Saturday April 4th 2026
Reader Dean Wight writes a letter to the Editor
Since the 22nd of February with their disastrous decision to remove the 46 service and re-routing the 48, Lothian Buses have failed Midlothian residents.
On the 1st April I travelled to Musselburgh on the 140 finding out, from fellow travellers, that since the withdrawal of the 46, both the 140 and 141 are packed during the afternoons with standing room only between Dalkeith and Bonnyrigg. On the 3pm return journey from Musselburgh , the 140 bus was 20 minutes late to Penicuik due to the sheer number of people looking to travel to Bonnyrigg, with standing room only. I can only imagine what it must be like at the weekend, as I refuse to use it now. How many residents may have gone back to using their cars rather than travelling on packed buses?
Data and feedback from the public must be showing that Lothian Buses decision is failing the needs of the community yet they refuse to meet or share any of their data with our elected officials.
To compound matters I have received an update from our local MSP Colin Beattie who informed me that City of Edinburgh Council councillors to date, as major shareholders, are ignoring his appeals for a meeting to discuss how Lothian Buses withdrew this vital service with no consultation or impact assessments with the community. Thankfully he is determined to persevere in his endeavours to resolve this scandalous situation and it also appears that Kirsty McNeill our local MP is equally determined to see a resolution.
With that in mind I would like to appeal to readers who have not signed Kirsty McNeill’s petition to please sign the petition to increase the pressure on Lothian Buses to attend a public meeting with the community with a view to reversing their decisions of reinstating the 46 and the re-routing of the 48. The last five or six weeks have shown our local community needs this route. While the introduction of the 31 is greatly welcomed, the 46 is greatly missed. See the Bus Petition HERE.
It is incomprehensible that our councillors find it acceptable ignoring the concerns and requests of our residents and importantly our elected Members of the Scottish Parliament.
Hopefully common sense and decency will prevail with Edinburgh Council agreeing to talks and Lothian Buses agreeing to meet with Midlothian residents. We must all ensure that no community has a vital service withdrawn without Lothian Buses undertaking adequate consultation and impact assessments.
Wishing everyone at Midlothian View and all it’s readers a Happy Easter, even for those at Lothian Buses responsible for the withdrawal of 46 and re-routing of 48,
Regards,
Dwan Wight
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