Hello
I (Ken Robertson) write as a member of Grange Prestonfield CC.
Lothian Buses announced service changes earlier this week.
Can I ask, please:
If any of you, as Southside Newington Ward Councillors, were involved in the preliminary review of / consultation on the service and route change of the Service 41?
What was the thinking behind and rationale for the route change of the new Service 9 at Potterrow into Nicolson Square and on to the already heavily-congested Bridges, leaving a service gap from there to the bottom of The Mound (just as George IV Bridge decongests as North Bridge repoens)?
Instead of a 'dispersion of service', this appears as a further 'concentration of service' for no very apparent or strong reason.
Very interested to hear what you know of the City Councillors - Lothian Bus conversation on this issue.
Hope you can help
Many thanks
Ken
Dear Ken
Thank you for contacting me about the loss of the 41 bus service. Apologies for the delay in replying. I have received a large number of emails raising concerns about this and very much recognise these concerns. The loss of a service is clearly going to affect many people along the route and their access to the rest of the city.
As you may be aware Lothian Buses, is arms-length from the Council so councillors have no part in deciding on operational service changes. Therefore, I have been forwarding emails from residents to Lothian Buses to raise concerns and have received the response following below for your information.
It seems to me the missing part of the process is the lack of prior consultation with residents before service changes are made and is something I have raised with Lothian Buses. I very much hope they will take this on board as there may be opportunities to mitigate concerns in advance of any changes. Once they've decided on route changes it seems very difficult to get amendments afterwards.
Please do let me know if you would like to comment further given the response from Lothian Buses below.
Yours,
Steve
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"Following the cessation of Scottish Government support funding for the bus industry, bus companies throughout the country have been reviewing the viability of their networks taking in to account cost pressures, driver availability and passenger volumes which have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Lothian are not immune to these pressures and we have conducted our own review which has included investing in areas where changing travel patterns have increased demand, ensuring capacity meets demand in other areas and timetables that are designed for reliability. Unlike many other areas of the country we have ensured that no part of our existing network has lost their bus service and early morning, late evening and weekend journeys continue.
"When making changes there were a number of considerations taken in to account when altering the route. Passenger volumes on the southern leg of service 41 has for a number of years been under subscribed and this change is part of an overall plan to address this and move the route towards financial viability. When conducting a network review of this nature we firstly analyse passenger journeys both via ticketing information and onboard checks to determine the use of the service and the journeys that current passengers are making. The lowest demand was found to be the cross city centre section between the city centre and the route south of Potterrow. As a final consideration, you may be aware that the George Street First New Town project will see the removal of buses from George Street and at that point service 41 would not be able to operate via its current cross city centre route, this along with the desire in the City Centre Transformation scheme to reduce the number of buses on Princes Street were both also taken in to account.
"Customers on the southern end of the route will have the new replacement service 9 which will follow the current route from King's Buildings to Potterrow then via Nicolson Square, Leith Street and Broughton Street to Muirhouse. Connections are available from service 9 at Nicolson Square for Queensferry Street/Queensferry Road, South Bridge for Princes Street and Broughton Street/Picardy Place for connections with Edinburgh Trams. Additionally our service 24 will continue to serve Blackford, Marchmont and the Grange and provides connections to Queensferry Street/Queensferry Road at Lothian Road as well as stopping on Princes Street and Frederick Street."
Hello Steve and thanks for the reply.
From personal experience (2-3 times a week, steadily), I'm not persuaded by the 'survey conclusions' - I'd like to see detail - I'm not struck by 'how empty the bus is'.
From the standpoint of 'connectivity' (a City Mobility Plan / Spatial Plan keyword), the removal of the #41 from George IV Bridge removes the only route from the SE of Edinburgh to the heart of the Old Town (Bank Street) and to, through and beyond the centre of the city centre.
(It is possible to 'connect' from e.g. Cameron Toll by way of a #24 or #38 to catch a #41 at Blackford Avenue to get to The Mound - after Sunday, that option closes.)
SW Edinburgh by contrast remains much better served; it has the #35 and #45 to Chambers Street and the #23 and #27 to Bank Street and The Mound.
Remember we are talking of 'connectivity' to Courts, Museums, Libraries, Art Galleries and the Castle - the heart of the city.'Connectivity' by way of a heavily-congested Nicolson Street (traffic and people) and a tourist- / performer-laden High Street walk uphill is a poor substitute, especially if one has mobility issues.
I hadn't considered (I had forgotten) the George Street First New Town Project; that heralds an eventual end to the #23 and #27 Mound - Hanover - Dundas route?
So the heart of the Old Town is even more beleagured, in prospect.
That is an issue that needs to go back to the Spatial Planners?
A core part of the current Consultation centres on making bus travel more attractive / user oriented and improving 'connectivity'.
Cutting a key north-south route out of the Old Town itself and out of the Old Town / New Town corridor (not to mention cutting bus connectivity along Princes Street) doesn’t have a great look about it.
Keep me in touch with what you hear, please?
Ken