Floating Bus Stops in Edinburgh: Trust, Access and the Street of the Future

Floating bus stops have become one of the most talked-about features of Edinburgh’s evolving streetscape, particularly as new active travel schemes take shape across the city. These layouts, where the bus platform sits slightly away from the pavement with a cycle lane running between the two, are designed to avoid the familiar situation in which cyclists must pull out around a stationary bus or a bus has to cross a cycle lane to reach the kerb. In theory, it is a neat solution to a real-world problem.

However, the picture on the ground is more nuanced. Along Leith Walk, where the design is already in place, many cyclists welcome the smoother, more continuous route and feel better protected from passing traffic. At the same time, a significant number of bus users describe the moment of stepping off the bus and needing to cross a live cycle lane as disorienting or even unsettling. For older residents, people with sight loss, or those using mobility aids or pushing prams, that brief transition can feel like a vulnerable moment. One uncertain step, or even the fear of one, can erode confidence not only in public transport but in the public realm itself.

These challenges are sometimes compounded by short-term conditions that affect all pedestrians: scaffolding, signage, and other obstructions that narrow the pavement or temporarily reroute people into the cycleway or carriageway. In such situations, even a well-designed layout can become confusing or hazardous. Good design needs to anticipate these moments, ensuring that accessibility is not just maintained but prioritised during maintenance or building works. After all, an accessible street benefits everyone: parents with buggies, travellers with luggage, delivery staff, and those who simply move at a slower pace.

Local evidence reinforces these lived experiences. Living Streets Edinburgh has reported strong concerns from respondents with mobility and sensory challenges, while Council engagement sessions on active travel corridors consistently highlight floating stops as a top issue for review. The message is not that change is unwanted, but that it must feel safe, predictable and dignified for everyone who uses the city’s streets.

It may help to picture the layout. Imagine stepping off a bus onto a small island around two or three metres wide. You pause, check your footing, perhaps steady a shopping bag or mobility aid, and then cross a marked cycle lane to reach the pavement. When the weather is poor, when cyclists are travelling quickly, or when light levels are low, that short crossing can feel like a moment of uncertainty. For many, it passes without issue. But for others, particularly those with reduced sight or mobility, the risk feels more immediate.

None of this means floating bus stops are inherently unsuitable for Edinburgh. They work successfully in countries such as the Netherlands, where decades of cultural norms, consistent design principles and clear signalling have made these arrangements intuitive. Where they succeed, they are wide, calm, and clearly marked, with tactile paving, good visibility, and clear cues for cyclists to slow down near boarding areas. It is not the concept that is contentious, but the challenge of implementing it thoughtfully in a historic city where space is tight and every kerb carries competing demands.

Edinburgh’s challenge is to pair ambition with careful, inclusive design. When layouts feel imposed rather than tailored to place, trust erodes. By contrast, when schemes are developed with accessibility organisations, tested with regular bus users, revisited after installation, and discussed transparently, they stand a far better chance of becoming valued parts of our public realm. Changing streets is not just a technical exercise; it is an act of civic stewardship.

As Edinburgh refines its approach, there is real value in local insight from those who step off the bus every morning to those navigating the city with a white cane, pram, or mobility scooter. Residents who have views or concerns can play a positive role in shaping outcomes. Contact your local councillors and ask how accessibility has been tested in each scheme. Share your experiences through the Council’s active travel feedback portal, particularly if you use a mobility aid or support someone who does. Participate in local consultations or speak to your community council, which can raise issues directly. And when a design feels safe and works well, say so. Positive examples help shape good practice just as much as constructive critique.

Edinburgh’s commitment to walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport is both necessary and welcome. A low-carbon, people-centred city is one of the greatest legacies we can leave for future generations. Yet that journey must bring everyone with it. Streets are not only movement corridors; they are places where routines unfold, friendships form and daily life happens. The choice is not between modern mobility and accessibility, but between hurried change and thoughtful progress. With patience, openness and collaboration, Edinburgh can deliver streets that move well and feel right for all.

Further Reading and Useful Resources

• City of Edinburgh Council – Active Travel Projects and Consultations
• Submit feedback to Edinburgh’s Active Travel Team
• Living Streets Edinburgh
• Spokes Lothian
• Transport for All
• National Federation of the Blind UK
• RNIB – Streets and Transport Guidance
• Transport Scotland – Cycling by Design (2021)
• Department for Transport – Inclusive Mobility Guidance
• Transport for London – Bus Stop Bypass Guidance
• Sustrans – Inclusive Street Design
• Edinburgh Access Panel
• CROW Design Manual for Bicycle Traffic (Netherlands)

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