Changes to Bus Routes around the Leith Links Area
You may have seen a notice about proposed changes to bus services around Leith Links, due to start on 11th September. Click here to read the proposals.
Lothian Buses make it sound as though this is what Leith Links Community Council asked for, but that’s really not true – or only very partially true (Yes, we think people DO want a bus to run through the Links). But in fact neither the Community Council nor local residents were consulted about any of the details and received no prior warning of these proposals. We have some concerns about the scope of the changes.
Click here to read or scroll down to see the letter that we have sent today to Lothian Buses about the proposed changes.
We have asked Lothian Buses to meet with us and to attend the next meeting of the Community Council (which is next Monday, 29th August). We’ll keep you posted about the response we receive to this letter.
To
Lothian Buses
23.8.22
Dear Sirs
I am writing on behalf of Leith Links Community Council, with regard to the imminent proposed changes to bus services in our area.
As you are aware, we have been campaigning for a new bus service to run through Leith Links to serve the large population in the growing number of new housing developments on the north side of the Links. We were looking for a new service, to replace the No. 12 service that was summarily removed a couple of years ago. We were NOT looking for a revamp of several well-established and well-used bus services in the wider area beyond the Links – that, while it could benefit some residents (nearest to the Links), could significantly disadvantage many others in our community (residents along the Restalrig Road and Lochend Road corridors).
In the discussions we have had most recently, with Ian Bieniowski and later John White, and Ben Ritchie, we were led to believe that prior to a new service being, hopefully, introduced in due course, Lothian Buses would continue holding discussions with the community, as regards the needs of local people. Also we were expecting to see proposals that would be presented with a view of how local bus routes are expected to link to / work with the tram service, and with some data on actual and projected usage, and catchment area, including the catchment numbers still to be built along Seafield Road.
So while we appreciate that Lothian Buses has, in one sense, ‘listened’ and been willing to act promptly, we are however very disappointed that you have autocratically introduced sweeping changes without any consultation with the local community, and with no transparency, or presentation/communication of evidence. Also with very little notice and a lack of information about the existing and proposed new frequency of the relevant services.
Can we meet as soon as possible, please, to discuss this? And please will you send a representative to our next meeting of the Leith Links Community Council, which will be online on Monday 29 August at 6:30 pm, to explain the proposed changes and to answer questions? That meeting will be open to the public.
The immediate response to the proposed changes from our local community has been mostly negative, as far as we can establish so far. (Our efforts at consultation will continue.)
On the positive side, a bus running through the Links, and access to Aldi and Ocean Terminal, will be welcome, so thank you for that. But overall the 34 is probably the least popular bus that could possibly have been chosen, as it is relatively infrequent and a very slow route into town because it follows a circuitous route. Therefore it is perhaps not likely to attract much of a ridership going south into town (which may be used as an excuse to later axe it again…?). However the wholesale swapping over of Lochend Road buses with Restalrig Road buses has met with some horrified hostility. Why is this necessary? The 25 and 21 are both much needed routes, well-used by residents around the Links as well as further up Restalrig Road, and losing those is a very high cost for the local population.
This is not just a minor adjustment, though it may look like that to fit young people sat in front of a big map onscreen. On the ground, in real life, the distance between Restalrig Road and Lochend Road is too far to ‘just walk through’ for older and less able people. People adapt and develop their lives – and often make momentous decisions about their jobs, and house purchases – around the bus services that are available to them. Sudden changes to bus services can be traumatic and life changing. Also, having to take two buses instead of one can be unaffordable for many, especially in the current cost of living crisis.
The changes you are proposing (swapping 25 & 21, for 34 & 49 which, aside from their routes, are both less frequent services), seem to be maximally disruptive to both local communities (Restalrig Road and Lochend Road) without actually addressing any of the other main issues with bus services in Leith (no bus to Western General, concern over the loss of the No. 22, traffic congestion in Great Junction Street etc.).
We look forward to hearing from you, urgently, on this matter.
Jim Scanlon MBE, Chair
Leith Links Community Council
Cc
Scott Arthur, Transport for Edinburgh, Convener, Transport & Environment Committee
Elected Councillors
(Ward 13) Booth, Faccienda, McVey
(Ward 14) Aston, Griffiths, Staniforth, Whyte
Jim, thank you so much for articulating our confusion and anger, in a nice way….it beggars belief that in order to make a helpful change for tge links area, the bus co are going to create utter chaos and major problems for those of us with age related exhaustion and disabilities and anyone carrying shopping or going from job to job. It is unnecessary chaos on top of a backdrop of of be years of tram chaos and a pandemic… Please please can Lothian buses not add to our life stresses, by creating more confusion and delays wh we n everyone will get on a bus and ask its route. Life wobt be worth living for those of us who use buses a lot . I am really neevous of tge chaos and meet vulnerable people via work who are in tears with the confusion…
Think the proposals are ridiculous.Looks like change for the sake of change. There will be a lot of confused residents. L….h
From a personal viewpoint, my thoughts seem to aligned to the comments in your letter to Lothian Buses.
