CCWEL: Edinburgh’s landmark active travel scheme 

United Kingdom

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Explore how this transformative project is reshaping Edinburgh’s streets – connecting communities and paving the way to a net-zero future.

Running from Roseburn to Leith Walk, City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) is the first strategic active travel project to run to and through Edinburgh’s historic City Centre. 

The £23 million scheme, which opened in March 2024, provides a safe, direct cycle route through the heart of the Scottish capital, linking key transport interchanges, businesses, neighbourhoods and the wider cycle network, while enhancing nearby public spaces. 

Our team played a pivotal role in shaping the project throughout the full lifecycle, overseeing the detailed design, contract preparation, site supervision and technical support during construction.  

Why is CCWEL needed? 

Transport is the single biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland – and one of the largest contributors in Edinburgh. With the city’s population projected to reach nearly 600,000 by 2040, pressure on urban infrastructure – and the need for sustainable travel options – will only continue to increase.  

CCWEL, which is funded by the Scottish Government and supported by partners including Sustrans and Transport Scotland, is a crucial step towards transforming how people move across the city.  

By promoting active travel and integrating with other sustainable transport projects under development – such as the George Street and First New Town (GSNT) project and the Roseburn to Union Canal cycle route, the scheme aligns with Edinburgh’s City Mobility Plan, which aims to reduce car travel by 30 per cent in kilometres by 2030. 

A comprehensive design  

Drawing on our in-depth expertise, we developed a high-quality design for the scheme which includes:  

  • 2.8 kilometres of segregated cycle tracks  
  • 4.1 kilometres of resurfaced footways  
  • 13 new and 10 improved pedestrian-only crossings  
  • 8 new and 9 improved pedestrian and cycle crossings 
  • 10 new ‘continuous footway’ side road crossings, giving pedestrians (and cycle tracks) priority crossing side roads  
  • The creation of large new pedestrian space in high-quality paving for the ‘Rejuvenating Roseburn’ project. 

Balancing heritage with modern needs 

Working on CCWEL posed numerous challenges, not least due to its route through Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site. This required meticulous care to preserve the architectural heritage of nearby structures and prevent any damage during construction. 

Our expertise was integral in overcoming these obstacles. For example, we created bespoke structural designs to protect a network of Georgian building vaults running directly beneath the footways on Queen Street and several other historic locations.  

Additionally, we worked closely with statutory authorities and the local community to carefully manage any impacts throughout construction. This involved supporting the Council with traffic and road orders required for the scheme.  

At the official opening on 20 March 2024, Patrick Harvey MSP and Councillor Scott Arthur rode along the new CCWEL route between Roseburn and Haymarket with local cyclists and members of the Cargo Bike Movement. Photography: Tom Duffin

Enabling safer, more efficient travel and enhancing public spaces 

Another challenge was working with a finite amount of road space, with the competing demands of pedestrians, cyclists, road traffic, public transport and businesses.  

Thanks to our traffic engineering expertise, we were able to manage these diverse needs, using detailed traffic signal designs and modelling to optimise flow across transport modes.  

Notable design features include 10 continuous footway side road crossings and the introduction of “Tiger” crossings, which provide safe parallel crossings for cyclists and pedestrians. For most of the route, cyclists are protected from heavy traffic flows through a segregated design, meaning vulnerable and less confident cyclists can use the new paths safely. 

In addition to the cycle route, the scheme focused on revitalising surrounding public areas. Improved crossings, footways and street surfacing have all been introduced as part of CCWEL, as well as green pedestrian zones and additional seating areas for people to relax and enjoy. 

‘A game-changer within the world of active travel’ 

Since its official opening in March 2024, CCWEL has already made an impact, with new traffic data collated by Cycling Scotland revealing how the growing network of cycle routes in Edinburgh is encouraging record numbers of people to travel by bike

Speaking of the scheme’s legacy, Karen McGregor, Scotland Director for Sustrans, said: “[CCWEL] is an absolute game-changer within the world of active travel. For the first time ever in Scotland, we’ve delivered a fully segregated walking, wheeling and cycling connection that cuts through the heart of the city centre.  

“In doing so, this fantastic new route gives the people of Edinburgh a safe and accessible driving alternative, allowing people to get to where they want, how they want, regardless of age or ability.” 

Main image: a computer-generated image of Melville Crescent, part of the CCWEL route