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No. 18 – Edinburgh Bus Users Group: Members’ Bulletin December 2024

Welcome to the latest EBUG Bulletin.

A further consultation on CEC’s ‘Active Travel’ project Leith Connections (Hawthornvale to Seafield) closed in November, with the objectives of ‘delivering a more liveable neighbourhood, active travel and public realm improvements, and bringing Lindsay Road Bridge back into use for walking, wheeling and cycling’.

However, it looks like an exemplar of issues raised by many such projects which, while branded as ‘Active Travel’, are actually cycling-led with little or no attention to walking. EBUG’s robust response criticised the removal of bus priority measures, the removal or relocation of bus stops, and the deployment of floating bus stops as a default measure.

After submitting a Freedom of Information request, we obtained an update on the total length of bus lanes in Edinburgh. The Council now estimates them at 66.7km. This is broadly the same as in the mid 2010s, after a 4km drop in recent years. However, the Council is not sure of the exact length, having not carried out an audit in recent years.

Continue reading “No. 18 – Edinburgh Bus Users Group: Members’ Bulletin December 2024”

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An open letter to Edinburgh’s next Transport Convener

Dear Councillor Jenkinson,

Congratulations on your new appointment as Transport Convener. We are sure you will be aware that this can be a challenging role, and we thought that some of our observations may prove helpful.

At Full Council in September 2022, our deputation acknowledged how Edinburgh’s bus network is successful, but often taken for granted. In the 1980s and 1990s, there was a successful partnership between the Council and bus operators. At that time, Lothian Buses operated a successful service, grew passenger numbers and returned a dividend to its share-owning Councils.

In parallel, the City of Edinburgh Council used its extensive powers as highway authority to assist and where appropriate prioritise bus operations.

Latterly, Edinburgh Council lost sight of this but while Scott Arthur was Transport Convener, a lot of ground was regained. We hope you will progress with his legacy.

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Developer Contributions to infrastructure under the City Plan 2030

The City of Edinburgh Council is consulting on guidance for Developer Contributions to infrastructure under the ‘City Plan 2030’. (Here, until 17 September: https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/developer-contributions-sup-guidance/ )

Developer Contributions are funds secured from developers to pay for facilities needed because of the development; such as improved transport, school buildings etc. They can cover the cost of new services needed to serve the development.

EBUG also sent written comments to the Council. The main points are:

EBUG has commented previously on Developer Contributions:
https://edinburghbususers.group/missed-opportunity-to-improve-city-buses
https://edinburghbususers.group/cammo-meadows-planning-for-public-transport

In summary, we believe that in recent years, the City of Edinburgh Council has missed opportunities to use the planning process to improve bus services, via Section 75 and direct developer action.

Continue reading “Developer Contributions to infrastructure under the City Plan 2030”

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No. 15 – Edinburgh Bus Users’ Group: Members’ Bulletin July 2024

Dear EBUG member,

Welcome to the latest EBUG Bulletin.

  • Our AGM took place on 6 June. After the business, the main event was a discussion with Professor David Begg; a full report is here. There are now 8 members on our Committee leaving three vacancies. We are particularly keen to attract younger people to join, but members who don’t consider themselves young are of course also welcome. Let us know if you are interested.
  • The General Election then took over the headlines. As almost all bus-related matters are devolved, the direct consequences in Scotland are limited, but of course the UK-wide context is important.
  • Meanwhile, having been elected MP for Edinburgh South West, Scott Arthur will stand down – probably after the summer – as a Councillor and Convenor of Transport and Environment at the City of Edinburgh Council. Technically, Edinburgh’s Transport Convenor just chairs meetings of the Committee, but of course much more happens behind the scenes. Who has the role is therefore important, and we will write an open letter to the new Convenor in due course.
    Scott Arthur was a very active Convenor. Apart from addressing the 2023 EBUG AGM, he steered the city away from the worst of the threats to its buses, restored a degree of balance to the activities of the relevant departments, and put buses back at the centre of transport planning. Under his Convenorship, the Council rounded off a multitude of policies and plans, leaving the rest of this Council term to focus on delivery.
    While Scott helped to root out some of the more fanciful ideas within the Council, we must remain vigilant. We hope the next Convenor will progress with his legacy.

