Monday June 30th 2025
Bus campaigners in Livingston
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
Hopes are rising that people in Livingston Village will see a return of bus services after more than a year of isolation in the heart of the new town.
Elderly and infirm villagers who rely on buses have been cut off from public transport for more than a year. One told a meeting of the council’s Executive: “ We have bus passes, but no buses.”
Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick told a deputation of villagers that talks with a commercial operator were at an “ advanced stage”.
Laura Bell, from local action group, told councillors: “The population in the village is predominantly elderly and we feel unable to walk to the health centre, the hospital, the shopping centre. There are no buses.”
She added that many had to rely on neighbours for lifts or on visits from family to be able to get out.
A care home in the village is having difficulty recruiting staff because there are no buses.
Mrs Bell said a trip to “health care facilities or shops are a 20 to 30 minute walk in all weathers.”
For some the walk can take up to an hour.
Councillors heard that one resident had spent £14 on a taxi fare to pick up a prescription for her husband and trips to the Livingston’s shopping centre were as expensive by cab.
“We need urgent action to restore this lifeline service to the village, said Mrs Bell.
The meeting heard that residents with mobility problems had a half mile walk to reach bus stops at either end of the village. Around 20 percent of residents are elderly or disabled.
There is a dial a bus facility which operates on a Tuesday but the pick up time of 09:30 makes it difficult to access for those who rely on carers.
There hasn’t been a service through the village in more than a year. A protest of about 50 villagers took place in late February and the campaigners won the support of local MP Gregor Poynton.
The campaigners suggested re-routing the 72 service, so that one an hour comes through the village.
Councillor Fitzpatrick told the deputation: “ I have a great deal of sympathy with any community that feels that they are deprived of a bus service that meets their needs.
“Councils do not have any authority over the commercial market or operations, nor do we have a role in regulating the commercial bus network, which represents around 80% of bus journeys in West Lothian. The Transport Act 1985 deregulated bus services in the UK, moving from council-run buses to an open commercial market.
“Provided a commercial operator registers a service with the Office of the Traffic Commissioner they can operate any route they wish, to any timetable.
“The council has maintained the budget available to help subsidise some bus services locally but that budget is limited and can only go so far. These subsidised services were designed to complement the commercial network and provide vital links to communities otherwise not served with public transport.
“We’d love to help subsidise more services but, over the past fifteen years, our levels of funding have been significantly reduced. No additional money has been received, or offered, by either the UK or Scottish Government to fund more subsidised bus services in West Lothian, so the council does the best it can to help. However councils are not able to solve the issues within the commercial bus network, overall.
“That said, council officers have been working with the commercial operators for several months and I have been advised this morning that a commercial operator is in the advanced planning stage to enhance the commercial bus service in Livingston Village. I hope that is welcomed by local residents.”
Local councillor Andrew Miller said: “I’m delighted that the hard work of the local people in Livingston Village has encouraged both council and bus operators to look for a solution.
“They spoke excellently at the council meeting and are a credit to the Village. I look forward to seeing the bus service hinted at by the council, this community really does need and deserve a bus service.”
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