TV star Graham Norton pokes fun at drivers blunders on notorious Edinburgh steps

Presenter Graham Norton has poked fun at the blunders of drivers getting ‘trapped on steps’ in the city centre.

The TV star featured photos of a van getting stuck on the steps at Greenside Lane on Friday, 9 February and joked ‘I hope you are having a better week than this poor driver whose sat nav sent him down a set of steps.’ He went onto jibe ‘Surely nobody would be stupid enough to try to drive a lorry down them’ as he shared another photo of a lorry stranded at the top of the steps.

It comes as the council has installed a brand new bollard at the spot, next to the Theatre Royal bar on Leith Street.

The Evening News reported how drivers following sat nav were being directed by Google Maps across a cycle lane and the pavement and then down the pedestrian steps to access Greenside Lane, despite this access point clearly no longer being an option.

The stairs were installed in October 2023 to block access to road traffic following the redesign of Picardy Place.

But mapping software failed to reflect the updated road layout on Greenside Lane, near the city's Theatre Royal bar, after the stairs were completed last year.

Photos of stranded motorists have been widely shared on social media. It's understood that Google maps has updated but Apple maps is still in the process.

Following the reports of drivers getting stranded the council faced calls to improve safety measures at the busy spot. A bollard was installed on Friday, 9 February. Both Google and Apple maps have been informed of the change.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener described the incidents of vehicles getting stuck as concerning. He said: “Sat Nav is an incredibly useful tool, but it’s no substitute for common sense. Cars and trucks don’t go down steps.”