Edinburgh council committed to improvements at the Cowgate after

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Edinburgh was rocked at the weekend by unverified reports of a 'severed head' having been found at the Cowgate after a horror bus crash which killed a 74-year-old man.

A major emergency services response was under way on Saturday, November 2, after police were called to reports of a serious crash at around 7.30pm. The Cowgate and surrounding streets were cordoned off by police while forensic teams conducted investigations. Police later said a 74-year-old man had been killed after he was hit by a single decker bus.

Edinburgh Cowgate: Everything we know about horror crash

Now, the City of Edinburgh Council has committed to improving the safety of road users and pedestrians at the Cowgate, which is a popular part of Edinburgh's nightlife, with many bars and nightclubs in the Old Town area.

Original plans to pedestrianize the Cowgate were dropped this year, with one-way traffic proposals the latest solution to be discussed by the local authority.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: "First of all, I want to express my sincere condolences to the family of the gentleman who died in the tragic incident on the Cowgate over the weekend.

"The circumstances are still unknown and it's important that we allow the police to investigate fully before jumping to any conclusions.

"We remain firmly committed to making our city centre a safer, more welcoming environment for all road users, and the proposed improvements to the Cowgate are very much part of our plans."

In May this year, the Transport Committee recommended that the Cowgate be made one-way before being fully closed, as part of the Edinburgh City Centre Transformation Strategy (ECCT). It also recommended a phased implementation of the circulation plan which would involve further consultation and research, before introducing restrictions.

In an update to these plans in September, the council said the ECCT programme is now "gaining greater momentum".