Edinburgh locals have been left baffled by 'ghost cycle lanes' left behind on Leith Walk as the city prepares for the trams.
Over the past three years, Leith Walk has transformed as tram lines have been laid down and cycle paths have been formed alongside the pavement.
However, parts of the footpath have a white line down the middle, suggesting pedestrians should walk on one side, and bikes on the other.
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Locals have dubbed them 'ghost cycle lanes' and have questioned when they will be removed to ensure a distinctive difference between pavement and cycle path.
One local from Leith Feeder Ride said: "These markings are from a previous phase of the tram works, when part of the pavement was allocated as a temporary cycle lane.
"Their continued presence, along with the ambiguity over whether the permanent cycle lanes are officially open, is adding to a sense of confusion as the project nears completion. Hopefully, the obsolete markings will be removed in time for the opening of the tram extension on June 21, so that people can experience and make judgments on the final designs, rather than the mixture of phases that currently exist."
Edinburgh Council have confirmed that the Trams to Newhaven project installed them during construction and 'they will be removed by contractors as part of snagging and defects'.
This comes as the changes made to Leith Walk came under fire as roads leading off the walk have been closed to traffic such as the notorious 'no left turn' to London Road.
In another instance, pedestrians have been seen forced to queue across a cycle lane on Leith Walk in order to board a bus.
Lauren previously told Edinburgh Live: "A dedicated cycle path is a positive development as many people, including me, aren’t confident cycling in traffic.
"Unfortunately the Leith Walk cycle lane design reduces pedestrian space and puts cyclists and pedestrians into conflict. It’s common to see people walking in the bike lane without realising."
Speaking about the issue earlier this year, Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “The current layout on Leith Walk complies with the Edinburgh Street Design Guidance (ESDG), which recognises that flexibility is required to accommodate a variety of modes in the design of existing streets.
“The Council’s project team worked hard to engage closely with the public from the project’s inception, and the design was developed in close consultation with the community and stakeholders during 2018 to allow residents, businesses, pedestrians and cyclist to co-exist with buses and trams.
“The cycle lane is currently closed, with diversions in place. However, I do acknowledge that there are genuine concerns regarding this scheme and I will ensure it is closely monitored once it is fully open to the public.”
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