Sunday March 17th 2024
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Luke Jackson
Two Midlothian leaders have revealed they have been swamped with complaints over “woefully inadequate” bus services which have left residents stranded.
Owen Thompson MP has joined forces with Midlothian Council’s transport chief Cllr Colin Cassidy in a scathing attack on bus services tormenting the residents of Midlothian.
The duo say they have stood up for beleaguered passengers left in the lurch by unreliable and scant bus routes.
Thompson said: “We have written to both Lothian and Borders buses to highlight the dire straits of public transport.
“The inadequate, patchy services are crippling daily commutes and triggering issues over access to education and essential services.
“It’s a shambles. There is the tale of the vanishing No. 15 bus service, once a lifeline for the people of Penicuik, now a ghost of public transport past.
“Residents are clamouring for its return and for buses to keep rolling into the night and over weekends, crucial for those relying on the service for work in Edinburgh’s city centre or for vital visits to the Royal Infirmary.
“Rosewell and Bonnyrigg are getting the short end of the stick with a maddening cycle of delays, disruptions and outright cancellations.
“But it’s not all doom and gloom, we believe in a brighter future. We want a sit-down with bus bosses to turbocharge Midlothian’s public transport into a paragon of efficiency, accessibility and reliability.”
He added: “The people of Midlothian deserve better. We don’t want to see the same old bumpy ride for Midlothian’s weary travellers.”
Cllr Colin Cassidy, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “The situation is particularly felt in areas such as Rosewell, Gorebridge, Roslin and Penicuik, where residents feel isolated and neglected due to the limited availability of reliable bus services.
“It is also a huge frustration to my constituents living in communities like Auchendinny and Carrington who have no access to services at all.”
Tweet Share on Facebook
