Edinburgh to keep private hire vehicles out of bus lanes while city modelling work progresses
- Perry Richardson
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
Edinburgh councillors will be asked this week to keep the current rule that prevents private hire vehicles using bus lanes, while commissioning fresh city traffic modelling and reviewing where PHVs and black taxis might be allowed through selected bus gates. The Transport and Environment Committee meets on Thursday 13 November.
Officials recommend maintaining the status quo on PHV access to bus lanes until wider city centre projects are defined, licensing numbers are better understood, and a contemporary assessment is completed using the updated City Model. A review of existing and proposed bus gates is also proposed to identify any locations where access for both PHVs and black taxis could be appropriate.
Stakeholder feedback has been mixed. Bus operators warn of slower journeys and reliability issues if more vehicles enter bus lanes. Cycling groups raise safety concerns about additional traffic in those lanes. PHV representatives argue that exclusion extends journey times and affects operating fairness, noting some users cannot switch to bus services.
Licensing data shows PHV numbers have risen from 2,165 in 2018 to 3,014 in September 2025, with no cap currently in place. By contrast, black taxi numbers have fallen from 1,316 in 2018 to 1,090 in September 2025, despite 1,316 remaining the permitted maximum. Officials say changing market conditions and the flexibility of vehicles used for PHV licences have influenced the shift.
The report highlights the city’s long-standing policy of excluding PHVs from bus lanes, set through the Greenways programme in the 1990s and maintained in the City Mobility Plan 2021 to 2030. Repeated requests to change the policy have previously been rejected.
On bus gates, two central locations are flagged. At Market Street, a bus gate has been approved with a trial permitting PHV access because it does not affect bus services. On George Street, time-limited PHV access is under consideration but would still require Traffic Regulation Order approval. Officials also plan a wider review of current bus gate access for black taxis.
The report cautions that opening core corridors to PHVs, such as Princes Street, could undermine bus reliability at a time when tram frequency is expected to increase. Improving bus journey times remains the priority to meet car-kilometre reduction targets, supported by the Bus Infrastructure Fund.
