An SNP minister has said a disused rail line in Edinburgh must be converted into a public pathway “sooner rather than later”.
In response to a renewed campaign to transform a disused train track in North Edinburgh into an active travel route, Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith MSP Ben Macpherson has given it his backing.
“I’m very supportive of converting the Powderhall railway path into a new active travel route, and know many of my constituents are too,” he said.
“I look forward to working with all the bodies involved to make this happen sooner rather than later.”
Since trains stopped running on the Powderhall railway line between St Mark’s Park and Meadowbank in North Edinburgh 10 years ago, the line has remained vacant.
Local campaigners Andy Arthur and Chris Hill launched a “Powderhall Link” website in an attempt to reinvigorate the project to develop the space into a green pathway.
Whilst an extensive feasibility study published in 2023 demonstrates progress in the project, the campaigners behind the Powderhall Link website criticised the slow movement.
“Many warm words have been said and commitments have been made by officials and politicians.
“Meetings have been held, reports have been written and discussed. But nothing has actually happened towards opening up this link, ” Arthur said.
The primary hold-up appears to be the issue of ownership, as Edinburgh Council still does not own the land and has been in “negotiations” with Network Rail since the railway closure in 2016.
One section of the line, though owned by Network Rail, is on a lease to UK freight operator DB Cargo, requiring the other sections to remain open.
A spokesperson for the City of Edinburgh Council said: “We’re currently in discussion with Network Rail, who own the land in question, to see what potential future use could look like.
“We’re committed to enhancing active travel provision and accessibility across the wider city.”
Funding the project may also prove an obstacle, as it is currently estimated to cost between £5.9 million and £8.4m.
However, recent figures have shown growing calls for green space and active travel access across Scotland.
A total of 72% of Edinburgh residents say they would be helped to start cycling or cycle more by more traffic-free cycle paths away from roads, whilst 82% support improving and increasing local off-road paths, according to Walk Wheel Cycle Trust’s 2025 Walking and Cycling Index for Scotland.
The index also shows that 59% of Scottish residents already travel by walking or wheeling (with a wheelchair or mobility scooter) at least five days a week.
Edinburgh’s active travel route network has expanded across the city, which now offers at least 75km of off-street shared-use paths on former rail lines.
The SNP’s 2026 manifesto’s sustainability plans explicitly state their support for the project.
“We will also support efforts to bring the former Powderhall railway line into use as a new walking and cycling route in the capital,” it says.
The Walking and Cycling Index Edinburgh, published in March 2025 by Sustrans and the City of Edinburgh Council, found that more than half of Edinburgh residents want to see more government spending on walking and cycling.
Moreover, in 2025 the Powderhall project was saved from major active travel cuts.
A similar new active travel route opened in March in Leith, connecting the Foot of the Walk to Dock Street.
Regarding possible uses of the space, campaigner Arthur said: “We want to increase the public awareness of this unused asset in peoples’ backyard and its huge potential.
“We want to get people thinking about how it could be used (ie not just a cycle path) and how it might progress.”
Visions for the site expand beyond a paved path, with campaigners suggesting it could include benches, children’s play space, murals, gardening sites, ecological conservation, and other community-led projects.
The feasibility study even suggests slides on the embankments or repurposing railway materials for sculptures as example interventions.
The study also refers to similar projects worldwide to demonstrate the potential outcomes of the project and innovative approaches that have encouraged active travel.
In Canada, the West Toronto Railpath has been praised for its development into an ecological corridor and active travel path, providing a safe and car-free route through the city.
Closer to home, the Innocent Railway in Edinburgh demonstrates the value to local communities of repurposing these unused spaces.
A previous campaign group had worked to push local authorities to take action on the disused railway line, but saw little success.
