Wednesday November 5th 2025
The bus service is set to be considered by councillors on Thursday next week
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan
A new minibus service could be launched between Ratho and the city centre under plans set to be considered by Edinburgh councillors.
If approved, council staff will get under way in launching the time-limited trial, which will supplement the existing Lothian Buses 70 service between Ratho and Gyle Centre.
It comes as the Lost Shore surf resort, located south of the village, announced on Monday that it was launching an express bus service between their facility and George Street.
The resort also expressed a preference that a direct council-funded link to the city centre be established, and said their new bus would not replace the need for one.
Transport convener and Labour councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “It’s clear that there’s a real push within that community for more improved connectivity, for more options.
“In my perspective, it’s good to see works continue in that space, and we’re doing what we can within the constraints we have financially to see what we can do to solve these problems.”
The proposal is within a report on the council’s subsidised bus routes set to go ahead of Edinburgh’s transport committee next week.
It added that the 70 service may see a loss in fare revenue due to the new service, which could require more subsidy to Lothian.
Several bus routes that are not commercially viable are funded by the council to varying degrees, in order to widen access to public transportation.
According to the report, a review of the council’s bus subsidy system has found it to work effectively, and that it contained costs well.
However, it said that Covid had caused some issues for the subsidised services, and council transport staff sometimes felt there was a need to modify services which had been contracted.
It added that subsidy for the 18 and 38 bus services, which run from the airport in the west to the north and the south of the city, should be continued.
During peak hours, the services are both profitable, but outside the peak the council provides Lothian Buses funding to keep buses running.
According to the report, the subsidy for the routes comes in at around £275,000 per year, which sees them run at the ‘very limit’ of operating loss.
It added that the 13 bus service between Craigleith and Lochend, currently run by McGill’s, had faced severe difficulties in keeping to time due to congestion to the east of the city centre.
It said options for curtailing the route were being considered, and that the service may have to be re-tendered depending on what changes were to be made.
Councillors will consider the report at the next meeting of the Transport and Environment Committee on Thursday, November 13, which you can view here.
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