Edinburgh keeps sweepers busy for two quite different reasons. The first is construction: waterfront regeneration at Granton and Leith, housing and commercial development on the western edge of the city towards the airport, and a steady run of refurbishment and student accommodation schemes on tight sites in the older streets. Muck-away lorries leaving those sites put mud on roads that carry heavy bus and tram traffic.
The second is the city’s calendar. August festivals, Hogmanay and major fixtures at Murrayfield all leave private land, car parks and temporary sites needing a clean before they are handed back. Traffic reaches the capital on the M8, M9, A1 and A90, with the A720 City Bypass linking them, so most jobs can be reached without crossing the centre.
Coverage in and around Edinburgh
An Edinburgh enquiry can cover the whole council area, including Leith, Granton, Portobello, Corstorphine, Sighthill, South Gyle, Newbridge, Kirkliston and South Queensferry, along with sites just over the boundary in Midlothian, East Lothian and West Lothian. Availability depends on which operators are free on the day, so city centre work with restricted hours is best booked ahead.