Residents persuade Edinburgh councillors to order rethink over removal of bus stop
Residents at an Edinburgh sheltered housing complex have persuaded councillors to order a rethink about the removal of a bus stop on their doorstep which they relied on to get about.
The bus stop outside 511 Gorgie Road was taken away to allow the construction of a pedestrian crossing after a man who lived in the sheltered housing was killed crossing the road.
Diana Smibert and two other residents of the complex started a petition for the reinstatement of the bus stop and appeared before the city council's transport and environment committee to put their case.
Ms Smibert said: “We feel we have a fantastic bus service, it works perfectly and it was not too far for us to walk. I even gave up my car because the bus service was so good - and it served all my needs.
"Then one day, with no consultation whatsoever, someone came along and took the bus stop away to put in a crossing.
"We had been asking for a crossing - I've lived there 11 years; I asked for a crossing 10 year ago and I was told it would be 2030 before it was even considered.
"Then unfortunately one of my neighbours was killed crossing the road, and they came and put in the crossing, but they took away the bus stop.
"Now we have such a long walk to the nearest bus stop at Chesser Cottages, and there are three openings on the way with wet slippery cobbles. It's really dangerous, especially for the visually impaired or my walker going bump, bump, bump.
"We're now prisoners in our own homes We can't afford taxis to go everywhere, but it's the only way we can get out of our homes.
"We're not asking for an extra bus stop, we're asking for our bus stop to be put back. It might be a slight walk, but even in front of our building there's a cut-in and when there's been roadworks that has been used as a temporary bus stop, so that's a viable place. Please, please reinstate our bus stop."
SNP councilor David Key backed the residents' plea. He told the committee: "It's a real sort of comedy of errors. The 200-plus residents in this sheltered housing complex have been asking for years to get a crossing so they can get the bus across the road that takes them into town; nothing happens until one of their fellow residents is unfortunately killed; and then magically the crossing arrives and knocks out the bus stop on this side of the road bringing the buses from town.
“The ideal place is right outside their building - there is a layby there already - I'm sure that could be done really quickly.”
Dave Sinclair, the council's public safety operations manager, said he was in dialogue with Lothian Buses about a potential location for a replacement bus stop.
"I think we have found a solution. We just need to think about some of the footpath widths.
"We cannot force Lothian Buses to serve a particular bus stop, but we have a location where we think we can reinstate the stop and I'm happy to take that up with Lothian Buses."
Ross McKenzie, Green councillor for Gorgie/Dalry, said he first met the petitioners when they attended a community council meeting to explain the situation.
He said: "It's testament how much of an impact it has had on their lives that over eight months later they're here and still fighting for it to be reinstated.
"The area we're talking about has a concentration of people with restricted mobility. It looks like we've learned a wider policy lesson out of this about removal of bus stops when there's an established community need."
The committee agreed council officers should re-engage with Lothian Buses and affected residents to consider options to install a bus stop which meets the residents’ access needs.