I have already posted this reply on Lothian Buses FB notification of the proposed service changes.
Posting here FYI and maybe to be suggested by you as a possible alternative.
“ Lothian Buses
So here’s my tuppence worth.
Instead of diverting 4 separate bus services to serve Leith Links better, could you not have just left them be and brought back the 22 to come back down Leith Walk, then turn into Duke Street, Hermitage Place, Links Gardens, QCS, Constitution, Bernard & Commercial Streets to Ocean Terminal?
Seems to make logical sense to me and ‘satisfies’ the “why have you stopped the 22 to OT” brigade (which does include myself)!!
Anyway. Just saying!!”
Here we go Again! Clearly long gone are the days when Lothian Buses, owned by the City, operated For the City.
This is a massive regressive step by Lothian Buses and completely disregards the needs of the many (including older residents) in the Restalrig and Lochend areas. The changes proposed to the 25 and 21 buses are unwarranted and need to be withdrawn. Hopefully our local councillors will see the negative impact this would have and be proactive in challenging Lothian Buses.
Very much agree with all the points well put here. Elderly and disabled customers will be disadvantaged.
Thanks for writing this excellent letter to Lothian Buses. LB’s proposed changes are a step in the wrong direction. As someone who lives at the NorthEast end of the Links and works at the Western General Hospital, the 21 was the closest thing I had in way of a bus between Leith Links and the WGH. Moving the 21 up to Lochend Road makes the situation worse. It’s incredulous that there is no direct bus between one of the densest area’s of housing, and new housing, in Edinburgh and a major site of employment (WGH). The same applies to the new housing around the docks and Newhaven – who also no bus to WGH.
Thank you for your considered letter – I live on Prospect Bank and am appalled by this! I will be writing to both Lothian busses and our local councillors and citing the response that you have put together. I can’t make the meeting on Monday but will follow this issue with interest.
The Lothian Buses livery uses a colour of red designated “madder”, which must have been channelled by whomever thought that the proposed changes to already well established bus routes was actually a good idea.
The proposed change of route of the No.34 from Ocean Terminal to Queen Charlotte Street and Links Gardens, passing through what will soon be a Low Traffic Neighbourhood seems to be at odds with the whole idea of having an LTN in that area.
Nothing is being provided to improve transport links to and from the east end of Salamander Street/Seafield Road where extensive redevelopment is planned, nor to Seafield Crematorium, nor on to Portobello.
Removing the No.21 from it’s existing route will make it far more difficult for those north and east of Lochend Road who require transport to Ferry Road, Warriston Crematorium or the Western General Hospital, many of whom will have mobility issues to contend with. The same applies to those using the No.21 to travel to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
As already mentioned in a previous comment, why not leave existing bus services exactly as they are and add a new route to properly service existing and new developments at the east end of Salamander Street?
It would appear that Lothian Buses are determined to implement these ridiculous changes on 11th September as they have posted a copy of the web page showing the new route map at the Somerset Place bus stop, i.e. they have actually catered for those passengers who do not have internet access.
Hopefully a representative from Lothian Buses will attend the LLCC meeting on 29th as I look forward to all the ways they will basically tell us “Tough”.
Lothian buses use a colour of red in their livery which is designated “madder”, something they have obviously channelled when creating these changes to their bus services in the Lochend and Leith Links area.
For anyone living east and north east of Lochend Road there will no longer be any direct bus service to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh nor to the Western General Hospital, a service which is currently provided by the 21. This will cause considerable difficulty for the elderly and infirm in travelling to appointments for these vital services. The 21 also provided a direct service to Great Junction Street, Ferry Road and beyond, a service which will be sorely missed.
Currently the 49 is a less frequent service than the 25 and will not be a reasonable alternative. Although the 1 may be an option it’s frequency brings it’s usefulness into question.
The proposed routing of the 34 from Ocean Terminal through Queen Charlotte Street and Links Gardens will travel directly through a proposed Low Traffic Neighbourhood, something which goes against the idea of a LTN.
It’s disappointing that nothing in these plans provides a decent bus service to Salamander Street, the east end of Leith Links or Seafield Crematorium.
Lothian Buses have shown the 25 and 49 routes servicing Duke Street and the foot of Leith Walk on their new plans, effective from the 11th. September. Judging by the current situation with tram works in the area I find it hard to believe that such routes will be possible by that date, or do Lothian Buses know something the general population are unaware of? I believe Duke street will remain unservceable on these routes for some time to come.
As a previous comment noted, why have Lothian Buses not just left the current services as are and return the 22 to it’s previous full route.
Unfortunately there is no choice but to use Lothian Buses and changes such as these should have been consulted on before implimentation, but no, it’s a “fait accompli” and the public will just have to lump it.
Only found out yesterday about changes really dissatisfied and disappointed as both 21 and 25 serve the community of Restalrig and Lochend very well the elderly will really find it hard but does the that really matter to those above perceived to be us guess not