinburgh Waverley railway station

(in the city centre) and Brunstane

Brunstane railway station

Brunstane railway station is a railway station serving the Brunstane area of Edinburgh in Scotland. It is located on the Edinburgh Crossrail line.- Service :...

and Newcraighall

Newcraighall railway station

Newcraighall railway station is a railway station serving the Newcraighall area of Edinburgh in Scotland. It is the current terminus of the Edinburgh Crossrail line...

, to the east. The other stations in the city are South Gyle

South Gyle railway station

South Gyle railway station is a railway station serving South Gyle in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located on the Fife Circle Line 4½ miles west of Edinburgh Waverley. It has two platforms. There is a ticket machine and a shelter on each platform.Edinburgh Park station is also on the...

, Dalmeny

Dalmeny railway station

Dalmeny railway station is a railway station serving Dalmeny at the east end of South Queensferry, about 10 km west of Edinburgh city centre. It is on the Fife Circle Line, located just south of the Forth Bridge....

(for South Queensferry

South Queensferry

South Queensferry , also called Queensferry, is a former Royal Burgh in West Lothian now part of the City of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located some ten miles to the north west of the city centre, on the shore of the Firth of Forth between the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, approximately 8...

), Slateford

Slateford railway station

Slateford railway station is a railway station serving Slateford in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh Waverley via Shotts. The station has two platforms, connected by a stairway footbridge, and CCTV...

, Kingsknowe

Kingsknowe railway station

Kingsknowe railway station is a railway station serving Kingsknowe in the Scottish city of Edinburgh. It is located on the Shotts Line from to via Shotts. The station has two platforms, connected by a level crossing, and CCTV. It is managed by First ScotRail....

, Wester Hailes

Wester Hailes railway station

Wester Hailes railway station is a railway station serving Wester Hailes in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. It is located on the Edinburgh branch of the West Coast Main Line, but is not served by inter-city services - these are provided via the Shotts Line of the SPT network. The...

and Curriehill

Curriehill

Curriehill is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is north-west of Currie.Curriehill railway station is the western terminus of the Edinburgh Crossrail. These trains continue to Glasgow Central via West Lothian and North Lanarkshire....

.

Haymarket railway station is the second major station in Edinburgh and is located in the heart of the west end of the city, which is an area of many offices and businesses, and is thus a popular station with commuters and busy at peak periods. Plans for the complete development of Haymarket are being developed, partly in response to the need for the station to improve access for disabled passenegers.

Both stations are served by trains travelling onward to other destinations in Scotland from Edinburgh Waverley, operated by First ScotRail

First ScotRail

Road network

The A720 Edinburgh City Bypass

Edinburgh City Bypass

The Edinburgh City Bypass, designated as A720, is one of the most important trunk roads in Scotland. Circling around the south of Edinburgh, as the equivalent of a ring road for the coastal city, it links together the A1 towards north-east England, the A702 towards north-west England, the M8...

skirts the southern fringes of the city. The road was constructed between 1981 and 1990 and opened to motorists in sections. The road is one of the main trunk roads in east central Scotland

Scotland

linking vitally important routes such as the M8, the main route west to Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

, the A1 the primary route south to from Scotland to England, and the M9 to Stirling

Stirling

. The City Bypass is linked by the A902 to the A90 leading north out of the city.

Edinburgh itself is the hub of the A-road

Great Britain road numbering scheme

The Great Britain road numbering scheme is a numbering scheme used to classify and identify all roads in Great Britain. Each road is given a single letter, which represents the road's category, and a subsequent number, with a length of between 1 and 4 digits. Originally introduced to arrange...

numbering system within Scotland, and many radial routes lead in and out of the city. Routes radiating from Edinburgh are as follows (in a clockwise direction):

A1 - to Berwick upon Tweed and over the border into England.
A68 - to Jedburgh
Jedburgh
Jedburgh is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and historically in Roxburghshire.-Location:Jedburgh lies on the Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot, it is only ten miles from the border with England and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey...

then over the border into England as far as Darlington.
A7 - to Galashiels
Galashiels
Galashiels is a burgh in the Scottish Borders, on the Gala Water river. The name is often shortened to "Gala" .Galashiels is a major commercial centre for the Scottish Borders...

and Hawick
Hawick
Hawick is a town in the Scottish Borders of south east Scotland. It is south-west of Jedburgh and south-southeast of Selkirk. It is one of the farthest towns from the sea in Scotland, in the heart of Teviotdale, and the biggest town in the former county of Roxburghshire. Hawick's architecture is...

