The Roseburn to Union Canal (R2UC) active travel route is officially open. The exciting £17m project provides a new green corridor for walking, wheeling and cycling, significantly enhancing public safety and access to greenspace.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop was joined by Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson and Scotland Director for Sustrans, Karen McGregor, alongside groups of local schoolchildren and representatives of the Dalry community, to officially open the Roseburn to Union Canal (R2UC) Path. Credit: City of Edinburgh Council, 2024.
On Monday 9 December, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop MSP, opened a vital new active travel link in Edinburgh, the Roseburn to Union Canal Path (R2UC).
With works now complete, the Roseburn Path and Union Canal are now firmly connected via a high-quality walking, wheeling and cycling route, complete with newly installed bridges and extensive landscaping work.
Delivered by City of Edinburgh Council in partnerships with Sustrans, construction on the £17 million project began in January 2023.
Inspiration from necessity
Before the completion of R2UC, the area immediately west of Edinburgh’s city centre was hopelessly divided for walking, wheeling and cycling.
Active railway lines coming out of Haymarket and the threat of heavy traffic from the Western Approach Road made travelling actively within these areas almost impossible.
In order to access the Union Canal from the Roseburn Path, people were required to negotiate narrow streets with challenging turns, crossing multiple streams of fast-moving traffic until finally emerging out from Dalry Community Park and into the Telfer Subway, a long and circuitous underground link beneath the Western Approach Road.
The unintuitive layout and dangers inherent to this meandering route made it completely unsuitable for anyone walking, wheeling and cycling, particularly those who might be vulnerable or less confident travelling actively.
Antisocial behaviour and the risk of violent crime was a major concern for many travelling through these areas, encouraging further detours and making journeys longer.
With works complete, the Roseburn Path and Union Canal are now connected via a high-quality walking, wheeling and cycling route, as well as significantly enhancing public access to greenspace for everyone. Credit: City of Edinburgh Council, 2024.
Creating a safer and quicker connection
Extensive consultation with local residents and business owners has ensured that the newly complete R2UC link reflects the aspirations of the community.
Where once people walking, wheeling and cycling were forced to navigate heavy flows of traffic along Russell Road, an uninterrupted segregated cycle lane and footway now exists.
A new 4-meter-wide wide traffic-free path has also created a direct link between Sauchiebank and Dalry Community Park via two new bridges installed over the Mid Calder railway line and Dalry Road.
The new fully-accessible routes offer a safer and quicker alternative to the previous road connection, meaning vulnerable and less confident users will be able to use the new paths with ease.
The project has increased connectivity across Edinburgh, linking to the existing Roseburn Path and City Centre West East Link (CCWEL), as well as National Cycle Network Routes 1 and 75.
And it’s not just the active travel network seeing the benefits of R2UC.
Dalry Community Park has been completely revitalised, with existing play equipment and sports pitches fully replaced, new landscaping and seating areas installed andaccess points from Dalry Road and Lidl car park greatly improved.
Musical stepping stones and a traverse bouldering wall are amongst some of the more imaginative introduction to the space, now easily and safely accessed from Fountain Park via upgraded crossing facilities.
200 semi-mature trees have also been planted along the route, with further planting and seeding planned for spring 2025, in order to create a healthier and more diverse woodland which will enhance local biodiversity.
A cause for celebration
The route was officially opened on the 9 December with an inaugural group walk and cycle from Sauchiebank to Dalry Community Park.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop was joined by Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson and Scotland Director at Sustrans, Karen McGregor, as well as groups of local schoolchildren and representatives of the Dalry community, to cut the red ribbon marking the opening.
There were also stalls from partners at Police Scotland, Spokes, Soul Cycles and City of Edinburgh Council’s Active Travel team.
Speaking after the event, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop said: “I was delighted to take part in the official opening of the Roseburn to Union Canal active travel route and to celebrate with local schoolchildren and residents who will benefit – not only from the path, but through the improved public spaces also.
“£11.6 million of Scottish Government funding was awarded to the Roseburn to Union Canal active travel project through the Sustrans Places for Everyone programme.
“Ambitious projects such as this are making it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle – tackling poverty and protecting the environment – but there is so much more we wish to achieve. Over £155 million has been invested this year and through the Draft Budget for 2025-26, we intend to invest over £188 million to help people leave their cars at home and to choose healthier and greener transport options.”
Extensive consultation with local residents and business owners has ensured that the newly complete R2UC link reflects the aspirations of the community. Credit: City of Edinburgh Council, 2024.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson added: “It was a real pleasure to open the brand new Roseburn to Union Canal active travel route today. This project will breathe new life into Dalry, revitalising previously less used community spaces and the community play park, whilst making it easier and safer for residents and visitors to get around and keep Edinburgh moving.
“Expanding active travel routes in the Capital is a key priority for us and remains central to our goal of becoming a net zero city by 2030, by providing people with more options for safe, sustainable travel. I have no doubt that this route will be a great success as we carry on with delivering a greener, healthier, and more sustainable city for all.
“I’d also like to thank all our excellent colleagues for their hard work and to Transport Scotland and Sustrans who have been instrumental in seeing this project completed.”
Scotland Director for Sustrans, Karen McGregor, explained the importance of high-quality active travel infrastructure such as the Roseburn to Union Canal Path: “Safer routes for walking, wheeling and cycling save lives. The current lack of off-road cycling connections in our cities is the biggest challenge facing people who want to travel actively.
“The evidence shows that in providing convenient and accessible links away from traffic, we are giving more people the confidence to make healthier and more sustainable journeys. Protected routes like the Roseburn to Union Canal Path do just that, enabling those living and working in Edinburgh to get around with ease”.
Working in partnership
The Roseburn to Union Canal Path received £11.6 million funding from the Scottish Government for the design and construction phase of works, administered through Sustrans Scotland’s Places for Everyone programme.
It was delivered by City of Edinburgh Council, who match funded construction from funding approved for the delivery of the Council’s Active Travel Investment programme.
Balfour Beatty were the lead contractor on the project.
