Great news: change is coming to the Polwarth Roundabout!
We are delighted to report that the City of Edinburgh Council is redesigning the Polwarth roundabout junction to improve safety, following a campaign by the Merchiston and Districts Community Council (MDCC). This is great news for local residents!
In August 2025, the City of Edinburgh Council released designs for a new road layout, which were developed in close consultation with MDCC. These designs were shared with residents for feedback and CEC is has now agreed to follow resident preferences, and implement design option 1.
You can read MDCC’s independent assessment of the City Council’s proposals.
To stay up to date, please sign up for project updates, and we will share news and opportunities for input. You can also contact us to share your views.
Project background
In spring 2022, MDCC received a grant from the City of Edinburgh Council to carry out a community engagement project focused on the pavements of Polwarth. The project focused on the Polwarth Roundabout — at the junction of Polwarth Gardens, Polwarth Crescent and Granville Terrace. Over 12 months, MCC collected community feedback, commissioned traffic surveys, and analysed pedestrian safety and public amenity issues.
The Polwarth Roundabout Report was published in July 2023. It proposes radical changes to the layout of the roundabout in order to improve safety, increase space for pavement users, reduce vehicle volume and speed, introduce much-needed facilities for cyclists, and ‘green’ the environment. The executive summary summarises MCC’s recommendations.
MDCC has been using the report to undertake lengthy engagement with the City Council.
In August 2024, MDCC was delighted to learn that a new ‘Local Traffic Improvement Programme’ had been set up; and that improvements to the Polwarth junction would be included in it. Some £100,000 has been allocated for 2024-25 for design work, with implementation to follow probably around 2026/27.
What’s next?
Keep an eye on the news page below for the latest updates as the project develops. And if you want to stay up to date with developments, please sign up for project updates using the form on this page, and share your views on the contact us page.
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Roundabout Polwarth — Latest News
Since our last post, we have been getting to grips with the huge amount of useful material in your written responses to the survey on the Polwarth Roundabout. We have some 800-900 comments on specific matters and are close to finishing our analysis of these. This report gives you a quick peek at our initial analysis of
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Well done, Polwarth: Initial survey results
We’ve had a fantastic response to the survey about the Polwarth Roundabout. One hundred and sixty – yes, 160! – people took the time and trouble to complete the survey, whether on paper or online. Many thanks to all of you. Headline Results We have a wealth of data that we now need to examine in detail. But
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Keep going, Polwarth!
We’ve had a terrific response from local residents and businesses to our survey about safety and amenity near the Polwarth roundabout. Thanks to everyone who has taken part. The survey remains open till the end of November Please tell your friends, neighbours and any family who live locally to give us their views, if they’ve not already sent
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Polwarth Roundabout: Have your say!
The Polwarth Pavement Project wants to hear your views on safety and amenity near the Polwarth roundabout.
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Polwarth Pavements Project — Summer 2022 update
The Polwarth Pavement Project is making good progress. This is an update on what we have been doing, explains our priorities, and sets out our plan for the rest of the year.
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‘Polwarth Pavements Project’ – look for this in 2022!
In spring 2022 MCC hopes to launch a new project focused on the corridor from Yeaman Place along Polwarth Crescent up to the roundabout at Polwarth Gardens. The goal is to improve the environment for pedestrians and to make the streets and pavements safer and more attractive for residents, parents walking with children to schools,