.
A701 - to Peebles
Peebles
Peebles is a burgh in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders, lying on the River Tweed. According to the 2001 Census, the population was 8,159.-History:...

.
A702 - to Carlisle (via A74(M)).
A70 - to Lanark
Lanark
Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade"....

.
A71 - to Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...

.
A8 - to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

(via M8) and Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...

(via M9).
A90 - to Forth Road Bridge
Forth Road Bridge
The Forth Road Bridge is a suspension bridge in east central Scotland. The bridge, opened in 1964, spans the Firth of Forth, connecting the capital city Edinburgh, at South Queensferry, to Fife, at North Queensferry...

, for access to Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...

, Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...

, Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...

and northwards.

In order to alleviate traffic congestion in many areas, park and ride

Park and ride

Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...

facilities have been provided at several points on the periphery of the city.

Traffic congestion

Like many cities, traffic congestion

Traffic congestion

is a significant problem in and around Edinburgh, with 160,000 vehicles entering the city every day which is forecast to rise to 180,000 by 2016. This is especially problematic in the rush hour

Rush hour

A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...

periods from 7.30am to 9.30am and 4pm to 6pm. Increasing levels of traffic congestion in Edinburgh are generally attributed to the city's strong population growth as well as an expanding economy. Areas in the future which are expected to suffer acutely from traffic congestion in Edinburgh include the western outskirts of the city, the waterfront, and the residential areas of the South East where there is a large amount of housing development. Notorious traffic hotspots in Edinburgh include the Straiton and Dreghorn junctions on the Edinburgh City Bypass

Edinburgh City Bypass

. The Newbridge Roundabout

Roundabout

A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...

on the A8 western approach to the city and the Gogar Roundabout close to Edinburgh Park

Edinburgh Park

Edinburgh Park is a business park located in South Gyle, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located to the west of the city, near Edinburgh Airport and the Edinburgh City Bypass. The layout of the park was masterplanned by American architect Richard Meier, and it opened in 1995...

are other bottlenecks in the west of the city which suffer from congestion. The office and business developments at Edinburgh Park themselves generate a large amount of traffic in that part of the city, with the new Royal Bank of Scotland

Royal Bank of Scotland

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is a British banking and insurance holding company in which the UK Government holds an 84% stake. This stake is held and managed through UK Financial Investments Limited, whose voting rights are limited to 75% in order for the bank to retain its listing on the...

headquarters opening at Gogarburn ensuring that upwards of 20,000 people now work in this area. In the city centre itself, narrow, cobbled and winding streets in the Old Town as well as increasing restrictions on vehicles entering the city and strict parking regulations mean that traffic hotspots are common in the city centre itself. Queen Street, Charlotte Square

Charlotte Square

Charlotte Square is a city square in Edinburgh, Scotland, part of the New Town, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The square is located at the west end of George Street, intended to mirror St. Andrew Square in the east.-History:Initially named St...

and the western end of Princes Street

Princes Street

Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and its main shopping street. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile from Lothian Road in the west to Leith Street in the east. The street is mostly closed to private...

are areas of significant traffic delay.

Park and ride

Park and Ride

Park and ride

Facilities have been provided on the outskirts of the city, such as at Ingliston near Newbridge in the west of Edinburgh with spaces for 535 cars, as well as at Hermiston on the Edinburgh City Bypass

Edinburgh City Bypass

, Newcraighall

Newcraighall

Newcraighall is a southeastern suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. A former mining village, its prosperity was based on the Midlothian coalfields and in particular the now closed Monktonhall pit. The village had a miners club and bowling green...

in the east of the city and at Ferrytoll in Fife

Fife

Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...

. The schemes consist of large surface car parks off the main roads into the city where buses take passengers from these peripheral facilities into the city centre via a number dedicated stops, thus cutting down on the number of cars making the journey into the congested city centre. The Park and Ride schemes at Hermiston and Ingliston have been widely regarded as successful, with each attracting more than 500 motorists per day, preventing more than 50,000 car journeys into the city.

