The Park and Ride facility at Ingliston near Edinburgh Airport, on the western edge of Edinburgh, provides parking space for 535 cars with additional space at other stops such as Hermiston on the Edinburgh City Bypass, Newcraighall in the east of the city and at Ferrytoll in Fife. The facility uses bus and tram links to encourage people to use them and access a wide area across the city. More than 500 motorists use these schemes per day, reducing a high number of vehicles from the CBD roads. Despite having 535 spaces at Ingliston, the car park is full by the end of rush hour, making it inaccessible for anyone who is not traveling during rush hour.
Pedestrianised areas, like Rose Street, remove traffic from the central business district, making it safer for shoppers and reducing pollution. These areas also encourage people to walk instead of bringing a car, but deliveries to businesses on these streets are often limited to certain times like early morning or nights which can impact their stock and businesses.
Roads are narrowed and speed bumps have been installed to make traffic move more slowly around narrower streets, improving safety for pedestrians and residents. The 20mph speed limit rolled out across Edinburgh slows down cars and makes it safer for cyclists, increasing the use of bicycles instead of cars. However, the 20mph speed limit can frustrate drivers and increase road rage or risk taking like driving through red lights.
Web-based car sharing schemes like Tripshare aim to reduce the number of commuter vehicles entering the city during work hours. The Edinburgh City Car Club has specific parking spaces in the city so members of the scheme can pick up a car or van locally when they need one, reducing the number of cars on the roads, especially during rush hour.
Permit prices across the city center rose by 10% in 2013, encouraging residents and businesses to rely on public transport rather than owning a car. Parking charges in the city center can cost as much as £3.20 per hour, and rising prices aim to deter motorists and encourage the use of public transport or cheaper parking outside the city. The city bypass forms a two-lane ring road around the city, allowing people to avoid the narrow streets in the city center, reducing congestion.
Transport Edinburgh has worked hard to improve public transport in the city, including new railway stations and improvements to Edinburgh Waverley. These improvements aim to provide better and more accessible public transport options for the residents and visitors of Edinburgh.
