Edinburgh's 20mph speed limit is being rolled out to more parts of the city this week.

The new speed limit will be applied to residential and shopping streets in the west and north west of the capital on Wednesday.

Certain trunk roads will remain at their current 30mph and 40mph limits.

The new limits will cover areas such as Cramond, Corstorphine and South Gyle, which were included under zones four and five of the city council's blueprint for the scheme.

The changes will mean most of the city is covered by the new speed limit, with the final zone in the south of Edinburgh due to be implemented in early 2018.

Ultimately 80% of the capital's roads will be at 20mph, compared to 50% before.

Edinburgh City Council says the initiative will make roads safer and reduce traffic noise.

The council's transport convener, Lesley Macinnes, said: "The capital is blazing a trail by becoming the first city in Scotland to introduce slower speeds in all residential and shopping streets, as well as our city centre.

"We're in excellent company internationally and closer to home - cities like New York, Paris, Milan and London are all championing the benefits of bringing speeds down in urban areas.

"And the World Health Organisation recently called for 30kmph (about 19mph) to be the limit 'wherever motorised traffic mixes with pedestrians and cyclists'."

She added: "Calming traffic is better for everyone - first and foremost, it's far safer, with anyone hit at 20mph seven times more likely to survive than someone struck at 30mph.

"It's quieter, too, and helps people feel more comfortable walking and cycling, creating more pleasant streets and neighbourhoods which boosts community cohesion and encourages support for local businesses as people choose to spend more time in an area.

"Smoother driving through less unnecessary acceleration and deceleration, coupled with an increase in people choosing active travel and public transport over private cars, means less congestion and better air quality for everyone."