Edinburgh Congestion Charge

Following on from the implementation of the London congestion charge

London congestion charge

The London congestion charge is a fee charged for some categories of motor vehicle to travel at certain times within the Congestion Charge Zone , a traffic area in London. The charge aims to reduce congestion, and raise investment funds for London's transport system...

in February 2003, City of Edinburgh Council announced plans to introduce a road tolls scheme to be put in place on main routes into the city. A postal referendum of Edinburgh residents was held between 7–21 February 2005, with 74.4% of those voting no, announced on 22 February 2005. The system would have operated in a broadly similar fashion to the one in London, with two cordons - an inner cordon and an outer cordon operating from Monday to Friday. A flat charge of £2 would have applied to vehicles entering the city boundary - by passing the outer cordon, or those entering the city centre by passing the inner cordon. This charge would have applied no matter how many times a vehicle crossed both cordons. Cameras with automatic number plate recognition technology would have been placed at the entry to both cordons, which would record the registration numbers of vehicles passing them. At the end of each day numbers would have been recorded against received payments. Paying would have been done electronically via the internet

Internet

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

, text message or at specialised payment terminals in shops, where daily, weekly, monthly and yearly passes would have been available.

The proposal faced strong opposition from city centre retailers who were concerned about the impact it would have on their trade as well as a number of political parties. Following the no vote, the City council abandoned plans to introduce road tolls in Edinburgh.

Improvements to public transport

In an attempt to discourage car use and increase patronage of public transport - Transport Edinburgh, the integrated transport delivery authority of City of Edinburgh Council, has embarked upon an extensive drive to improve public transport in the city. These include new railway stations, improvements to roads, pavements and footways, easier ticketing arrangements on buses, new bus shelters, pedestrian crossing

Pedestrian crossing

A pedestrian crossing or crosswalk is a designated point on a road at which some means are employed to assist pedestrians wishing to cross. They are designed to keep pedestrians together where they can be seen by motorists, and where they can cross most safely across the flow of vehicular traffic...

s and refuges, easy access buses, car parking payment by mobile phone

Mobile phone

A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...

and a real time bus tracker service in place at many bus stop

Bus stop

A bus stop is a designated place where buses stop for passengers to board or leave a bus. These are normally positioned on the highway and are distinct from off-highway facilities such as bus stations. The construction of bus stops tends to reflect the level of usage...

s and bus interchanges in the city. This is in addition to the forthcoming Edinburgh Tram Network

Edinburgh Tram Network

, major improvements to Edinburgh Waverley

Edinburgh Waverley railway station

and Haymarket

Haymarket railway station

railway stations, including new platforms to cope with new routes and increased passenger numbers as well as new railway lines opening to and , and in the Scottish Borders

Scottish Borders

The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...

Cycling

Since 1999 the percentage of all trips in the city of Edinburgh made by bicycle

Bicycle

A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....

has risen by an eighth, however travelling by bicycle still accounts for less than 2% of all trips taken by Edinburgh residents, with bicycle use lower than in many other European cities such as Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

or Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

. Like most cities cycling is seen as a clean, environmentally friendly method of transportation, which needs little space, the provision of few, inexpensive facilities as well as a means of attempting to cut down on traffic congestion

Traffic congestion

.

At present there are around 75 km of off-road cycleways in the Edinburgh area, with a similar length on on-road cycleways in the city. Greenways, which are the car-free bus corridors on the main radial routes into the city centre double up as cycle lanes.

Many improvements in facilities for cyclists in Edinburgh can be attributed to Spokes, the Lothian Cycle Campaign

Spokes, the Lothian Cycle Campaign

Spokes, the Lothian Cycle Campaign, was started in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1977 to campaign for better facilities for cyclists. One of its first campaigns was for cycling to be allowed on Middle Meadow Walk . After initial opposition, Edinburgh Corporation agreed. Since then Edinburgh's councils...

, formed in 1977. Attempts to make Edinburgh more "cycle friendly" have been made, particularly by Spokes, the Lothian Cycle Campaign. Some cyclists remain unconvinced that the promise of a "Model Cycle-Friendly City" has been achieved.

Thefts

Cycle thefts are common in the city, with an average of five bikes being stolen every day. Ian Maxwell, a member of Spokes Lothian Cycle Campaign, said: "We've seen a massive increase in cycling in Edinburgh over the last ten years and, unfortunately, with that trend comes an inevitable rise in thefts. Overall, though, with tens of thousands of cyclists, the numbers are still relatively low. The figures underline the problem of lack of secure parking facilities for bikes. They can be difficult to find. Cyclists need to take the appropriate precautions. These are opportunist thieves who move quickly and disappear on their newly acquired getaway vehicle."

