Lothian Buses bounces back
Plus: Gladiators glory; A&E doctors' safety concerns; and Edinburgh's growing sustainable gardeners
Surge in bus and tram passengers sees city public transport back to 2014 levels
Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams attracted more than 20 million extra passengers last year as the city’s public transport continued its post-Covid rise.
The combined number of passenger journeys on the buses and trams (119.3m) was 21% up on the previous year, taking public transport use in the Capital back to roughly the same level as when the trams launched in 2014 (120.95m).
Plans to expand Lothian bus services and the first full year of operations on the extended tram line to Newhaven mean those numbers are expected to grow again next year.
Buses are queen: Although the trams saw the biggest per centage rise, with passenger numbers more than doubling following the opening of the Newhaven extension in June (7m in the second half of last year, compared to 3.4m in the same time the previous year), by far the biggest increase came on the buses. Lothian bus passenger numbers were up by 16m.
Still off-peak: Passenger numbers are still below their pre-Covid peak, running at around 90 per cent of the record levels seen immediately before the pandemic, when more than 231m journeys were taken by bus and tram in 2019. The city’s growing population - and growing traffic congestion - is a significant factor driving the general rise, but it also suggests predictions of the death of the daily commute due to increased working from home have been exaggerated.
Bus bonus: The strong performance of Lothian meant the publicly-owned bus company was able to pay a dividend, of £3.2m, to its share holders (Edinburgh, East, West and Midlothian councils) for the first time since 2019. That is a psychological bonus more than anything, given the huge costs now facing the bus company in the transition to Net Zero.
Net Zero challenge: There has been considerable investment in the Lothian fleet in recent years to bring it into line with the demands of Edinburgh’s Low Emission Zone which comes into force on 1 June. However, it now faces a far tougher target of achieving Net Zero emissions for its entire fleet of more than 700 buses by 2035.
The rest of UK plays catch-up: Across the UK as a whole, bus passenger numbers have bounced back even more strongly than they have in Edinburgh, surpassing immediate pre-Covid levels late last year. Much of this rise, however, has been attributed to the introduction of a £2 single fare cap across many English cities, making the bus a much more affordable option. That has, of course, long been the case in Edinburgh.
What about the trains? Scotrail - which has, at least temporarily, scrapped peak fares - is also reporting a continuing post-Covid bounce. The 7.7m passengers it saw last August was almost back at pre-pandemic levels.
YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING
GLADIATOR READY: An Army officer from Edinburgh is hoping to return to the hit TV show Gladiators in the future as a professional after winning the final of the men’s competition at the weekend. The reboot of the 1990s show pits contestants against the Gladiators in a series of head-to-head challenges. Finlay Anderson, 35, who has completed two tours of Afghanistan and two of Iraq since joining the Royal Scottish Regiment in 2010, has resumed his military career.
WET WET WET: Musselburgh Racecourse was forced to abandon one of its premier race meetings - which was due to feature the £100,000 Virgin Bet Queen’s Cup - on Easter Saturday due to a waterlogged course. Course general manager Bill Farnsworth said “an incredibly wet winter” meant Musselburgh was unable to cope with rainfall due to the high water table.
A&E ALERT: Doctors working at the emergency department at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh have written a letter of no confidence in the NHS Lothian executive board over “sustained and worsening patient safety issues”. A total of 27 A&E consultants warned they “currently cannot deliver safe, effective, timely care for our patients” in the letter submitted last year, the BBC reports. The health board has said it is working with them on a plan to improve the service. The doctors say their workload increased 80% during 2022, with patients remaining in their care for more than 12 hours rather than being moved to other wards.
ALPINE COASTER: Work on a 600 metre-long Alpine Coaster ride is nearing completion at Hillend as part of a planned £30m development of the Midlothian Snowsports Centre. Midlothian Council has released images of the work as it warned drone owners against flying over the site in an effort to film the latest progress.
PARK ‘GRAVEYARDS’: So many memorials are being placed on trees that some of the city’s parks are starting to resemble graveyards, the Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links have warned. Hundreds of metal memorial plaques have been appearing in parks including Princes Street Gardens and the Meadows as part of the Tree Time scheme - run by the Edinburgh and Lothian Greenspace Trust, in conjunction with the council and Woodland Trust - which allows donations to support tree planting.
GRATUITOUS CUTE PIC ALERT: A colourful spring bouquet makes an excellent snack for the adorable Linne’s two-toed sloth Feira at Edinburgh Zoo. Our thanks to the RZSS for the image of Feira enjoying some of her favourite plants including camellias, forsythia and silver wattle, all grown on site.
‘FAIR’ FINES: More than 1500 fines have been handed out in the first two months of Edinburgh becoming the first local authority to enforce a pavement parking ban in Scotland. Of those, 286 were issued for double parking, 199 for parking next to a dropped kerb at a crossing point and the rest for pavement parking. The Capital’s transport leader Councillor Scott Arthur said the £100 fines were making Edinburgh “a fairer city” by making it more accessible for all.
MORNINGSIDE MAYHEM: Nine 13 and 14-year-olds have been charged with a total of 77 offences following anti-social behaviour in Morningside and Bruntsfield in recent weeks. Complaints to police have included shoplifting, vandalism to cars and aggressive behaviour, including one incident where a child was hit with an egg.
