Midlothian nurse faced with leaving dream job of 15 years after having to take 10 buses a day

A children’s nurse from Polton Mill in Midlothian has said she may have to leave the job she’s loved for 15 years after a direct bus route to the Royal Infirmary was cut, forcing her to take up to ten buses a day.

Single-mum Susan Inglis said her life has been “put up in flames” after the 46 bus, which she relied on to take her eight-year-old son to school and to get to work everyday, was scrapped by Lothian Buses earlier this year.

The 36-year-old has a disability affecting her leg which means she is unable to drive or walk long distances, including the journey from her house to her son’s primary school.

Ms Inglis now has to take up to five buses each way - instead of two - to complete the daily school-run and commute to the Royal Infirmary.

She said the situation has taken a huge toll on both her and her son, Albi, who she says is “heartbroken” by how it has impacted his mum’s day-to-day life.

This article is part of our A Lifeline Lost series, which explores the impact the loss of the 46 bus service has had on residents. | Iconic

“It’s caused me so much distress,” said the 36-year-old. “We weren’t given much notice about the change and I didn’t have time to replan things.”

She said: “The walk from where I live to my son’s primary school is not feasible. I’ve tried it before and the following day I’m completely immobile.

“There’s no alternative for me but to use the buses.”

As a result of the extra travel, she now arrives 45 minutes late to work, and in the afternoon has to leave half an hour early to make it back to Bonnyrigg in time to pick up her son from his after school club.

“I’ve got all the timings of my journey planned out down to the letter,” she said. “But even with the utmost planning, all of it depends on whether the buses are running according to the timetable, which they often aren’t.”

“I’m now thinking about getting redeployed because I can’t do all of those buses everyday. It’s too difficult for somebody who has mobility issues.

“I’ve even looked at changing my son’s school, which I don’t want to do because he has lots of friends there.

“I get emotional talking about it because I’m trying everything. My entire life has been shattered and I don't have any other people that I can rely on.

“I’m a single mum, I work full time, and I’m struggling already with the cost of living and the economy. I’m stuck and I don’t know what else to do.”

Susan has a disability affecting her leg which means she relies on buses daily to get from A to B | Supplied

Ms Inglis supports children with disabilities and mental health problems, and said she is "devastated" at the prospect of having to leave the job she’s done for over a decade.

“I don't want to change my job, I love it and it’s a service people are crying out for,” she said. “I’ve got 15 years experience doing it and now I might have to leave it because of a bus.

“I’ve worked every day since I qualified in 2010 and it just feels like a massive kick in the teeth.

She added: “The 46 bus was such a big part of my ability to function and be an active, working member of society as a disabled person.

“Now I’m like, why am I even trying? Maybe I’d be better off just being on benefits.”

Ms Inglis recently attended a public meeting about the bus cuts held by Caitlin Stott, the Scottish Labour candidate for Midlothian North in the recent election, where her son Albi spoke about the impact on his mum.

He said: “The bus needs to come back because it hurts my mummy and I don’t want to change school.

“I don’t know why it was taken away but lots of people need it.”

Susan says she's even considered changing her son's school because of the impact of the bus cuts | Supplied

Ms Inglis said the new 31 service, which provides a direct link from Rosewell into Edinburgh, is “great” but is calling on Lothian Buses to reinstate the 46 service.

“That bus was my lifeline, and now it’s been taken away,” she said.

“I’m coming at it from a personal perspective but I can see the effect it’s having on the community. People are struggling to visit their relatives and do their weekly shop.

“I just want Lothian Buses to actually listen to people.”

A spokesperson for Lothian Buses said: “Lothian is committed to delivering reliable, accessible and cost-effective bus services across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

“As a wholly commercial operator, our decision to implement network changes is driven by detailed analysis of data and evolving travel patterns, helping to ensure our services remain viable.

"We will continue to monitor the revised services and listen to community feedback as we consider further improvements to connectivity across the wider bus network."

You can read our explainer about how recent bus changes are affecting residents in Midlothian here.