Safety

Lothian's roads are the most dangerous in Scotland for cyclists, with 165 cyclists a year being hospitalised. Problems are reported for cyclists riding in bus lanes in central Edinburgh, such as Princes Street

Princes Street

and Lothian Road. A number of cyclists have been killed in Edinburgh in recent years; in September 2004, a 28 year old man was killed at the junction of Marchmont Road and Melville Drive. In April 2008, an award winning neuroscientist

Neuroscientist

A neuroscientist is an individual who studies the scientific field of neuroscience or any of its related sub-fields...

who worked at the University of Edinburgh

University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...

, Dr Iain Wilson, was killed in a collision with a truck on the junction between West Richmond Street and Nicolson Street.

Disputes

Pedicabs are a common form of transport for weekend revellers, with the number operating in Edinburgh growing from only 2 in 2000 to 60 by 2008. This has led to a growing number of complaints from taxi cab drivers, who resent the competition. In one dispute, a pedicab cyclist was reported to have been attacked by a group of three taxi drivers, who kicked and headbutted him. In other cases, taxi drivers have thrown cigarette butts at pedicab cyclists, and in one case, threatened a cyclist with a Taser

Taser

A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...

stun gun (possession of such a device is illegal in Scotland).

Cycling in certain public parks, like walkways across the Meadows

The Meadows (park)

The Meadows is a large public park in Edinburgh, Scotland, just to the south of the city centre. Largely consisting of wide open grassland crossed by tree-lined paths, the park also has a children's playground, a croquet club, tennis courts and cricket pitches...

, has been legal since the passage of the Land Reform Act in 2003, although signage was not corrected until 2011 in some cases. Portobello promenade has likewise been officially acknowledged as a legal cycle route . Concerns have been expressed that cyclists may run pedestrians over. Peng Lee Yap, chairman of Friends of the Meadows, said "While this is clearly a difficult issue, it was felt that the positive way forward is the approach of Spokes to improve cyclists' behaviour." In late 2007 Spokes Lothian group launched their "Bike Polite" campaign to encourage cyclists to be more considerate.

Pedestrians

Given that Edinburgh is a small, relatively walkable city, travelling by foot is a possible, if necessary means of transport for the majority of citizens who live, work or visit the city. Like most urban zones pedestrian density is at its highest in the commercial core of the city, where there the majority of shops, businesses and offices are located, with pedestrian density tailing off rapidly through the inner city

Inner city

The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...

, to the suburbs. In Edinburgh, pedestrian density is at its highest around Princes Street

Princes Street

, George Street

George Street, Edinburgh

Situated to the north of Princes Street, George Street is a major street in the centre of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Laid out from 1767 as part of James Craig's plan for the New Town, George Street was named in honour of King George III.-Geography:...

, Rose Street, the Royal Mile

Royal Mile

The Royal Mile is a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland.As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle...

, the North and South Bridges as well as George IV Bridge. These are the areas where the majority of city centre shops have their premises, as well as bars, restaurants and pubs, as well as tourist attractions such as the Scott Monument

Scott Monument

The Scott Monument is a Victorian Gothic monument to Scottish author Sir Walter Scott . It stands in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh, opposite the Jenners department store on Princes Street and near to Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station.The tower is high, and has a series of viewing decks...

, Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...

and the Palace of Holyroodhouse are situated.

Unlike Glasgow most of the city centre is not pedestrianised, with the exception of Rose Street (parallel to Princes Street), which is pedestrianised along its length. A section of the Royal Mile - one of the main tourist streets in Edinburgh - from the junction of George IV Bridge

George IV Bridge

George IV Bridge is an elevated street in Edinburgh, Scotland. Measuring 300-metres in length, the bridge was constructed between 1829 and 1832 as part of the Improvement Act of 1827. Named for King George IV, it was designed by architect Thomas Hamilton , to connect the South Side district of...

(Melbourne Place) to the junction with North Bridge

North Bridge, Edinburgh

North Bridge is a road bridge and street in Edinburgh linking the High Street with Princes Street, and the New Town with the Old. The current bridge was built between 1894–97. A previous North Bridge, built from 1763–72, stood until 1896....