Continue reading “No. 15 – Edinburgh Bus Users’ Group: Members’ Bulletin July 2024”

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Begg – Edinburgh must future-proof its buses

This article first appeared in ‘Passenger Transport’ issue 315, and is reproduced here with the editor’s kind permission.

Out now: Issue 315 of Passenger Transport

Professor David Begg has warned his home city to respond to an increase in bus journey times by extending bus lane hours and vociferous campaigning

David Begg (right) with Edinburgh Bus Users Group chair Harald Tobermann and his dog Buster

It’s a warning that could be applied to cities across the United Kingdom, but on this occasion Professor David Begg was talking about his home city of Edinburgh: future-proof your bus network against further increases in journey times or risk decline.

Begg, former chair of the Commission for Integrated Transport, spoke at a meeting of the Edinburgh Bus Users Group in the Scottish capital last week.

While hailing Edinburgh’s transport system as “one of the best in the UK”, the former Edinburgh councillor urged the group to mobilise bus users and hold politicians to account on bus speeds. He also called on the city’s council-owned bus operator, Lothian Buses, to be more forceful in speaking up for bus users.

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EBUG Annual General Meeting; agenda and Committee’s report

18:00 on Thursday 6 June 2024, in the Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh
Agenda
1. Welcome, Apologies
2. To agree: minutes of 2023 AGM
3. To agree: Committee report 2023/24
4. To agree: Accounts 2023/24 (independently examined and signed*)
4. To elect: members of EBUG’s Committee
5. Guest Speaker David Begg will talk on: “Lothian Buses are the jewel in Edinburgh’s transport crown: don’t let traffic congestion destroy it”
6. Q&A
 * signed version was uploaded 29-05-24

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Edinburgh Bus Station; 1957 – ?

On 24 April, Edinburgh Live, followed by other media outlets, reported that the owners of the Edinburgh bus station site are seeking to redevelop it, without a bus station.

The City of Edinburgh Council’s bus station lease expires in 2027, so there are three years to resolve the problem, or Edinburgh will be left without a bus station.

The response of residents seems to be almost universal dismay. Many weren’t aware that the site is leased, not owned, by the Council. At the foot of this article is an appendix setting out its history.

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EBUG Annual General Meeting 2024

Our Annual General Meeting is on Thursday 6 June 2024, at 18:00 in the Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.

Our Guest Speaker will be Professor David Begg. He is the former political transport lead at Lothian Region and the City of Edinburgh councils, chaired the Government’s Commission for Integrated Transport, was on the board of the Strategic Rail Authority and First Group Ltd. He publishes the Transport Times.

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No. 14 – Edinburgh Bus Users’ Group: Members’ Bulletin February 2024

Welcome to the latest EBUG Bulletin.

    • The new on-street Real-Time Information screens are still displaying timetable, not real-time, timings for Lothian Buses. An update is expected at the Council’s Transport and Environment Committee on 7 March.
    • In January we took part in a ‘stakeholder discussion’ about Elm Row. This was productive and we are now looking forward to significant improvements to the bus stops there.

Continue reading “No. 14 – Edinburgh Bus Users’ Group: Members’ Bulletin February 2024”

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‘Secrets of a Successful Bus Operation’ : recommended viewing

Click on these links to see slides and a recording of the recent and utterly excellent webinar Secrets of a Successful Bus Operation organised and published by the Foundation for Integrated Transport.  A brilliant exposition of how to do buses!

With Roger French, who was Managing Director Brighton & Hove Buses in some of its most successful years.

Roger says reliability should be a given, and identifies five other key areas:

    • Frequency, reliability, consistency
    • Price, value, simplicity
    • Legendary customer service
    • Information, promotion, publicity
    • Regular investment in new buses

Continue reading “‘Secrets of a Successful Bus Operation’ : recommended viewing”