‘I won't be able to shop’: Cramond residents' fears after ‘critical’ bus route withdrawn for ten weeks
Lothian Buses has come under pressure to develop a new plan before planned roadworks commence next week.
Residents in Cramond and Barnton have called on Lothian Buses to rethink a ten-week diversion on a critical bus route, which threatens to leave people cut off from local shops, schools and workplaces.
As of Monday, April 13, the number 47 bus will temporarily no longer serve large parts of the area, with services in both directions affected as part of planned roadworks on the Davidson’s Mains Roundabout.
The temporary route will see 47 buses diverted via Queensferry Road, bypassing bus stops on Davidson's Mains Main Street, Cramond Road South and Whitehouse Road.
The 47 operates a key route from Cramond into the city. Locals warn the disruption will heavily impact elderly residents accessing doctors, dentists, shops and other amenities. It also poses issues for local school children and transit challenges for pupils commuting to the Royal High.
Luci Neuell is one of many residents concerned about the impact of the diversion on elderly people in the area.
The 85-year-old, who regularly uses the bus to get to Davidson's Mains, said: “We’re going to have no access to this part of town. I go to the dentist here and lots of people come here to shop. It’s our stomping ground.
“It’s mostly elderly people who live in Cramond so it will affect people really badly. We rely on buses as many of us don’t drive anymore, and the parking in Davidson's Mains is really bad.”
Linda, who didn’t want to disclose her last name, is also worried about the practicalities for older people.
The 82-year-old lollipop lady said: “I stopped driving two years ago and I don’t really walk very far. There’s no way I’m going to be able to shop.
“But my first thought was, how are our children going to get to school? I don’t want them to have to run across the roads.
“They’re going to have to walk all the way to the high school.”
Another resident said the situation was “ridiculous”.
“It’s a good distance from Cramond to Barnton and it's uphill both ways,” she said.
“Elderly people will struggle to get to the doctor's surgery and might not be able to get to church on Sunday.
“It’s school exam time as well and with the election coming up, old people could struggle to get to their polling place too.”
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The planned diversion is also causing chaos for young families in the area. Mike, 39, said he and his wife are “horrified” by the plans and called on Lothian Buses to rectify the situation.
“We both work full time and have a toddler in nursery, so our schedule is already extremely challenging,” he said.
“Based on nursery opening times, it's just not feasible for either of us to walk an extra 30 minutes, well over a mile, each way to get to Queensferry Road to be able to catch the bus and make it to work on time.”
The only other bus serving the area, the number 32, comes once an hour and only runs to the Gyle shopping centre.
Fellow resident Chris Paterson-Brown, who is also managing director of an import business based in Davidson's Mains, said the plans leave Cramond completely cut off from the rest of the city.
“It’s leaving us with no real service,” he said. “And it might mean people now have to pay two fares to take the 32 and then the 47 to get into town, so it will cost double.”
“It’s like we’re a forgotten bit of Edinburgh.”
While he cycles to work most days, he is worried about the impact of the roadworks on his staff being able to commute in and find parking. He said other businesses in the area are likely to suffer too.
Several residents have called on Lothian Buses to revise the plans, suggesting a diversion along Gamekeepers Road and back along Whitehouse Road could resolve the problem.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Kevin Lang said: “This news came as a huge shock to me as a local councillor and the whole of Cramond.
“The 47 bus provides an essential bus link for the community, especially for children getting to school and for the many elderly residents in the area. It’s unthinkable that this transport connection could be absent for almost three months.”
“Lothian Buses and Council transport officers need to develop a new solution quickly before these works start. The current plan to simply withdraw such a critical bus link for Cramond is simply not acceptable.”
SNP councillor Norman Work said he was also pushing for Lothian Buses to rethink the route, or at least provide a shuttle bus for residents for the duration of the works.
Edinburgh’s Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, said plans had been in place for some time to improve road safety at Davidson’s Mains Roundabout.
In a statement, Cllr Jenkinson said solutions to limit disruption for local residents are being worked on with Lothian Buses.
He said: “Unfortunately, we cannot safely complete the project without fully closing the roundabout for the majority of the works. This will inevitably bring disruption to the local area, and I fully appreciate local residents and businesses will have concerns.
“We want to limit disruption as far as possible and are working closely with Lothian Buses to put alternative plans in place. This will include the provision of a free shuttle bus, which will be up and running by the middle of next week – ahead of the schools returning from their Easter break. We’ll publish full details on our website early next week.”
Lothian Buses has been contacted for comment.