Cowgate 'worst street in Edinburgh for pedestrians' as urgent road safety report commissioned

An urgent road safety report has been commissioned following the death of a man who sustained catastrophic injuries after being struck by a coach.

Michael Leneghan, 74, was on foot when he was hit by a single decker bus in Edinburgh’s Cowgate at around 7.25pm on Saturday, November 2.

The area, which is lined with bars and nightclubs, was busy with revellers at the time of the incident due to the Halloween weekend and Scotland’s rugby international against Fiji at Murrayfield.

Police Scotland confirmed the crash is under investigation.

It follows calls from campaigners after a report eight years ago found it was the “worst street in the city for pedestrians”.

A ban on traffic in Edinburgh’s ‘dangerous’ Cowgate was due be introduced months before the fatal crash but was delayed by the council over concerns about funding.

Councillors agreed earlier in the year to close the busy street to “some or all through traffic in 2024”. It was initially hoped a “complete closure” would be in place for the start of the summer festivals.

Amelia Waspe is a risk strategy lead at Street Assist – a charity which regularly helps people in Edinburgh get home after a night out.

Street Assist risk strategy lead Amelia Waspe STV News

She told STV News: “If you’ve got any form of event, such as a big sports day, all the venues are absolutely packed in this street.

“It’s two way traffic – you’ve got delivery drivers having to bypass them and the pavements are very narrow. There’s a very small gap between the road and the front of the venue.

“The barriers put up are temporary and it wouldn’t take much for someone to come down there accidentally.

“People going to pubs are able to spill out on the road – it’s a space for congregation.”

But Amelia said more changes could make the Old Town street safer for pedestrians.

“You’ve got to be careful and respect that if you change it too much, you could lose what makes it popular.

“But by the same token, a lot could be done to make it a little bit more safe and friendly.”

Living Streets Edinburgh convenor David Hunter said a number of improvements have been made over the years, such as double yellow lines and a pavement parking ban.

Current safety measures restrict vehicles from driving along the street from 10pm with a 20mph and Low Emission Zone also in place.

Buses, cars, taxis and HGVs are allowed to use the street prior to the 10pm curfew if they meet the emission standards.

The group has urged Edinburgh City Council to revisit plans to improve the street, such as adding chicanes or complete pedestrianisation.

Police respond to collision involving pedestrian and vehicle in Cowgate area, November 2 2024 STV News

David said: “We need to be very careful to work in a joined-up way. People have suggested closing Cowgate to traffic and pedestrianising it – but it’s near the Royal Mile, which has a primary school on it. You don’t want to push more traffic onto the Royal Mile.

“The two problems are heavy traffic and inadequate pavements. There’s a lot of people drinking in the street.

“There’s a lot of traffic during the festival in particular. The street’s getting busier all the time. It’s really important that’s addressed.”

Edinburgh Council has passed an emergency motion, with a special report to go to the next Transport and Environment Committee on November 18.

Transport and environment convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “First of all, I want to express my sincere condolences to the family of the gentleman who died in the tragic incident on the Cowgate over the weekend.

“The circumstances are still unknown and it’s important that we allow the police to investigate fully before jumping to any conclusions.

“We remain firmly committed to making our city centre a safer, more welcoming environment for all road users, and the proposed improvements to the Cowgate are very much part of our plans. These will be brought to the Transport and Environment Committee in due course.

“Whilst we can’t give exact timescales at this point – I’d reiterate that road safety for all road users, not only in the Cowgate but across the city, is always a key priority for us.”