I’ve now had a response from Ian Murray –
Thank you for contacting me about the continued pressures that Lothian Buses services find themselves under in Edinburgh South.
The effects that Scottish Government cuts are having on our bus services are incredibly disappointing and damaging to our communities. A few years ago, the 42 service was scrapped and replaced with the 12, which has cut off accessibility to George IV Bridge for many of my constituents, and many of us are now expected to take two buses when we travel around our city.
Now, the 41 and 49 services are threatened by withdrawal, leaving constituents in South East Edinburgh high and dry when it comes to accessing the city centre. The 41’s replacement with a new number 9 route is supposed to account for growing student populations in Broughton but I have been consistently pointing out to the Scottish Government that the developments that they encourage in Liberton and Gilmerton need to be accompanied by better public transport services.
Those who already live in the area or those who are beginning to make Liberton and Gilmerton a home for them and their families now face withdrawn bus links, oversubscribed GP services and primary schools that do not have the capacity to educate their kids.
This is unacceptable, and my Build Better Places campaign includes a petition to the Scottish Government to improve public services in South East Edinburgh.
I have created a similar petition, named Save Our Bus Routes, which calls on the Scottish Government to restore funding for our bus routes and ensure that public transport usage actually increases rather than decreases, which is crucial to the future of our planet.
You can sign both of my petitions, but please do not hesitate to get in contact with me again regarding this issue or, indeed, any other.
Kind regards,
Ian Murray MP