April 2026 news from Councillor Neil Ross

9 Apr 2026

Greenbank/Meadows Quiet Route update

After a two-year delay, the Council has decided not to implement Option 3A for the Braid Estate and, instead, to give the final decision on the current scheme to the non-political, quasi-judicial TRO Sub Committee. Option 3A was to re-open Braid Road and Braid Avenue, to introduce cycle lanes on Hermitage Drive and Braid Avenue and to install traffic calming on Braid Road and pedestrian islands on Midmar Drive.

The Council revisited the previous decisions made in 2024 because of legal concerns. My Lib Dem colleagues supported Option 3A, because it was preferred by a majority of local residents in the public consultation and improved local access while retaining a safe cycling route through the area. Labour, Green and SNP councillors didn't support this and the Conservatives initially proposed removing the entire scheme before changing their minds and voting for Option 3A.

The TRO Sub Committee will consider all the feedback previously provided, both positive and negative, and could decide to either permanently retain the scheme in full or remove part or all of it. Its next meeting is on 2 June, so there might be a final decision then. The report is available in the Late Reports file here.

Road & Pavement Resurfacing for 2026/27

Good news for Greenbank Crescent & Merchiston Avenue – both roads feature in the 2026/27 Transport Capital Investment programme. The southern half of Greenbank Crescent is to be resurfaced and Merchiston Avenue is to be given the ‘chip and spray’ surface treatment. The crossroads at Polwarth Terrace and Ashley Terrace is to be resurfaced too.

Some pavement renewal/resurfacing is to be done in Morningside Drive, Warrender Park Road and Church Hill and footway surface treatment is to be applied to West Castle Road and Braid Hills Road.

Residents will be disappointed that Canaan Lane, Woodburn Terrace, Myreside Road, St. Fillan’s and St. Ronan’s Terrace and Falcon Road West have missed out, despite requests from me for re-assessment. The full list for the 2026/27 programme is available in the appendix to item 7.1 here.

Information on Roadworks and Road repairs

The Council is to provide better information on roadworks and road repairs. Following approval of my proposals to the Council last August, based on requests from Morningside Community Council, all transport related information will be published on the Council’s website and residents will be able to search for planned and programmed works by location.

The Council will also explain how and why roads and pavements are selected for repair and will develop more accessible online information with the Scottish Road Works Commissioner. The report is at item 8.2 here. The Scottish Road Works website is here.

Progress on continental side road zebra crossings

As a result of proposals from Lib Dem and other councillors, the Council is to actively engage with Transport Scotland to investigate continental side road zebra crossings. These crossings have white stripes but no Belisha beacons, so cost a fraction of traditional zebra crossings, and could greatly improve pedestrian safety on side roads. More information is available in the Transport Committee Business Bulletin at item 6.1 here.

What’s happening on the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links?

The Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links have recently made several welcome improvements including a new table tennis table for the Links and new bird boxes. They have also been working with the Council to select new play equipment for the Links Playground (to be installed in the summer). More information on their work is available here. To volunteer with the Friends contact projects@fombl.org.uk

Bin Hubs update

The latest news on bin hub relocations is available here. The Council agreed that bin hubs in Warrender Park Crescent and Terrace can be located on the opposite side of the road from the flats, although there has been a further delay to the installation of bin hubs on Warrender Park Terrace. The Council refused to move 244 of the 266 bin hubs that were reviewed last year and the reasons why should be published on the Council’s website in April.

Holyrood Constituency Boundaries

Morningside Ward used to be entirely within the Edinburgh Southern constituency. Because of boundary changes, part of the ward to the north of Colinton Road and Church Hill (Merchiston, Bruntsfield, Greenhill and Marchmont) now lies in Edinburgh Central and the rest to the south remains in Edinburgh Southern. Boundaries Scotland provides detailed constituency maps here.

This blog post was written and edited by Neil Ross.

Published and promoted by Bill Hume, Peter Nicholson and Charles Dundas, on behalf of Jane Alliston-Pickard, Andy Williamson and Charles Dundas; all Scottish Liberal Democrats, all at 4 Grange Road, Edinburgh EH9 1UH.