Plans regarding Edinburgh's transport future have been approved.

The new five-year Local Transport Strategy 2014-2019, will highlight a number of "forward-thinking objectives", the local authority has said.

The Local Transport Strategy (LTS) sets out a number of key actions intended to:

• Reduce carbon emissions

• Increase the city's resilience to the impact of climate change

• Support sustainable and active travel.

Approved in 2010, the Transport Vision 2030 states that by 2030, Edinburgh's transport system will be one of the greenest, healthiest and most accessible in northern Europe.

 Among the key priority actions in the new LTS are to:

• Consult on detailed proposals for the 20mph network for the city centre, main shopping streets and residential areas
• Review city centre parking, Sunday parking and residents' parking as part of an overarching Parking Action Plan
• Piloting the installation of 'school streets' closures at between three and five schools
• Evaluate options to reduce emissions in the city centre.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport and Environment Convener, said: "We were absolutely delighted with the number and quality of responses and feedback we received to help us shape the Local Transport Strategy.


"The next five years will be a particularly exciting period for transport in Edinburgh – the trams are almost complete, the City is moving towards a more integrated transport network, Transport for Edinburgh is in place. We need to make sure we keep Edinburgh moving smartly and efficiently and we look forward to working hard with our partners now to add detail to the vision and to achieve the LTS's challenging objectives.

"This is undoubtedly quite a radical document but it's also a practical one. We hope people will take ownership of it and think that it's the right way forward."

(JP/IT)