, is pedestrianised through the use of automatic bollards which only give access to authorised vehicles. This is an area with pavement cafes and bars with tables outside.

Plans

Following elections to the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Parliament

in May 2007, the Scottish National Party

Scottish National Party

The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....

formed a new minority government

Government of the 3rd Scottish Parliament

The Government of the 3rd Scottish Parliament was formed after the 2007 elections to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government is headed by First Minister Alex Salmond.- First Salmond government :...

. As of June 2007, both the tram project and rail link to Edinburgh Airport (described below) were scrutinised by the Scottish Executive

Scottish Executive

The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...

with a view to possible cancellation, largely on grounds of cost. The Auditor General for Scotland was asked to consider the issue of value for money and gave a favourable response for the tram project.

Trams

It is anticipated that by July 2011 Edinburgh will have a Light Rapid Transit

Light Rapid Transit

The name Light Rapid Transit is used by specific light rail systems, either as an official name or otherwise:* Please see List of tram and light-rail transit systems.-See also:* Light Rail Transit* light railway* light rail* tram/streetcar* Premetro...

line, using new trams, connecting the Edinburgh International Airport

Airport

An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

on the western edge of the city, with Haymarket

Haymarket, Edinburgh

Haymarket is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is in the west of the city and is a focal point for many main roads, notably Dalry Road , Corstorphine Road and Shandwick Place .Haymarket contains a number of popular pubs, cafés and...

, Princes Street

Princes Street

and St. Andrew Square

St. Andrew Square

in the city centre, and the redeveloped waterfront areas of Leith

Leith

-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....

, Granton

Granton, Edinburgh

Granton is a district in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland. Granton forms part of Edinburgh's waterfront along the Firth of Forth and is, historically, an industrial area having a large harbour. Granton is part of Edinburgh's large scale waterfront regeneration programme.-Name:Granton first appears...

and Western Harbour.

The planning, design and construction of the tram network is being overseen by the City of Edinburgh Council's wholly owned company Transport initiatives edinburgh (tie)

Transport Initiatives Edinburgh

tie Ltd. is a Scottish company which, from May 2002 to August 2011, project-managed large-scale transport projects on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom....

. The Scottish Parliament

Scottish Parliament

gave legislative consent to the parliamentary bills, required for the project to commence, in March 2006. Construction of the network was originally scheduled to start in spring 2007, beginning with the repositioning of the network of gas and water mains that lie under the proposed routes. Work finally started in July 2007.

The estimated cost of the scheme is anticipated to be in the region of £592m, with a contribution of £450m-£500m from the Scottish Executive

Scottish Executive

and £45m from City of Edinburgh Council

Politics of Edinburgh

.

In 2006, there was a controversy about the construction of the tram network, with worries over escalating costs and disruptions due to construction. Following a vote in the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Parliament

on 27 June 2007, it was agreed to continue with the tram project - despite the opposition of the SNP minority government.

Edinburgh Airport Rail Link (EARL)

There is currently no rail link to Edinburgh Airport, with the nearest railway stations being at Edinburgh Park

Edinburgh Park railway station

and South Gyle

South Gyle

, some distance from the airport.

The former Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition administration in Scotland (1999–2007) proposed a rail link, with plans for completion by 2010. Such a link was viewed as necessary because of the growth of road traffic in the immediate vicinity of the airport, meaning the existing road network in the area is operating at maximum capacity or nearing capacity. Furthermore, in comparison to other BAA plc

BAA plc

airports in the UK a relatively low proportion of Edinburgh Airport passengers use public transport (19%) with most journeys being by private car (49%). The rail link would have been connected to the main Edinburgh – Glasgow line

Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line

The Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line is a mainline railway line linking Glasgow and Edinburgh via Falkirk in Scotland. It is the principal route out of the four rail links between Scotland's two biggest cities, hosting the flagship "Shuttle" service between and .- Places served :The route...

by a new railway line via Winchburgh

Winchburgh

Winchburgh is a village situated within the geographical county of West Lothian, Scotland. It is located approximately west of the city-centre of Edinburgh, east of Linlithgow and northeast of Broxburn.-Public transport:...

and Edinburgh Park station

Edinburgh Park railway station

. A second link would have joined the Fife

Fife

Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...

lines to this route prior to reaching the airport station. The rail link would also pass under the runway and split westward near Kirkliston towards Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

and Stirling

Stirling

and eastward to Fife

Fife

Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...

and the North, and would require the construction of a new subsurface railway station in front of the terminal building. A parliamentary bill was submitted to the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Parliament

which needed to be considered and approved before construction could take place. The Bill received Royal Assent on 19 April 2007. Initial estimates suggested that the scheme would have cost around £500m.

