Link to text-only version
City of Edinburgh Council

Road

Urban Transport

Within Edinburgh, public transport provides more than 100 million passenger journeys per year. The City is served by over 200 local bus services using over 800 buses which call at 2,000 stops. There are also 7 railway stations within the City area.

Vehicles Entering Edinburgh City Centre in Morning Peak Hour

1986 1996
Vehicle Type No. % No. %
Car 18,647 82.0 17,122 84.1
Motorcycle 350 1.5 120 0.6
Bus 602 2.6 548 2.7
Pedal cycle 684 3.0 693 3.4
Goods 2,445 10.8 1,870 9.2
Total 22,728 100.0 20,353 100.0
Note: Morning peak = 08.00-09.00 am.

Source: The City of Edinburgh Council, City Development, Transport and Communications.

Occupants in Vehicles Entering Edinburgh City Centre in Morning Peak Hour

1986 1996
Vehicle Type No. of Occupants % No. of Occupants %
Car 26,726 42.8 22,710 45.9
Motorcycle 371 0.6 163 0.3
Bus 26,434 42.3 18,841 38.0
Rail 4,498 7.2 4,556 9.2
Pedal cycle 684 1.1 695 1.4
Goods 3,745 6.0 2,557 5.2
Total 62,458 100.0 49,522 100.0
Note: Morning peak = 08.00-09.00 am.

Source: The City of Edinburgh Council, City Development, Transport and Communications.

Car Availability

Edinburgh Scotland
1991 1981 1991
Households Households Households Households
Households: (No.) (%) (%) (%)
without a car 86,248 46.5 53.5 42.6
with 1 car 74,337 40.0 37.0 41.3
with 2 cars 22,049 11.9 8.3 13.8
with 3 or more cars 3,030 1.6 1.2 2.3
Total cars 1991 127,525
1981 93,960
Source: Census of Population 1991, 1981

Vehicles Licensed in Lothian 1992 - 1995 (Thousands)

Change Edinburgh
Type of Vehicle 1992 1993 1994 1995 1992-95 1996
Private/light goods 265.1 259.7 262.0 267.0 1.9 168.5
Motorcycles 4 3.9 3.8 3.8 -0.2 2.1
Public transport 2.5 2.5 2.5 1.6 -0.9 0.8
General goods 4.1 3.8 3.7 3.7 -0.4 2.1
*Farmers goods 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.2 -0.2 -
Other 13.0 18.7 19.5 20.8 7.8 11.8
Total 289.1 288.9 291.8 297.1 8.0 185.3
Notes: numbers relate to 31 December in each year. * the separate 'Farmers goods' vehicle class was abolished July 1995.

Source: Scottish Transport Statistics.

Distance Travelled from Home to Work in Edinburgh

Distance Total % Male % Female %
Less than 2 km 20.8 17.2 24.5
2 - 4 km 27.8 26.1 29.6
5 - 9 km 22.0 23.0 20.9
10 - 19 km 16.8 18.4 15.0
20 - 29 km 6.1 6.8 5.5
30 - 39 km 2.4 3.0 1.7
40 kilometres or more 4.1 5.5 2.8
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0
Source: General Register Office (Scotland) - 1991 Census Special Workplace Statistics.

Travel to Work in Edinburgh:
Mode of Transport


Edinburgh Scotland
Mode of Transport Total % Male % Female % %
Train 3.2 3.1 3.2 3
Bus 31.1 22.4 40.7 18
Total public transport 34.3 25.5 43.9 21
Car driver 42.1 54.1 28.9 49
Car passenger 6.9 4.7 9.3 10
Motrcycle 0.5 0.8 0.2 1
Total private motor vehicle 49.5 59.6 38.4 60
Pedal cycle 1.5 2.1 1.0 1
Wal 11.8 9.7 14.0 15
Total non-motorised 13.3 11.8 15.0 16
Not stated/works at home 5.8 6.1 5.4 3
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Source: General Register Office (Scotland) - 1991 Census Special Workplace Statistics.

Central Edinburgh Controlled Parking
Area: 3.9 sq. kilometres.

Spaces
Public spaces On street 3,341
Public spaces Off street 4,661
Residential spaces On street 2,561
Private spaces (Non-residential) Off street 10,700
Total Spaces   21,263


Source: The City of Edinburgh Council, City Development,Transport and Communications.

Cycle Routes in Edinburgh

Cycle Routes km.
Off-road 64
On-road (adjacent to carriageway) 15
On-road (on carriageway) 49
Total 128
Source: The City of Edinburgh Council, City Development, Transport and Communications.

Public Road Lengths: by Class 1996

Road class Kilometres
Trunk:
Motorway 13
Motorway slips 9
A Roads 27
Total 49
Local Authority:
A Roads 143
B and C Roads 173
Unclassified 946
Total 1,262
Source: Scottish Transport Statistics

Greenways
This innovative scheme is a central element in the City of Edinburgh Council's 'Moving Forward' transportation strategy. The Key Facts are:

Aims to assist public transport and reduce car journeys;
to improve bus reliability;
to reduce bus journey times.
Features strictly enforced bus lane on main radial routes;
policing by a dedicated warden force;
use of distinctive red lines and green bus lanes;
priority given to public transport, cyclists and pedestrians;
bus priority technology at traffic lights;
improved bus passenger facilities and information.
Programme first 13 kilometres of Greenways bus lanes opened
4 August 1997; these are on the A8 (Glasgow Road corridor)
and A900 (Leith Walk);
a further 13 kilometres will be added in late 1998; these are on
the A71 (Gorgie Road corridor), A70 (Slateford Road corridor)
and A700/A702 (Lothian Road corridor).
© The City of Edinburgh Council, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1YJ, Gen. Enq: 0131 200 2323, justask@edinburgh.gov.uk