Dear EBUG member,
This is the latest EBUG Bulletin. A lot of new members have joined us recently. To them, we say welcome; we try to mail out these Bulletins every couple of months.
Unfortunately, EBUG’s Annual General Meeting on 19th June was inquorate (it was very good weather that day …). However, we had a successful second attempt online on 1 September. Thanks to those who attended, enabling us to complete the required AGM business, and approve a few minor changes to our Constitution; these will streamline our future activities. It’s enormously encouraging that so many members took the time to deal with ‘business’, which is often a dry but essential subject.
We welcomed two new Committee members: Paul Travill and Zoe Harle, taking our complement to eight. There are three Committee vacancies; anyone interested please contact chair@edinburghbususers.group.
Now we can look confidently to the year ahead. Looming large is the next Scottish Parliament election (7 May 2026). While much of EBUG’s efforts focus on local issues, Councils and operators, the last few years have made it clear just how much this is affected by what happens in Holyrood and the Scottish Government. Indeed, it determines ‘all things bus’ to a much greater extent than what happens at Westminster. EBUG is, of course, a non-party political group. Our task between now and next May is to encourage all parties and candidates to commit to bus-friendly policies.
But this is not at the expense of our ‘day job’. It’s often the small successes which get little publicity that actually make a real difference to bus users. In turn, this involves EBUG working together with groups. Very local issues are best dealt with by local groups. Where EBUG comes in, it’s often to provide context, wider information, and knowing who are, and how to deal with, key decision makers.
And sometimes when a big issue arises, such as keeping Edinburgh’s Bus Station in the city centre, the answer’s so self-evident that all we need to do is reinforce the message.
Recent ‘day job’ activities:
- Following a written deputation to the Planning Committee where we called inter alia for “muscular implementation” of bus service subsidies for new housing developments, there was a good discussion (webcast) involving several councillors and interesting replies from officials.
- We also had a written deputation at the Transport and Environment Committee welcoming the introduction of a Strategic Infrastructure Forum that would look at a more joined-up approach to essential road works that impact public transport. Diversions arising from the North Bridge works and the multiple closures of the Cameron Toll roundabout cannot be avoided, but they could be better planned and advertised and – most importantly – optimised for public transport.
- Having complained repeatedly about the withdrawal of the Scottish Government’s Bus Partnership Fund worth £500m, it now has re-appeared, albeit furnished with a more modest £20m. £2m will come to Edinburgh, including money’s for the overdue 7-7-7 trial.
And finally, we have joined Transform Scotland who bring together public, private and third sector organisations with an interest in sustainable transport.