Powderhall Junction

The Powderhall Junction upgrade is linked to the redevelopment of the former Waste Transfer Site at Powderhall and its adjacent sites for new housing (proposed as car free), a new Early Year’s Centre and flexible work and studio space in the refurbished stables building. The infrastructure is: 

• A section of St Mark’s Path, part of Edinburgh’s Core Path network, at Powderhall between the Water of Leith and Broughton Road. St Mark’s Path is part of quiet route 20 and runs north / south through the proposed development site at Powderhall giving access to National Cycle Route 75 to the north and connections to the wider Edinburgh cycling and walking network 
• An improved entrance and connecting junction to the site: McDonald Road, Broughton Road, St Marks Path’s and a new entrance to serve the redeveloped Powderhall 
• A new connection between the former bowling greens site and Powderhall Village by introduction of steps and an accessible ramp for wheelers and cyclists 
• A new east / west cycle and pedestrian path connecting the above connection through the Powderhall site to St Mark’s Path and a new proposed cycle and walking route along the Powderhall railway line 

More information on St Mark’s Path and the new east / west cycle and pedestrian path will be shared at a later date. 

The potential to convert the former Powderhall Railway Line to an active travel route is being explored separately. 

The vision for the area is to make it as easy as possible for people to move about the local area by sustainable modes without the need for motorised transport, contributing to an improvement in health and wellbeing and a reduction in car use.

This vision is to create safer, more attractive, healthier places by increasing the number of trips by walking, cycling and wheeling for everyday journeys. This also aligns to the National Sustainable Travel Hierarchy, which is shown opposite.

The project objectives are:

• To promote a healthy, active and inclusive City through improved connectivity and providing attractive, safe spaces;
• To improve access to key services via active travel for communities in the local area;
• To achieve a measurable increase in cycling as an everyday mode choice within five years of construction;
• To contribute to the creation of a community led active travel corridor that incorporates local placemaking ideas through continued engagement with the local community; and
• To cater for users of all abilities (inclusive and accessible).

As part of Stantec's work to create a design for the junction, an option appraisal was undertaken. This aligns with the Design Review process outlined in  Cycling by Design , the latest design requirements for cycling published by Transport Scotland in 2021.

Through this process an initial preferred option was identified. The preferred option is an adaptation of a protected signal-controlled junction layout, shown in Figure 5.9 of Cycling by Design (see opposite).

The initial preferred option was a full reconfiguration of the junction to include cycle tracks at carriageway level and traffic signals which provide more priority and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

To inform the detail of the design of the junction, the following work has been undertaken:

1. Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA)
2. Stage 1 Road Safety Audit
3. Vehicle tracking
4. Multi-modal modelling
5. Utility surveys (C2)

A full Stakeholder and Community Engagement schedule has been prepared and delivered based on information compiled for the Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA).

The main methods of the consultation for Powderhall Junction at Stages 0 to 2 were:

• An online Microsoft Forms survey, open between 1st September and 25th September 2022, which received 412 responses.
• Stakeholder workshops which were conducted over Microsoft Teams with the following groups:
  • CEC Officers
  • External stakeholders including Community Councils, local schools and parent councils and emergency services
  • Disability and protected characteristics groups / individuals, including Edinburgh Access Panel
• A public event held at Broughton Primary School on Thursday, 15th September 2022 between 15:00 and 19:00.
• Discussions with the School Crossing Patrol Officer operating at Powderhall Junction.

The public event and online survey were publicised through:

• Emails to all of the stakeholders asking them to further distribute the information to their associated groups
• Social media posts
• Council webpage
• Approximately 7,000 flyers distributed to nearby properties.

The main themes from stakeholder comments were:

• Priority for pedestrians should be reinforced along St Marks Path.
• Interchange between St Marks Path and Powderhall Junction needs to provide a coherent transition area.
• Preferred option is circuitous and does not provide for cyclist desire lines.
• Consideration should be given to installing yellow box markings at junction to ensure junction remains clear of vehicle traffic.
• Existing footways towards Broughton Road Railway Bridge are inadequate (too narrow).

The project team reached approximately 426 people through the online survey (412 responses) and the public drop in event at Broughton Primary School (~14 attendees).

• 366 local residents responded, 67 taking their child(ren) to school, 49 working in the area, 8 local business owners, and various others (including 4 campaigners).
• 29 respondents consider themselves to have a disability, 9 of which said there are particular considerations relating to their disability that should be considered with regard to redesigning the junction.

Although there was a high level of support for the proposed scheme, a range of constructive feedback was received and more detailed is provided on the next page "You Said, We Did".

