August 2026 news from Councillor Neil Ross
Morningside Road Pavement Extension implementation
The Council’s latest timetable for Active Travel Improvements indicates that work may start on implementation of the Morningside Road pavement extension in November this year. You may recall in early 2025 the Council produced initial designs for the permanent widening of the very narrow pavement on the west side of Morningside Road opposite Waitrose. The plans include renewing the pedestrian crossing plus extending the bus stop outside the surgery by removing one parking space, to make it easier for buses to pick up and drop off passengers, and should also include resurfacing the raised junctions with Falcon Avenue, Abbotsford Park and Steel’s Place. The Traffic Order process is the main reason for the delayed delivery but a widened pavement and renewed crossings will be welcome when they arrive.
Contribute your ideas for City Plan 2040
The Council is seeking proposals and ideas to help shape Edinburgh’s next City Development plan. This is a good opportunity to help shape the vision, priorities and proposals for the new plan, City Plan 2040. The plan will set out the planning policies and priorities against which planning applications will be assessed in future. Read more about this and contribute your ideas here. The deadline for comments is 30 September. City Plan 2030 is the current local development plan and is available here.
Harrison Road Bridges update
The Council’s Bridges Engineer has shared the following update and says that significant progress has been made at the Harrison Road Bridge.
“The existing brick jack arches have been successfully demolished from below, and the cast iron beams have been removed from site, with the help of a 110t crane. This marks a major milestone in the project and allows the contractor to progress to the next phase of works.
In parallel, progress continues on the Canal Bridge. Since it was strengthened on the underside, the topside design works have been completed which includes the addition of Trief kerbs and new weight restriction signage. These measures will help prevent vehicles over 7.5 tons crossing the bridge and also protect the footways from accidental wheel loading.”
Merchiston Crescent planning application
A planning application has been submitted to convert a large detached house in Merchiston Crescent into six flats plus the replacement of an existing extension with another five flats. Details are available on the Council’s Planning portal here under reference 26/02638/FUL and the deadline for comments is Friday 14 August.
How to report overgrown trees and hedges
Trees, hedges and bushes that grow out over pavements and roads can create an obstruction and need to be cut back. They can be reported to the Council here. A letter should be issued to the land owner asking them to prune back their over-grown foliage.
How to request yellow lines
If you have potential road safety concerns that might be addressed by a yellow line, then a request can be made to the Council here. An inspector will make an assessment of any request and discuss it with other agencies. If it is approved, a traffic order will be requested, taking 12 to 18 months before implementation.