Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has launched a campaign to demand progress on the much-needed upgrade to Sheriffhall roundabout.
Sign up to the campaign here: It’s time to deliver the new Sheriffhall roundabout! | Edinburgh
After nearly 20 years of discussion and more than £6m in consultation, Sheriffhall continues to bring the Edinburgh Bypass to a standstill every rush-hour.
A fly-over solution proposed by Transport Scotland in 2018 has the potential to save the region time, money, and pollution by allowing Bypass traffic to avoid the roundabout altogether.
However, due to Green party opposition and SNP complacency, proposals have been left to gather dust while costs increase.
Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, held a debate on the state of the city bypass in 2018, highlighting the economic value of the A720 and warning that gridlocked traffic was putting off potential investors to the area.
Speaking in 2018, he cited a report by Inrix which identified the bypass as the most congested trunk road outside London and predicted that the cost of bypass congestion to the economy could reach £2.8 billion by 2025.
Sheriffhall was flagged as a priority in the 2008 Strategic Transport Projects Review. Ten years later, the Scottish Government committed £120m through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Regional Deal. Ground Investigations took place that year and draft road orders were published in 2019.
However, several setbacks including a Green-led review in 2020 put the project on hold.
According to the City Regional Deal joint committee in December 2024: “following conclusion of the Public Local Inquiry (PLI) for the project, the Scottish Government was now taking the necessary time to consider the recommendations within the independent Reporter’s report to inform a decision on whether or not to proceed to complete the statutory process for the project as promoted.”
There has been no update since.
More than 75,000 vehicles use the bypass every day already. Lothian has the fastest growing population in Scotland, currently circa 916,000, and will represent 84% of Scotland’s predicted population growth over the period to 2033. Several new housing developments outside Edinburgh are also dependent on Sheriffhall, the bypass, and surrounding trunk roads.
Miles Briggs has launched an online campaign titled “It’s time to deliver the new Sheriffhall roundabout!”. This will allow the public to make their voice heard and put pressure on the SNP to provide a renewed commitment to this project.
A members business debate on Sheriffhall will be led by Miles Briggs on Tuesday 10th June.
Sign up to the campaign here: It’s time to deliver the new Sheriffhall roundabout! | Edinburgh
Miles Briggs MSP for Lothian said:
“It is ridiculous that after nearly 20 years of discussion, the Sheriffhall roundabout is still bringing the bypass to a standstill. From day one it was clear that the roundabout needed a fly-over, 40 years later we have a significantly larger population across the region but have seen no progress whatsoever to improve the roundabout. Sheriffhall is costing commuters and businesses in our region time, money, and pollution from congestion. It is time for SNP Ministers to act and provide the leadership needed to get the upgrade back on track. That is why I have launched my campaign to upgrade this notorious junction, asking residents across Lothian to make their voice heard. Edinburgh and the Lothians deserve better than this and I hope my campaign to upgrade the junction will make SNP Ministers understand the level of frustration motorist are facing and give the upgrade the priority it deserves.”