An effort will be made to save a key bus link between an Edinburgh community and towns in West Lothian after a decision by city councillors.
Earlier this month, Lothian Buses announced that the 72 bus service, which connects Kirkliston to Livingston and Broxburn, would no longer serve the village from September 7.
But now city officers will explore options to keep the link alive, including subsidising the service with council money.
Presently the service is subsidised by West Lothian Council, but only for the part of the route that does not enter Edinburgh.
Liberal Democrat councillor Kevin Lang, who represents the community, said losing the link was a serious issue.
He told the council on Thursday: “When Lothian Buses announced and commenced the new 72 service two years ago, providing a direct bus link between Kirkliston and St John’s Hospital as the nearest hospital, this was very, very good news.
“But it wasn’t just the hospital. It provided a key link for people in Kirkliston to shopping and, importantly, employment, in both Broxburn and Livingston.
“And so it was surprising, and it was frustrating, when just earlier this month, Lothian announced a change to the route, taking Kirkliston out of the service route altogether.
“If we want people to leave their cars at home, and use public transport, then we need to give them those public transport options, not see them cut.”
Cllr Lang had put forward a motion to August’s full Edinburgh Council meeting asking for council officers to explore options for subsidising the route.
It was approved without debate, and officers will now be tasked with compiling a report on what actions can be taken and presenting it to the next possible transport meeting.
The population of the village sits at about 5,200 people, almost twice what it was a decade ago.
It has a bus service to Falkirk and Edinburgh, but after the service cut, the only connection to be West Lothian will be just over the border to Winchburgh.
Fellow Liberal Democrat councillor Louise Young, who lives in the village, said years of progress would be lost if the service was cut back.
She told the council: “I do know all too well from first-hand experience the challenges that the village has faced over the lack of consistent, frequent and reliable public transport.
“So it was one of the first things we campaigned for when Councillor Lang and I were elected eight years ago.
“While a city centre service did come along before covid, it was lost during that period, and took years to come back again.
“So now it is that we find ourselves looking to the west and the vital links to not only local services and employment, but clubs and groups just over the boundary in West Lothian.
“And more importantly, the essential connection with St John’s Hospital, which many residents rely on for regular health services.”
While losing service to Kirkliston, the 72 will run every 40 minutes, as opposed to every 60 minutes before the schedule change.
Without the service running to Kirkliston, locals wishing to reach West Lothian will have to take the X19 service to Winchburgh, where they can pick up the 72.
By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
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