@spokes.org.ukš #JanGehl 90th birthday
Sadly @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social forgot his 2011 call forš¶š©āš¦¼š²šš #PrincesStreet
š Instead: 4 lanes #tarmac
-> www.spokes.org.uk/wp-content/u...
@edi.bike @chdot.bsky.social @edfoc.bsky.social @chasbooth.bsky.social @sparksstirling.bsky.social @urbaneprofessor.bsky.social
![Start of Spokes deputation to the Council on Princes St/ George St, referencing Jan Gehl 2011 report
Princes Street and Waverley Valley
CEC Planning Cttee 9.9.26, agenda item 71
Spokes submission on transport aspects
Spokes fundamentally rejects the recommendations in this report. The proposals represent only minor
change from those rejected by councillors2 on 12 November 2025, under Cllr Langās motion as amended.
Their very description as āpragmatismā does not reflect councillorsā request for an āambitious and exciting
strategy.ā
As regards Princes Street itself, the approach mainly consists of repaving the north footway, and a 1.5m
improvement to footway width on the south side, whilst leaving the bulk of the width of Princes Street as a
4-lane transport corridor which, whilst busy at times, is for much of the day mainly an expanse of tarmac.
It is not the āplaceā proposal which has been recommended by experts in urban design, from the Councilās
2011 Jan Gehl report [para 1102 here3] and subsequently, for what is Edinburghās premier street, and,
indeed, Scotlandās. Gehl recommended4 a place with high pedestrian provision, safe cycling as well as
quality public transport.
This can only be achieved by reducing the amount of road width allocated to bus, coach, tram and taxi, and
possibly reducing their numbers. We discuss this further below.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:2ood4k4wojq5jku2zl3myqco/bafkreicgstmigd3m5dmde3i5xuddvwmmk3ep2fob2wux276rec6bleiije@jpeg)
