Ban cars from top of Royal Mile to boost Edinburgh tourism, says campaigner

Robin Worsnop, chairman of the Edinburgh Tourism Action Group, said the city centre would suffer “capacity constraints” unless action was taken to free up more space for pedestrians on Princes Street and sections of the Royal Mile, such as the Lawnmarket and Castlehill.

The city council is experimenting with the closure of Princes Street to traffic this month during a break in the tramworks and is considering reducing the amount of traffic on the Royal Mile and Chambers Street as part of a plan to improve the city centre.

A consultation paper being promoted by the council states it is considering restricting access to parts of the Royal Mile, as has happened on part of the High Street, between Parliament Square and Cockburn Street.

Mr Worsnop was speaking prior to the launch of a 10-year tourism strategy for Scotland’s capital which will aim to build on the momentum of the last 20 years when the number of people employed in the sector in the city has leapt from 12,000 to more than 32,000.

Mr Worsnop, chief executive of tour company Rabbies Trail Burners, said the creation of events, better promotion of the city’s cultural infrastructure and encouraging more visitors into the New Town would lead to the development of a proper “year-round” industry.

However, he said many existing hoteliers were “nervous” about the number of hotels being built, claiming Edinburgh had about a million empty beds every year despite record occupancy levels.

The council has ordered a complete review of the Royal Mile, admitting that parts of the street outwith the central pedestrianised section “do not live up to its role as one of the most important streets in Edinburgh, and arguably the most iconic street in the city”.

Mr Worsnop, whose office is just off the High Street, said: “One of the big issues to come out of the research we have been doing for our strategy is a real desire to improve the public realm in the city centre.

“The Royal Mile and Princes Street are the key components and there is a lot that could be done to improve them.

“I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t pedestrianise the top section of the Royal Mile from George IV Bridge all the way up to the castle.

“You only have to look at the difference that has been made in the middle section. I’m not talking about pedestrianising the whole Royal Mile, but it is very busy in the Lawnmarket already, and it shouldn’t be too difficult to bring in.

“Princes Street is fantastic without traffic, and it would be great to see a lot less buses there when the trams start running. There must be a way to change the bus services so that they don’t all have to use Princes Street.”

He added: “The tram going to Leith is crucial if you are going to develop the tourism industry there. I don’t think we’ll be waiting too long after the tram starts running for that to happen.”

Edinburgh city council’s planning leader, Jim Lowrie, said motorists could eventually be banned from driving up the Royal Mile, while new restrictions on parking were being looked at to improve the thoroughfare in the short term.