From variety of sources and articles you can draw a conclusion that cycle path network in Edinburgh evolves in a positive way and expands giving its users more choice every year.

“Cycling in Edinburgh is on the up: around 1 in10 work trips are now by bike according to the Scottish Household Survey. Cycling is by far the best mode of traveling around the city – no parking charges, no fuel costs, no hunting for a parking space; no delays in traffic, no pollution, minimal land-take, better health and fitness, and little danger to other road users.” (Spokes, 2016)

Spokes also states that the cycle facilities network is growing. There has been also growing number of “Quiet Road” new network due to new Council policy. According to Spokes since 1977 there has been many improvements for cyclists in Edinburgh among which are for example: route across the Meadows, transformation of North Edinburgh disused rail network into cycle path, many on-road cycle lines and many on-road pole segregated routes – (which are most recently for example visible for everybody walking along George IV Bridge or if you are riding Milton Road West) (Spokes, 2016)

“Cycling Policy: Thanks to campaigning by Spokes the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) allocated 5% of its transport budget to cycling in 2012-13, rising by 1% a year to 10% in 2017-18. This is a major commitment by the Council, and the policy is unique in the UK.

Thanks in part to this investment, cycle use is growing significantly, and Spokes’s twice-yearly traffic counts show that bikes now from over 20% of peak hour city-bound traffic on some roads.

CEC’s Local Transport Strategy has ambitious targets to increase cycle use form 2% of all trips in 2010 to 10% by 2020, along with rising walking and bus, while reducing car use from 43% of trips to just 31% - and, importantly, reducing the need to travel. The Council’s Active Travel Action Plan (updated in 2016) details the measures being taken to boost cycling and walking.

Council infrastructure includes… The road system… The council is converting the entire city to 20mph, apart from a limited network of 30mph arterial roads. A new regime of road maintenance is being introduced to try and reduce surface deterioration, but potholes remain a serious problem.

On road cycling infrastructure… Rising cycle use has given the Council confidence to consider segregated cycling facilities on main roads. So far there are only 2 short sections, but more are planned. Widespread earlier facilities include Advance Stop Lines (ASLs), the red boxes before traffic lights, and cycle lanes which are advisory rather than mandatory and which allow car parking at specified times of day. Bus lanes also offer some protection to cyclists.

Off-road cycling infrastructure… There is a major network of old rail paths around the north and east of the city – solid blue lines on the map. The canal towpath, since re-surfacing, is extremely popular – it is lovely, but unsuitable for fast cycling. There are shared-use paths across most parks, beside the Water of Leith; and along Portobello Prom – the latter after years of campaigning. As well as infrastructure, the Council is working on promotional and safety initiatives such as signing, cycle training for HGV drivers, adult and child cycle training, publicity stalls etc.

Trams Due to lack of consideration for cycling in designing the tramline layout there have been many tramline crashes. The council is slowly installing measures to reduce the dangers, but meantime cross at as near a right-angle as possible and take extra care when wet. More positively, following a major Spokes campaign, Edinburgh became the first UK city to allow bike carriage on trams (off-peak).“ (Spokes, 2016)