RELBUS calls on commuters to contact Council reps

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 story goes on to recommend:

• 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.

Pencaitland Community Council