As the study progressed from Stage 2 (concept design) to Stage 3 (developed design) it was agreed to extend the study extents:

• north / east along Broughton Road towards the railway bridge over Powderhall railway line with footway widening
• south / east along McDonald Road, improving provision for pedestrians and cyclists, primarily school pupils, to the entrance of Broughton Primary

An online survey was live from the 9th January to 16th February 2024. A total of 99 responses were received.

A public event drop-in event was held on 24th January 2024.

A site walkover was held on 7th February 2024, where the following organisations were represented: Broughton Primary School, Spokes, Living Streets and Broughton Community Council.

The engagement activities were promoted through social media posts (CEC, Sustrans and stakeholders), posters erected around the study area, direct emails to stakeholders and flyers distributed to local businesses and adjacent residential properties

Through the online survey, respondents were asked for feedback on the proposed design. A total of 99 responses were received and 62% (N= 60) of respondents support the preferred option for the McDonald Road / Broughton Road Junction. 53% (N=50) support the preferred option for McDonald Road and 67% (N=66) support the preferred option for Broughton Road.

Following the Stage 3 engagement, the design layout was altered based on stakeholder and community feedback, as described on the next page "You Said, We Did".

Based on the feedback of stakeholders and the local community, changes to the design layout were made, as shown opposite. The main reasons for the changes were:

• feedback from stakeholders and the community that the layout was too complex and did not cater for the desire lines for cyclists between McDonald Road and St Mark's Path
• lessons learnt from recent active travel infrastructure projects in Edinburgh
• the publication of  Our Future Streets – a circulation plan for Edinburgh  which confirms there is no short to medium term aspiration to provide cycle tracks on Broughton Road

To view the preferred design click on the image opposite or click the button below to download a copy of the technical drawings.

Below is a description of what you said and how we responded through the design. This list will be updated as the design continues to evolve.

You said: extend the study extents to widen the footway on Broughton Road to, and over, the railway bridge.

We did: we extended the study extents to widen the footway on Broughton Road to, and over, the railway bridge.

You said: Advanced Stop Lines for cyclists could be provided on the approaches to the junction with access lanes.

We did: Advanced Stop Lines have been added to every approach to the junction with access lanes made as long as possible.

You said: Some of the kerbs separating the cycle lane could be trip hazards to users with mobility / visual impairments.

We did: The small sections of kerb within the carraigeway have been removed to reduce the potential for trip hazards.

You said: the design is too complex and should be simplified.

We did: We have simplified the layout, in particular, to better cater for the main movements by cyclists between St Mark's Path and McDonald Road.

You said: A two-way cycle crossing should be provided on the north side of Broughton Road so cyclists travelling south and turning right into St Mark’s Path have a more direct route.

We did: A two-way toucan crossing has been provided on the north side of the junction over Broughton Road.

You said: Include “keep clear” or yellow hatch markings to aid vehicles exiting from the former waste transfer site.

We did: Keep clear markings have been added.

You said: Cycle users turning left should be able to continue at all times without being stopped by a red light like cars.

We did: This has been accommodated in the design; cyclists making this movement will only have to give way to pedestrians at the zebra crossings.

 You said: Do not remove the trees from McDonald Road.

We did: We have retained all but two trees. One established and one newer tree will be removed and replaced with four new trees (two on Broughton Road and two within the adjacent new developments). The trees are being removed to provide more space and improve safety for pedestrians by ensuring appropriate visibility.

You said: The Car Club spaces on McDonald Road should be retained.

We did: The design has been altered so the Car Club spaces on McDonald Road have been retained.

You said: the priority working arrangement on McDonald Road will lead to congestion and increase delay for vehicles, including buses

We did: following this feedback and additional modelling, the priority working arrangement has been removed from the design.

You said: the design includes tramline style tactiles (i.e. parallel to the cycleway) and these can be hazardous to cycle along, if the wrong design is chosen.

We did: further consideration, with additional engagement, will be given to the inclusion of tramline style tactiles.

You said: that the signal for the diagonal cycle lane crossing should be at full height and visible from across the road, so that the cyclists “right to cross” is visible – and most importantly when it is no longer their “right”.

We did: further consideration, with additional engagement, will be given to the traffic signal infrastructure as the design evolves.

Modelling has been undertaken using industry standard software packages and shows that, at most times of the day, the level of queuing and delay for vehicles is within acceptable ranges. Some queuing and delay may be experienced at the busiest times, which is normal for an urban area, and it will be managed by the traffic signals. For example, the delay for vehicles turning right into or out of McDonald Road will be reduced at busy times.