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East Lothian Bus Update: the 113 & 44 routes

The new 113 timetable is now available on the TraveLine website as timetable BAO113.pdf. It was temporarily down when checked today however.

Lothian Bus has started drip-feeding details of timetables to the Traveline website

It is believed the intention is to work the 113 route with single deckers based out of Marine garage, operated by a Lothian Buses subsidiary, East Lothian Buses.

There is an East Lothian Buses website detailing the timetables and fare structure for the new 113 route which runs to/from Pencaitland to the Western General Hospital starting 11th June. It assumes a travel time of about one hour and 15 minutes from Easter Pencaitland to George St.

There’s a leaflet you can view here [PDF]. Residents beyond Tranent will be charged a day ticket price of £5, with kids at £3. This is £1.50 and £1 more respectively than the equivalent costs to/from Tranent. For an additional 2 miles on the route this does seem disproportionate. On the plus side, East Lothian Buses day tickets are also valid on Lothian Bus routes and services.

The cheapest option is the East Lothian Bus Ridacard. Like the Lothian Bus version, it permits unlimited travel on Lothian Buses and the AIRLINK service. Assuming 261 workdays (Mon – Fri) the daily cost works out at just under £3.22. Full details on Ridacard costs for students and children can be found in the leaflet above.

The new Lothian Buses 44 timetable is also on the TraveLine site and says it serves Pencaitland but the detail so far omits stop locations out to the villages of Ormiston and Pencaitland. We understand that Lothian buses may still make further alterations to the final timetable that comes into force when the company takes over the route from First Bus in June.

As we learn more detail we will share it with you…

BUS SURVEY: Pencaitland has joined forces with Humbie, East & West Saltoun and Bolton, Gifford and Ormiston Community Councils to find out what you want from the bus service. Register your views online now.

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Meeting reveals more details on East Lothian bus routes

A special meeting of the Association of East Lothian Community Councils (AELCC) devoted most of its agenda to discussing recent changes in the provision of public transport.

More details have emerged on what services will actually be in operation from June 2012.

Community Councils from across the county gathered in Haddington to hear from Ian Dalgleish, Manager of Transportation Services, that:

  • The 44B to Pencaitland is to be replaced by a 113 going a revised route Pencaitland – Ormiston – Western General.
  • The flat fare structure will not apply (contrary to what Paul McLennan said at the 2 May Public Meeting in Trevelyan Hall, Pencaitland).
  • The X13 Express service will be discontinued (again contrary to expectations).

Ian Dalgleish is waiting for details of timetables and fares, and these will be issued in a press release as soon as the details are known (He hopes early next week).

For the full report from Pencaitland Community Council’s representatives at the meeting click here [PDF].

Many thanks to Phil Summerfield for putting together the report.

BUS SURVEY: Pencaitland has joined forces with Humbie, East & West Saltoun and Bolton, Gifford and Ormiston Community Councils to find out what you want from the bus service. Register your views online now.

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Lothian buses spotted in dry run at Pencaitland terminus

Shortly before the local council elections the then council leader Paul McLennan confirmed to a packed village hall that Lothian buses would be taking over the Pencaitland/Ormiston route when First withdraws its service in early June.

Click for a bigger picture.

One of our eagle-eyed residents spotted Lothian buses carrying out a dry run to the terminus at the end of the village. Unfortunately, at this time we still have no details on the frequency of service Lothian buses is planning on the route.

Don’t forget that Pencaitland has joined forces with Humbie, East & West Saltoun and Bolton, Gifford and Ormiston Community Councils to find out what local people really want from their local bus services. You can register your views online by clicking here.

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Lothian Buses users surgery at Fort Kinnaird, 24th May

With Lothian Buses due to take over the Pencaitland (via Ormiston) route from First in June, you may be interested to know that it is holding a bus users’ surgery at Fort Kinnaird on the 24th of May, between 10am and 3pm.

If you are a bus user here’s your chance to talk directly to the company and tell them your concerns or seek information about what’s planned for routes in East Lothian.

More information here

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Councillor Veitch named Cabinet Spokesperson for Transport & Roads

For many bus users the timing of the announcement of First Bus withdrawal of services could not have come at a worse moment. With council elections imminent it meant that there was no clear idea of who would be in charge of the transport portfolio after the elections.

Michael Veitch (CON) is now the Labour/Conservative administration's spokesperson on transport issues.
Thankfully this has now been resolved with the selection of councillor Michael Veitch (CON) as spokesperson for Transport and Roads in East Lothian.

Don’t forget that Pencaitland has joined forces with Humbie, East & West Saltoun and Bolton, Gifford and Ormiston Community Councils to find out what local people really want from their local bus services. You can register your views online by clicking here.

The survey results will be presented to East Lothian Council and its new Transport spokesperson, as well as the service providers, to help build a more efficient and effective bus network for local residents.

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East Lothian communities survey locals to assess bus needs

Following the success of the recent meeting to discuss bus service provision in the area, we have joined forces with Humbie, East & West Saltoun and Bolton, Gifford and Ormiston Community Councils to find out what local people really want from their bus service.

Click here to take part in the communities bus survey

A copy of the survey will be dropping through your letter box within the next week or so but if you prefer to register your response online, the survey can be found by clicking here.

