EDINBURGH'S tram line will be extended to the north and south and the city centre will be largely car-free within ten years under radical plans to transform Scotland's capital. Council leaders have unveiled blueprints for "iconic streets" to be "progressively pedestrianised" over the next decade, with George Street to be shut to vehicles by 2025.
Proposals to be put out for consultation also float the idea of a congestion charge "if necessary", but city chiefs stressed there were no plans to implement this.
Meanwhile, "seamless ticketing" will allow passengers to easily move between buses, trams and other modes of transport.
Parking controls will also be extended "for the benefit of residents", freeing up space from commuter parking.
Edinburgh is the fastest growing city in Scotland, while the cost of traffic congestion to the local economy is estimated at £225 million a year.
Adam McVey, the leader of Edinburgh Council, said: "We're already making great strides towards reducing carbon emissions in Edinburgh but, if we are to achieve our 2030 target, now is the time to be even bolder and more ambitious.
"The City Mobility Plan offers a radical, ten-year plan to transform transport in the Capital, achieving the kind of change we need by expanding use of bus, tram, rail, walking and cycling to provide the best quality of life for everyone.
"What's crucial to any strategy, however, is buy-in of our residents and those who travel into the capital to work and visit.
"Everyone needs to play their part and I look forward to engaging with the public as we progress a finalised City Mobility Plan, alongside the development of the City Plan 2030."
Council leaders drew inspiration from cities such as
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