The new SNP minority administration planned to scrap EARL as a manifesto commitment. Following a vote in the Scottish Parliament on 27 June 2007, it now appears unlikely that the EARL project will be implemented in its original form, however plans to build an overground station with direct rail access from the Fife line are expected to be progressed.

Forth hovercraft

Proposals were put forward by Fife Council in 2004 for a passenger ferry service to operate between Kirkcaldy

Kirkcaldy

Kirkcaldy is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. The town lies on a shallow bay on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth; SSE of Glenrothes, ENE of Dunfermline, WSW of Dundee and NNE of Edinburgh...

and Leith

Leith

-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....

. The plans envisaged a half-hourly service across the Firth of Forth

Firth of Forth

The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...

, operational by 2008, with two vessels capable of carrying up to 150 passengers.

An experimental hovercraft

Hovercraft

A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...

service ran in summer 2007 between Kirkcaldy

Kirkcaldy

and Seafield

Seafield, Edinburgh

Seafield is an area of north east Edinburgh, Scotland. There is little housing here, and the area is mainly light industrial. Several cream processing plants are in the southern precincts. There have been plans to move the city waste processing unit here from Broughton and there is also a cat and...

, operated by Stagecoach Group

Stagecoach Group

Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...

. Journey times were 18 minutes and the service was used by around 32,000 passengers.

Cross-Forth proposals were revived in 2009 when Edinburgh Council began to examine the possibility of beginning either a ferry service between Burntisland and Granton, or the revival of the hovercraft service.
In January 2010, Stagecoach set up a joint venture with hovercraft makers the Bland Group

Bland Group

The Bland Group Ltd. is made up of a number of small operating companies based in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.-History:The Gaggero family has been running the business since 1891 although the company began in 1810 when Marcus Henry Bland, from Liverpool began a shipping company from...

to run a hovercraft service, and secured funding of around £14 million. Subject to funding Edinburgh and Fife councils, the companies hope to construct a dedicated hovercraft terminal near the promenade at Portobello

Portobello, Edinburgh

Portobello is a beach resort located three miles to the east of the city centre of Edinburgh, along the coast of the Firth of Forth, in Scotland. It is now a suburb of Edinburgh, with a promenade fronting on to the wide sand beach....

and begin passenger operation by 2012. They estimate 870,000 people would use the hovercraft service each year, and sailings would connect with local bus services into Edinburgh and around Fife.

High speed rail

Community and business leaders in Edinburgh have voiced support for the construction of a high speed rail link between Glasgow and Edinburgh to reduce current journey times between Scotland's two main cities. Currently First ScotRail

First ScotRail

operate a shuttle service, every 15 minutes between 7am and 7pm, between the two cities on the Glasgow to Edinburgh (via Falkirk High) line

Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line

, with journeys taking around 50 minutes. It is estimated that a high speed Maglev

Maglev train

Maglev , is a system of transportation that uses magnetic levitation to suspend, guide and propel vehicles from magnets rather than using mechanical methods, such as friction-reliant wheels, axles and bearings...

system would halve the journey time between the two cities. The UK Government has also conducted a feasibility study into ascertaining whether a high speed Maglev network between Edinburgh and London would be economically beneficial and thus cutting down on the growth of domestic air traffic between the two cities. Such a system would, however require a complete new infrastructure as it is not compatible with the existing rail infrastructure

Infrastructure

Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...

History

Edinburgh formerly had an extensive municipally owned tram system. Edinburgh Corporation Tramways

Edinburgh Corporation Tramways

Edinburgh Corporation Tramways formerly served the City of Edinburgh, Scotland. The city used four-wheeled double-decked trams painted dark red and white - a livery still used by Lothian Buses.-Origins:...

were cabled-hauled until the early 1920s, then converted to electric traction. The last tram on Edinburgh's original system operated in 1956.

External links

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