A major overhaul of Edinburgh's transport network including plans to remove "intrusive" traffic from the city centre and spend £1 billion on walking and cycling in the next decade has been announced by the council.
Encompassing a huge expansion of active travel and priority measures for public transport, as well as restrictions on parking and traffic, the 10-year plan is set to be put to the public to gauge support and collect feedback.
The council said implementing the sweeping changes would be critical to becoming a "lower traffic, more liveable and more sustainable city".
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It includes plans to restrict through traffic on key city centre roads including Bank Street, Market Street and George Street.
A proposal to create a Forth ferry between Leith and Kirkaldy is also included, as is the extension of the tram line out to Granton, the Royal Infirmary and possibly even Dalkeith.
The capital's transport chief Scott Arthur added it would be a "gamechanger" and "transform Edinburgh for the better".
"We'll cut congestion and make it easier for people to come here and spend time here," he added.
The transport committee will meet next week and is set to approve a consultation on the raft of measures proposed, known as the 'Circulation Plan'.
The proposals would see restrictions imposed on a number of key routes through the city centre, including George Street and Market Street.
Other routes under consideration for restrictions - which would "vary significantly" - are the North and South Bridges, Bank Street, Cowgate, the Lauriston Place corridor and Lothian Road.
In addition, the council will look at reducing traffic on Holyrood Road.
Removing parking spaces on streets "well served by public transport" whilst still accommodating for local residents and those with mobility issues is also proposed alongside plans to "strengthen partnerships with the taxi trade and car sharing partners" to take more cars off the roads.
"Systematically on these key routes in the city we're going to issue more tickets to people that are not behaving themselves, but also look at those parking spaces and ask whether or not we need them - particularly at peak times - and also the loading bays for businesses," Cllr Arthur said.
Improvements to the bus and tram network will play a significant part in the overall strategy.
These include extending the tram line north to Granton and south towards the Royal Infirmary, potentially reaching as far as Dalkeith, which the council is expected to table plans for soon.
Through initiatives such as integrating ticketing for bus, tram and train travel across the city it's hoped this will achieve "overall network optimisation to improve journey times".
But Cllr Arthur said it was "about small things as well".
He said: "Our bus stops are going to be better designed, better lit, easier to access to so no matter where you live in the city hopefully you'll feel safer walking to and from your bus stop."
A report added: "New on-street screens will replace the older versions and be capable of showing multi operator information driven by a new content management system. This will be rolled out over the next 24 months to ensure reliable and up to date travel information to all existing sites as well as 80-100 new sites."
The public transport element of the plan will also look to trial bus priority signalled junctions on Dalkeith Road and Slateford Road, with Borders Buses services 51, X95 and X62 and Lothian Buses services 30, 44, 34, 35 and 38 set to take part.
In addition, work will be undertaken to explore reopening Edinburgh's South Suburban Rail Line - and even setting up a Forth ferry between Leith and Kirkaldy.
The city's transport leader added that the council would take "full advantage" of the Scottish Government's Active Travel Investment Programme to create more cycling and walking routes across the capital.
"It should take the total programme over the next 10 years or so to just over £1 billion."
Active travel schemes included in the plan are: Maybury to Barnton, City Centre West East Link (CCWEL), Dundee Street, Straiton Junction and Burdiehouse, Glimerton Rd and Old Dalkeith Road to city centre via Cameron Toll/Craigmillar Park, Niddrie Mains Road and Portobello to Newhaven through Leith and the Kings Road junction. "
The council's goal is for every resident to be between 250 and 400 metres from the cycle network from their front door.
The plan also aims to deliver 10,000 dropped kerbs, 500 benches, and 'up to 200 kilometres of cycle lanes'.
Furthermore, 'travel corridors' being considered for active travel and public transport priority are the A8 Glasgow Road/Corstorphine Road; A70 Lanark Road/Slateford Road; A772 Gilmerton Road; Niddrie Mains Road; and A199 through Seafield and Portobello.
Cllr Arthur said: "It's really about getting people to look at sustainable travel alternatives, so getting them to think about walking and cycling, but I think if we're serious about reducing traffic - and we have target of reducing mileage in the city by 30 per cent by 2030 - we have to get people to look seriously at public transport.
"Hopefully once we get to the end of this 10 years Edinburgh will be a different place we will be competing with the very best capitals in terms of the environment we provide in the city centre and also the town centres around the city."
Mr Arthur admitted the council needed to rebuild trust with the public and listen to their views around infrastructure projects, following controversy surrounding the implementation of the Spaces for People scheme during the last administration.
But he said the authority "can't let consultations become referendums".
"They become hijacked by lobby groups who want particular outcomes," the Labour councillor added.
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