Edinburgh city council is working on a transport masterplan to help the city cope with its growing population.

Councillors say the results of a public consultation show that residents want to see "radical" changes to make Edinburgh a better place to live, work and play.

Plans include the controversial completion of the tramline to Newhaven, introducing low emission zones and closing some streets to cars once a month.

Of the 5000 people who responded to the study, 88% said they wanted to see changes to the way the city centre is managed.

Just over half said they wanted a more radical approach to traffic and travel issues.

The city's transport and environment convener, Councillor Lesley Macinnes, said: "As one of the fastest growing cities in the UK, it is clear that doing nothing is not an option.

"This is reflected in our desire to embrace active travel solutions, while also building upon our award-winning public transport offering by taking the trams to Newhaven, a step forward which would contribute to a truly connected, sustainable city centre.

"We must plan effectively and test radical options if we are to get the right balance in the future that will provide a high quality of life and access to opportunities for all residents, in particular those that experience inequality."

Some artists' impressions have been drafted to show how areas like Lothian Road and Cowgate could be regenerated and made more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists.

Proposals and a business case for potential changes will be developed in time for a council meeting in May - around the same time that an 18-month "Open Streets" trial will begin.

On the first Sunday of each month, several roads in the city's Old Town will be closed to motorised transport between 10am and 5pm.

Tony Kenmuir, who runs capital cab firm Central Taxis, said transport issues need to be tackled with action, not words.

He told STV News: "We've been involved in lots of consultations, about 20 miles an hour, about bus lanes, about low emission zones, and now this city vision, and we're getting confused about whether we're being consulted on the plan, or the strategy, or the vision, and what feeds into what.

"There comes a point where you want to know when we're going to roll our sleeves up and actually do something."

Work on the wider transport strategy is ongoing as councillors gear up to vote on completing the city tramline to Newhaven.

Councillors will decide whether to go ahead with the project, which is estimated to cost £196m and is projected to be carrying passengers by spring 2023, on March 14.

Vice-transport convener Councillor Karen Doran said: "Both [projects] are aimed at responding to Edinburgh's needs now and for generations to come. We have to respond to the pressures our growing city faces: managing congestion and improving air quality, making it easier to walk and cycle and creating an inclusive city for people of all ages and abilities.

"If councillors agree to proceed with this, trams to Newhaven will deliver real benefits to communities in Leith, Newhaven and right across Edinburgh."

If it does go ahead, £2.4m of the project cost will go towards supporting businesses affected by the disruption.

Karen Greig, who runs the Destined for Home gift shop on Constitution Street in Leith, told STV News she was still not convinced.

"There still needs to be some transparency," she said. "What we now need to know is a bit more information about if the trams do come, what will happen to the buses?

"...It looks good on paper, but I must admit that I haven't heard anything from [the council] for over six months now.

"I would have thought that as we come closer to the decision making time, they'd be starting to contact us again, and we haven't heard anything recently from them."