Life in the slow lane: Bus Tracker fix delayed again and more rail misery
Plus: University of Edinburgh staff warned of severe financial challenges; and hold your breath on the bin strikes
Frustration goes on over real-time bus updates
The confusion and frustration for bus passengers looking for real-time service updates is set to continue after another delay in fixing the botched system.
The 330 Bus Tracker screens at bus shelters across the city are supposed to offer Tube-style live updates on arrival times, but have instead been displaying timetable times for services run by the city’s main bus operator, the publicly-owned Lothian Buses.
That means the screens regularly feature inaccurate information including ‘ghost buses’ that suddenly disappear shortly before they are supposedly due to arrive.
The new system was originally due to be running in early 2021, but Covid delays saw it put back first to March this year, then June, and now September at the earliest.
What’s gone wrong? The city council invested nearly £3m in the new system before discovering it was not compatible with the GPS installed on Lothian buses. The problem doesn’t affect services run by other operators. As a result, the council has spent £1.7m keeping old Bus Tracker screens running while the issues with the new system are sorted out.
Why the latest delay? The council says it needs more time for testing to minimise the risk of problems when the new system is finally launched.
They say: Edinburgh Bus Users Group told the BBC Local Democracy Report Service: “It’s very disappointing… the history of missed deadlines doesn’t instill confidence in the latest projected date.”
Worse on the trains: Frustrated rail passengers are finding themselves packed onto some services as ScotRail continues to operate a significantly reduced service due to drivers working to rule in a pay dispute. The reduced service affected major weekend events including the Fringe and the Party at the Palace with the last train leaving Linlithgow before the end of concert. The temporary timetable, which has cut timetables by a quarter, is due to continue until at least the end of August.
Strike threat grows: ScotRail bosses will hold talks with the RMT union on Thursday after its members at ScotRail and the Caledonian Sleeper company voted for strike action. The drivers union Aslef and Unite also balloting their members on strike action.
CrossCountry warning: The UK Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has written to CrossCountry trains, which runs serves in and out of Edinburgh, to raise her “serious concerns” over its poor service record and a recent reduction in its timetable. The Labour government has pledged to renationalise nearly all passenger rail services as existing private contracts run out.
YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING
ROMANCING THE STORE: The UK’s first romance book shop is set to open near the Meadows. Caden Armstrong decided to open Book Lovers Bookshop on Melville Terrace after settling in Edinburgh and discovering almost nowhere selling her favourite romance novels. Specialist romance stores are more common in the US with the first of the kind, The Ripped Bodice, opening in Caden’s home city of Los Angeles.
UNIVERSITY WARNING: Edinburgh University principal Sir Peter Mathieson has warned staff that the institution is “reducing our spending in all areas” and of the need for “significant constraint” on recruitment. He has blamed the move - which has caused much disquiet among staff- on the “severity of the financial challenge” facing the entire higher education sector with universities relying on fees from overseas students to subsidise the teaching of UK students and research work.
‘HOPEFUL’ ON BIN STRIKES: Scottish Government Minister Kaubab Stewart told the BBC she was “quietly hopeful” the eight-day strike would not go ahead. Union leaders will meet this morning to decide whether to suspend planned strike action by refuse collectors which is due to start on Wednesday across most parts of the country. The unions will decide whether or not to shelve strike action so that the latest pay offer - a 3.6% increase with a bigger rise of 5.6% for the lowest paid - can be put to a vote of members.
STAR SPOTTING: Hollywood star Gerard Butler visited the Paolozzi pizza shop on Forrest Row, who shared a picture of the 300 actor on social media, while Ewan McGregor was earlier spotted at Cappucino on Jeffrey Street, as the stars drop in to the Fringe.
H&M WIELD JOBS AXE: Hundreds of staff are facing an uncertain future as H&M plans to close its Edinburgh call centre. The high street giant has reportedly put the workers at risk of redundancy as its lease on its base at Waverley Gate, the former GPO building, runs out next year.
CONTROLLED PARKING TO EXPAND: The Capital’s controlled parking zones are set to expand again with Roseburn, Easter Road and Bonnington in line for potential new restrictions. The three areas were identified by council monitoring as those with the biggest on-street parking problems. The local authority will consult with residents on plans to introduce residents parking permits.
OFFICE BLOCK TO HOTEL: An empty office block near the EICC would be turned into a 4-star Dalata Hotel under plans brought forward by developers MRP for the site at 60 Morrison Street. The Dalata Hotel Group already owns the Edinburgh One nextdoor to the conference centre.
