East Lothian has a chequered history when it comes to public transport policy. In an effort to foster joined up thinking the new transport Convenor Michael Veitch initiated the East Lothian Bus Forum.
The new 113 single deckers being operated by East Lothian Buses connects Pencaitland and Ormiston to Edinburgh.The first meeting took place on the 27th of November. The intention is that meetings will be held regularly, bringing together bus users, operators and other interested parties.
The first meeting was very well attended with representatives from across the county, all the key operators and a number of ELC Councillors. A synopsis of the topics covered and who attended can be seen here.
Intrinsic to the launch of this new group was RELBUS, short for Rural East Lothian Bus Users. This is a campaigning body intent on helping to promote better bus services across the county. We would encourage bus users to join. Membership is free.
With recent news about the unwelcome closure of vital bus routes to Pencaitland and Ormiston this June, you may be interested to know that there are still ways to get from A to B thanks to car pooling.
Tripshare allows you to car pool with others whilst reducing costs, road traffic and pollution at the same time. Click to find out more.Car pooling is the act of sharing a private car to get to a mutually agreed destination at a prearranged time. In a local context that might be car-sharing from Pencaitland to Tranent or Wallyford in the morning in order to catch public transport into town… and back again at the end of the workday. Alternatively it might be a commute directly to the city.
The advantages of this approach are pretty clear. A car with four seats fully utilised will spread the fuel costs amongst four people. It also means just one round trip compared to four separate cars on the roads, each with just one commuter.
It’s not only a more economical and social practice, it’s also much more environmentally aware, reducing unnecessary road trips and pollution.
You don’t have to own a car to participate. If you do have your own transport then you can arrange to take turns driving, thus using your car perhaps 75% less than before. This reduces wear and tear and, of course, fuel costs.
Interested? Then find out more about East Lothian’s very own TripShareEastLothian service.
As the website explains, “Tripshare has been created so that you may actively search for other members who are doing similar journeys at similar times. Tripshare has the capability of matching all types of journeys. This scheme will not only allow members to share car journeys if you wish, but also to choose to share taxi journeys, and to choose to cycle and walk together.”
The website costs nothing to use and forms part of the UK’s National liftshare network. It is restricted to people aged 18 and over.
PS – Do you already car-pool from Pencaitland or other villages in and around the area? Please tell us about it below and whether it’s been a success for you?
RELBUS, short for Rural East Lothian Bus Users, is calling upon members to make personal representations to their elected representatives.
As a recent articles on the RELBUS website explains, “In the light of recent announcements we thought it would be a good idea to set out some of the steps we can all take to ensure the politicians and operators respond appropriately. We are encouraging all RELBUS members to make personal representations to elected members, your local councillors and community councillors. Get support from your MSP to urge Government to step in and support the transition to a new provider, but also to look again at the regulations.”
The views of bus users are central to constructing a better service, so ask them how they propose to take bus users views into account.
It is inevitable that urgency pushes decision makers to replicate the existing setup – perhaps like for like or close to it. However the status quo is inadequate. It can only be a starting point not the end point.
There need to be better connections with rail services. One study in Dunbar showed that no passengers used the bus to get to the train station.
There need to be better connections between communities and services to ‘destinations’.
We need better quality and more reliable commuter services. These are clearly very important, but too often oversubscribed at peak times and over-provided when they demand is lower.
Improve the bus fleet. Smaller buses are better suited to small rural towns and connecting services. Greener buses are going to be less noisy and less polluting.
A not for profit company should be set up to run the services. The company should seek to provide a comprehensive public service.
Profits should be used to help keep the fleet clean and green, lower fares and rationalise them, devote sufficient resources to marketing and publicity and aim to increase patronage of the buses by residents, business, visitors and tourists.
East Lothian Council is preparing a new Local Development Plan. This will be a new land-use strategy that will eventually replace the existing East Lothian Local Plan 2008.
At this stage they are keen to hear the views of everyone with an interest in East Lothian. They want to know what aspirations you have for the way the area might develop over the next ten years or so, and what planning issues you think may need to be addressed in the new plan.
A series of events has been arranged to gather your views. These will be run independently by Planning Aid for Scotland (PAS), an impartial, charitable organisation that helps people have their say in the planning system. The views gathered will help the Council prepare a Main Issues Report, which will then be published for consultation later in 2012.
Community meetings for the general public will be held in each of East Lothian’s six main towns, plus one event specifically to discuss the future role of Blindwells new settlement. There will also be a series of additional workshop meetings targeted at specific audiences.
You can see details of the locations and times of the consultation events here. Places at these events are free but must be booked by emailing training@planningaidscotland.org.uk or calling Deanne at Planning Aid for Scotland on 0131 220 9730.
You can find a discussion paper here, which provides further background information and sets out the type of planning issues that the Local Development Plan might seek to address.
If you wish to submit any comments to be taken into account in the preparation of the Main Issues Report, please send them by Monday 12th March 2012 to the Policy and Projects team at localplan@eastlothian.gov.uk or at:
Policy and Projects
Environment Department
East Lothian Council
John Muir House
Haddington
EH41 3HA
