Our reasons
The project will connect up South Gyle, Edinburgh Park and local neighbourhoods with high quality walking and cycling routes.
Benefits of Walking and Cycling
Economic
£16.8m annual benefit to Edinburgh from people with a car choosing to cycle for transport. 1
£24m benefit to Edinburgh from all trips made by bicycle. 1
Health
In Edinburgh, the physical activity benefits of cycling prevent 11 early deaths annually valued at £35m. 2
Cycling also averts 106 serious long term health conditions annually, saving the NHS in Edinburgh £731,000pa. 3
Environmental
6,164 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions saved annually, equivalent to the carbon footprint of 1,258 people. In 2021, The UK hosted the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, summarising the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This project will help towards achieving pledges made
1 These figures are based on monetising the benefits and drawbacks of driving and cycling. This includes travel time vehicle operating costs, health, congestion, infrastructure, local air quality, noise, greenhouse gases and taxation.
2 Based on what people say they would pay to improve their chances of survival, and calculated using the method set by the World Health Organisation. Based on WHO/Europe Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) which enables an economic assessment of the health benefits of cycling by estimating the value of reduced mortality resulting from specified amounts of cycling.
3 Bike Life Edinburgh 2017
Benefits of the Project
The increases in cycling and walking that we anticipate as a result of the West Edinburgh Link are associated with lots of benefits including:
– £10m boost to the economy from increased cycling. 1
– £6.3m of economic benefits from increased walking. 2
Some of the personal benefits
– Increased physical activity can be very beneficial to general well-being. 3
– Decreased risk of developing cardiovascular disease if you cycle to work. 4
– 33 – 50% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you are physically active. 5
What people have told us
Our 2017 engagements with people in the area have fed into the project objectives. We conducted 224 employee surveys and held an employee focus group in Edinburgh Park. We also delivered a workshop in Craigmount High School using the Place Standard tool and we gathered peoples comments about issues in the area using the online
Placecheck tool.
1 Business case figures based on a time period of a typical transport scheme’s lifespan (20 years) Comprises: Health benefits, reduced absenteeism, better journeys for uses, reduced collisions, reduced pollution, cycle industry growth
2 Business case figures based on a time period of a typical transport scheme’s lifespan (20 years) Comprises: Health benefits, reduced absenteeism, better journeys for uses, reduced collisions
3 Mental Health Foundation (2005). Up and Running: Exercise therapy and the treatment of mild or moderate depression in primary care.
4 NHS National Services Scotland (2017). Scottish Heart Disease Statistics
5 American Diabetes Association (2018). Lower your risk: What Can Physical Activity Do for Me? Published Online
You said
Central
- 79% of people working in the Gyle / Edinburgh Park would like to spend more time outside during their lunchbreak.
- “Dedicated cycle routes with priority over motorised traffic giving way only to pedestrians.”
- 49% of people survey felt there was inadequate dedicated [cycling] infrastructure to the Gyle / Edinburgh Park area.
We’re proposing
Central
- Tackling major junctions
- Segregated cycleways
South
- Previous studies highlighted problems associated with underpasses on Calder and Wester Hailes Road.
- People told the Council that the Calder Road acts as a physical and psychological barrier, particularly to the elderly.
- “Currently the easiest way to cross the roundabout is via the pedestrian underpass, however, this is not set up to be easily accessed by bikes.
- 65% of people would find protected roadside cycle lanes very useful to help them cycle more.
South
- Reducing dominance of vehicles to rebalance the streets
- Segregated cycleways
- New crossings of major roads
You said
Central
- 79% of people working in the Gyle / Edinburgh Park would like to spend more time outside during their lunchbreak.
- “Dedicated cycle routes with priority over motorised traffic giving way only to pedestrians.”
- 49% of people survey felt there was inadequate dedicated [cycling] infrastructure to the Gyle / Edinburgh Park area.
South
- Previous studies highlighted problems associated with underpasses on Calder and Wester Hailes Road.
- People told the Council that the Calder Road acts as a physical and psychological barrier, particularly to the elderly.
- “Currently the easiest way to cross the roundabout is via the pedestrian underpass, however, this is not set up to be easily accessed by bikes.
- 65% of people would find protected roadside cycle lanes very useful to help them cycle more.
We’re proposing
Central
- Tackling major junctions
- Segregated cycleways
South
- Reducing dominance of vehicles to rebalance the streets
- Segregated cycleways
- New crossings of major roads
Get In Touch
0131 469 3776
0131 529 7908
Waverley Court
4 East Market Street
Edinburgh
EH8 8BG
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