Edinburgh MP launches petition for better bus service for Ratho

EDINBURGH West MP Christine Jardine, has launched a petition calling on the city council and First Bus to consult with Ratho residents to design a bus timetable and service that suits the community’s needs.

The No20 route was taken over by First Bus on August 31 No20 First Bus

The move follows complaints from locals that a change of bus operator had left them paying more for the same inadequate service. First Bus took over the running of the subsidised No 20 service from Lothian Buses on August 31 and insists it has introduced improvements. But residents have long been unhappy about the lack of a direct service between the village and the city centre.

They said catching a bus to the nearest tram stop and then taking the tram to get into town was now more expensive because they could no longer use a Lothian Buses £4.50 day ticket for the whole journey. First Bus said people could still switch from bus to tram using One-Ticket which is accepted by all transport operators - but the cost is £5.50 a day.

Ms Jardine held a Zoom meeting with residents last month and also visited Ratho last week to discuss the matter further.

She said: “I’ve launched this petition because the community has been unhappy with the bus service for some time. The council decided the Ratho service was uneconomical, but the new service is still not meeting residents’ needs. At a time when the area is crying out for a joined up, affordable transport system this shows that again the SNP-run council has failed.”

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