Waverley Bridge to reopen to traffic this summer

Edinburgh’s Waverley Bridge will reopen to buses after four years.

The council will allow limited traffic to return to the bridge during Jenners’ redevelopment, relocating airport buses from their current city centre stop on South St David Street by the former department store which is being converted into a hotel.

However the council said the move would only be “short term”.

The throughfare became largely pedestrianised in 2020 in response to Covid restrictions, with the Princes Street junction shutting completely to vehicles and access for taxis maintained only at the Market Street end.

An update shared by Transport Convener Scott Arthur confirmed that a new traffic order, which will be in place for up to two years, would create a ‘bus gate’, reopening the bridge for to the airport bus services provided by Lothian and McGill’s buses.

The council said: “Bus operators are aware of this change, and they are in the process of applying to the Traffic Commissioner for permission to amend their services for this period.

“Bus operators understand that the reopening of Waverley Bridge is a short-term measure, and that the expectation is that they will return to their current stops once the work at Jenners is complete.

“No other traffic will be permitted to access Princes Street from Waverley Bridge.

“The Placemaking, Events and Public Safety teams have been consulted about this change to ensure that we can safely facilitate pedestrians, cyclists and maintain the functionality of the area for the summer and winter festival periods.

“The new design will incorporate footway widenings at the north and south pedestrian accesses to Princes Street Gardens, bus access points and the flexibility to install hostile vehicle mitigation apparatus when required. The design for the new layout is still being progressed but once ready, will be circulated.”

The changes will come into effect from Monday, 24 June.

by Donald Turvill Local Democracy Reporter