A Save the Roseburn Path noticeboard on Roseburn Path at the entrance near Ravelston Dykes will be removed on the instructions of the Transport Convener.
A poster had been stuck to it created with a Spokes header – but it has been denied that it was an official Spokes poster.
A spokesperson for the Lothian Cycle Campaign, Spokes, confirmed it was not produced by them.
The notice appeared to infer that the cycling campaign group invites comment from those who oppose using part of the Roseburn Path for a north-south tram extension.
The Edinburgh Reporter has been told that Spokes’ position “remains unchanged”.
Their views are set out below.
A member of The Save The Roseburn Path campaign group had highlighted the poster on their Facebook page, but Save The Roseburn Path have confirmed they did not either make the poster or put it on the notice board on the side of the path. They have since denied that the notice board is theirs although the message on it is clear.
Transport Convener Cllr Stephen Jenkinson has now said he will ask officers to remove the whole board as he believes it would have needed planning permission.
Spokes said that “we contacted Save Roseburn Path, who promptly replied to say it was not them and that they would take it down, for which we are very grateful”.
Last April a sign was put up just further up the path at Wester Coates suggesting it was closed for tram works. There is nothing further from the truth. The council still has to put the matter out to consultation, apply for funding and do a lot more before there will be a spade in the ground.
Spokes public meeting
The Spokes public meeting taking place next month will be an occasion when all manner of transport topics can be discussed. The Spokes Public Meeting will take place on 30 April at Augustine United Church 41 George IV Bridge.
Cllr Stephen Jenkinson the Transport Convener and Deborah Paton Head of Transport Strategy and Partnerships at The City of Edinburgh Council will both speak.
Spokes have suggested some of the topics which might be raised on this page on their website.
The Edinburgh Reporter spotted Cllr Jenkinson and other councillors trialling some bikes which might yet be brought to Edinburgh in a new cycle hire scheme.
Happened upon @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social and his colleagues trying out some Lime Bikes….
— The Edinburgh Reporter (@edinreporter.bsky.social) 27 February 2025 at 15:58
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Spokes position on the Roseburn Path and the tram extension is unchanged.
The council is due to commence a consultation on the proposed extension anytime soon, and there has been no official confirmation of the start date as yet.
Spokes says it has always supported cycling “as part of an environmentally sustainable transport and access strategy” not purely cycling for its own sake. “We are very supportive of public transport, walking, wheeling, reduced car use, and reducing the climate-crisis impacts of transport.
“It is also worth remembering that, although Spokes has around 1000 members, many of whom are sufficiently concerned about cycling conditions that they lobby their councillors, our influence is pretty limited when it comes to the basics of huge decisions such as whether, where or when to build a tramline. However, we can certainly hope to achieve improvements to how cycling is treated within any scheme.
“Given all the above, Spokes has always engaged with the Council to try to ensure that if a tram is built along Roseburn path, then there is high quality cycle/walk provision alongside. We had extensive discussions in the early 2000s, when tram plans reached the planning application stage (although eventually only Airport to City Centre was built). Those plans and a tramline design manual are here [paras 0712 and 0601]. For example, this drawing showing a path cantilevered against the Water of Leith viaduct (although single-track tramline is another option at that location).
“The path is already very well used for cycle journeys. The automatic counter near the Coltbridge viaduct counted roughly 340,000 trips (in either direction) in 2023, i.e. on average nearly 1000 journeys per day on the Roseburn path.
“In 2005, Spokes surveyed members on a number of controversial issues, including the then tram proposals, which were for a complete loop including the Roseburn path. The results are in Spokes Bulletin 90. A remarkable 95% of respondents supported the tram provided cycle lanes remained in Princes Street and provided that a 3m+ path remained on Roseburn. Even if the path had to be raised to road level, with light-controlled crossings, at a few narrow bridges, 55% still supported the tram.”
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