GRASSMARKET ROW: Hotel and nightclub developer Stefan King’s plans to renovate the Grassmarket Hotel are being strongly opposed by Cockburn Association conservation charity. King’s Scotsman Hospitality group, whose portfolio includes the Scotsman Hotel, the former Odeon in Clerk Street and Glasgow’s Oran Mor, wants to remove the current render at ground and first-floor level to expose the stonework underneath and add a new clock feature. The Cockburn Association is objecting “in the strongest terms”, saying it will compromise the landmark building’s historic integrity.
ST JAMES TAXIS: Coaches and taxis may be allowed access to the St James Quarter to serve the W Hotel despite councillors previously insisting the area remain pedestrian-only. The local authority is to reconsider the issue following a legal challenge by the joint-owners of the Quarter Nuveen.
THE BUSINESS
Lothian hydrogen pioneers enjoy big wins - but believes UK could do more
It has been a strong start to 2024 for East Lothian-based Logan Energy, which has a manufacturing base at Wallyford and leading-edge R&D facilities at Heriot-Watt University. The pioneering hydrogen power specialist has enjoyed two major strides forward.
The most recent, within the past few days, has seen the company tie up what it described as its biggest ever deal – although the precise value of the “multi-million” pound contract is not being disclosed.
The contract is for the largest hydrogen project in the Czech Republic and will power a fleet of ten buses using green hydrogen created from a nearby hydroelectric scheme. The entire project achieves near zero emissions and will provide reliable transport with long range buses that can operate in the hilly geography 20 miles south-west of Prague.
Logan Chief Executive Bill Ireland said: “We believe the project will be a catalyst for further transport and hydrogen economy projects in the Czech Republic.
“This project is just part of the ramp up of hydrogen fuelling stations planned across the UK, Europe and worldwide and we’re proud to be supplying reliable technology to drive this revolution.
“Larger vehicles like buses, trucks and other commercial transport can frequently operate more sustainably and effectively using hydrogen as a fuel rather than traditional battery electric vehicle technology.”
The company added that with the use of hydrogen technology growing throughout Europe, in particular in both Germany and France, “it would be good to see supportive policy to encourage investment” in transport and other projects in the UK.
In February Logan announced that it had secured investment of £5 million Singapore-based Lanxing New Energy and Scottish Enterprise, a long-term backer.
At that time, Ireland said: “This investment allows Logan Energy to move forward with our mission to secure our position as an industry leader providing Integrated Hydrogen Energy Systems and Energy Transition Solutions across all market sectors.”
DENTAL ENHANCEMENT: mydentist, the UK’s largest dental care provider, has recently undertaken a significant relocation of its Corstorphine practice to 113 St Johns Road following a substantial investment of £730,000 to create upgraded facilities offering an enhanced range of dental care for its 8000 patients.
RISING TO THE TOP: Scotland’s only Scotch whisky cream liqueur brand, Edinburgh-based Magnum, has doubled its national distribution with Co-op in Scotland. Over 500 litres of Magnum are now hitting the shelves in over 50 selected Co-op stores around the country. Magnum is also distributed throughout the UK, Canada, the US and South Africa.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
With the city awash with entertainment during the Festival, we continue to shy away from attempting any comprehensive overview, in favour of picking our own small selection of particularly cherished or easily overlooked events that you might otherwise miss. You can find our more detailed Fringe recommendations here.
MORE FESTIVE FUN: The Edinburgh International Book Festival is underway in its new home in the Edinburgh Futures Institute, off the Meadows, with the Film Festival launching on Friday. Amid the well-documented financial challenges the book festival and the city’s arts in general are facing, there can be no better year than this to show your support by booking tickets.
FUNGI FUN: Discover how mushrooms have inspired art, fashion, food, medicine and even music in the remarkable Fungi Forms exhibition at the Royal Botanic Garden’s Inverleith House gallery until 8 December. Exhibits include artist Simon Faithfull’s head casts (above) which provide a home for growing mushrooms.
THE OUTRUN: Amy Liptrot’s best-selling memoir The Outrun is being brought to the stage of the Church Hill Theatre until the 24 August as part of the Edinburgh International Festival. The stage adaptation is receiving rave reviews from among others The Financial Times who describe the production as “a mercurial journey through addiction”.
QUICK BITES
CAFÉ PLANS: Edinburgh’s Margiotta store chain has submitted plans to transform their food and wine store at Ashley Terrace in Polwarth to include a brand-new café.
CHEERS: The Irish-American themed Boston Bar will open next month at 104 Hanover Street, offering casual food and an extensive beer list as well as live sport and music. It replaces the now closed Asian food outlet Bar Soba.
Re the Magnum news - Isn’t Arran Gold ( whisky cream liqueur) produced in Scotland ?