The survey results will ultimately be presented to East Lothian Council and the service providers to help build a more efficient and effective service for local residents.

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Ormiston & Pencaitland bus meeting fills hall to capacity

The public meeting to allow bus users of rural East Lothian to voice their concerns to Council leaders filled Trevelyan Hall to capacity, with many standing at the entrance to listen in.

A full house at Trevelyan Hall

In attendance were Council leader Paul McLennan (SNP), Councillor Donald Grant (Labour) and both the MSP Iain Gray and MP Fiona O’Donnell. There were also a number of other sitting and prospective councillors hoping to be elected and re-elected in a few days time.

Whilst there was some inevitable party political banter Ormiston community council leader Jim Blane kept a lid on proceedings, focussing on permitting members of the public to air their concerns.

Some of the key points to emerge were:

  • Lothian buses is to take over the moment First withdraws its services to Ormiston & Pencaitland
  • Fares will follow the model already applied by Lothian across the whole of its existing network. This should mean they are below First’s fares.
  • Paul McLennan indicated a willingness to see more active involvement from actual bus users, Rural East Lothian Bus Users (RELBUS) and Community Councils on ELC’s decision-making on buses.

Less clear was the fate of other uncommercial services such as the Gifford Circle (now the 123) and services for Elphinstone, Glenkinchie and New Winton. In the latter case Councillor Jim Gillies claimed he had received concerns from 23 residents when their bus service stopped around a year ago, and still have no means of getting to other parts of the county.

Many expressed relief that a rural transport crisis has been avoided and welcomed the news that Lothian will take up when First withdraws. However, just as many expressed doubts about whether wider issues surrounding non-commercial connections to and between rural parts of East Lothian, would be pursued or dropped once a new Council is elected.

Q. Would you like to join in and be consulted on ELC decisions affecting rural bus service provision?

If yes, then send your email and contact details to website@pencaitland.org.

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Local media covers next week’s public bus meeting

Both the East Lothian Courier and East Lothian News gave space over in this week’s papers to reporting on the up-coming public meeting being held in Trevelyan Hall next Tuesday.

Check out our original story on the public meeting here.

If you would like to attend but can’t make it, do leave a comment here and we will pass these on to the administration at East Lothian Council as well as our local MP and MSP.

The Courier report on next Tuesday's meeting in Trevelyan Hall - click to read a more detailed report on developments on the Courier's website.

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Ormiston & Pencaitland Communities call on politicians to listen to bus users

Ormiston and Pencaitland Community Councils are joining forces to hold a public meeting on Tuesday the 1st of May in Pencaitland’s Trevelyan Hall, two days before Council elections, inviting sitting and prospective councillors to come and listen to local residents of rural East Lothian.

Ormiston & Pencaitland Communities call on politicians to listen to bus users. Plan joint meeting 1st May, 7.30pm in Trevelyan Hall

The joint meeting will take place on 1st May at 7.30pm in Trevelyan Hall, Pencaitland.

The Community Councils are inviting both sitting and prospective candidates of the Council elections to attend and hear the effects first hand from members of the affected communities.

As Jim Blane, Chair of Ormiston Community Council explains, “We believe that it’s absolutely vital that all our political representatives have a clear understanding of what the removal of bus services would mean to real people of rural East Lothian. We’ve heard lots of welcome noises about what various politicians will do about this situation but our rural communities need to be assured that this is top of the priority list and that there is no-one left stranded without transport and unable to live their normal life when the First Bus service ceases.”

Pencaitland Chair Ralph Averbuch added, “Right now we’re all getting flyers through our doors telling us what each political party might do and criticising the failings of their opponents. What we need to see is joined up thinking where all political factions set aside their narrow party agendas and work together to ensure we have both a short-term solution when First services cease, and a long-term strategy which won’t begin to unravel in the space of one council term. We need imaginative but pragmatic thinking that delivers a lasting and viable bus service to rural East Lothian.”

As well as inviting members of their own communities Pencaitland and Ormiston Community Councils are also encouraging residents of other parts of rural East Lothian who will be affected by the bus service’s removal to attend the event.

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Pencaitland traffic nears 4,000 vehicles daily

Residents of Pencaitland may have noticed the recent appearance of a pair of black wires running across the main road in the village near to the entrance to the Carriage House.

ELC carried out a new Traffic Survey in Pencaitland in March.

This was part of a recent road traffic survey being carried out by East Lothian Council over the course of a week in March.

Here are some of the interesting stats to come out of the survey which ran from the 2nd to the 8th.

The average speed of vehicles was 31.1mph which is generally good news. However, this is an average so some would have been travelling faster, whilst others would be slower.

Of course, the location is fairly close to the lights at the bridge which may be an influencing factor in terms of speed measured at this point.

The percentage of heavy goods vehicle traffic remains fairly constant at 11 percent out of a total 5 day average count of all vehicles of 3,900. This counts traffic travelling in both directions and isn’t hugely different from the measured numbers in 2009.

Nevertheless it’s hard to believe the reality of a daily figure just shy of 4,000 vehicles per day travelling through Pencaitland in both directions.

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