SHELTER WARNING: The homeless charity Shelter Scotland has warned the Scottish Government’s plans to introduce long-term rent caps will do nothing to tackle “systemic issues”, such as the lack of social housing. Director Alison Watson said there was “no realistic prospect” of local authorities doing more to stop homelessness when many were already unable to provide suitable accommodation for the most vulnerable. The rent cap proposals - which create the option of enforcing a rent freeze in high pressure areas such as Edinburgh - have been welcomed by tenants rights groups, but renewed warnings they will drive investors away from social housing projects.
SOCIAL HOUSING FIRST: Unite, the UK’s largest student housing developer, is to build its first combined project to also include build to rent homes. Its £60m development at Abbeyhill in Edinburgh will feature accommodation for 298 students, alongside 49 private rented flats and 17 for affordable rent. Building work on the former industrial estate site is expected to be complete by September, 2025.
AIRPORT ROAD ROW: Edinburgh Airport is taking legal action against the city council over an access road it wants to build from the Gogar roundabout into the airport. The airport is seeking a judicial review of the masterplan for West Edinburgh which it says it was not properly consulted on before it was approved by the local authority. The council, with the backing of the Scottish Government, has refused to accept the airport’s argument that the 3km road is needed to ease congestion.
THE BUSINESS
Cycling Gardeners take root and grow
An innovative Edinburgh business is growing in more ways than one – with support from Business Gateway.
The Cycling Gardeners of Edinburgh is the UK’s only fully electric-powered gardening business and offers a complete garden maintenance service delivered on cargo bikes by a team of independent gardeners. It was founded last year by Callum Ross, the seed of his idea being to combine his talent for gardening with his desire to be more sustainable.
The business uses cargo bikes to travel and to transport materials and exclusively uses electric power tools. While the tools are more expensive than traditional petrol-powered tools, they are more sustainable, which chimes with the overall principle of the business.
As well as its team of freelance gardeners, who are largely experienced horticulturalists, The Cycling Gardeners of Edinburgh is also hoping to employ young gardeners who may be new to the trade but who may not have their driving licence. More information can be gained on the company here Gardeners Cargo Bikes | The Cycling Gardeners of Edinburgh | Edinburgh
HEALTH INNOVATION: Scotland’s health boss has visited the National Robotarium in Edinburgh to see the latest innovations in robotics for healthcare being delivered by scientists and spin-out businesses from the partnership, run by Heriot-Watt and the University of Edinburgh. Caroline Lamb, NHS Scotland Chief Executive, had a tour of the high-spec HRI labs and selection of demonstrations from researchers developing cutting-edge robotics and AI solutions to support people’s health, wellbeing and social care, and reduce pressure on clinical and healthcare staff.
NEW PHASE: Phase Eight opened its new 3444 square foot Scottish flagship store at 85 George Street in Edinburgh at the weekend, showcasing the company’s latest fashion collections and accessories, including formalwear.
ELECTRIC EMBER: Edinburgh-based inter-city electric bus company Ember has raised £11m in capital from new and existing investors. The company intends to use the funding to further build its network linking cities north of the border.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
FORTH THEATRE FIESTA: Forth Children’s Theatre is celebrating 45 years of dramatic brilliance with a special gala show at the Church Hill Theatre. Featuring an ensemble of current FCT members and alumni, the concert features some of the company’s most notable musicals, such as Thoroughly Modern Millie, Anything Goes, Little Shop of Horrors, 13 The Musical and Hairspray, and more modern shows such as School of Rock. Forth Children’s Theatre’s 45th Anniversary Gala is on Thursday-Saturday, at 7.30pm, with a matinee at 2.30pm on Saturday.
DOUBLE GODLEY: Hear how Janey Godley overcame tragedy to become one of Scotland’s best-loved comedians - and then enjoy the jokes. Combining a new documentary film about her life with a separate stand-up comedy show, Godley brings her double bill show to the Queens Hall. Janey: On Screen & On-Stage is on Saturday at 7pm.
SARA PASCOE: Comedian turned writer and novelist Sara Pascoe joins Edinburgh University’s writer in residence Michael Pederson for an ‘in conversation’ night at the Gordon Aikman Theatre, formerly the George Square Theatre, on Wednesday, 10 April, at 7pm. The Fringe favourite will talk about the switch from stand-up to fiction as her first novel Weirdo comes out in paperback this month.
WILD WELLY WALK: The Water of Leith Conservation Trust is holding a Wild Welly Walk family fun day on Sunday. Discover or rediscover the beauty of Edinburgh’s stunning riverside walkway. Tickets - and wellies - required.
QUICK BITES
BUON APPETITO: Two Edinburgh venues make the cut as The Good Food Guide’s announces its pick of ‘Britain’s Best Italian Restaurants 2024’ - Valvona & Crolla in Elm Row made the cut of 54 venues, just a week after it was named Italian Restaurant of the Year at Scottish Restaurant Awards 2024, and they were joined by Contini, which is based in an old banking hall on George Street.
TIME FOR TEA? Twenty Princes Steet, situated within Hotel Indigo, is celebrating after picking up an ‘Award of Excellence’ from The Afternoon Tea Awards 2024, the only venue in Scotland to receive the acclamation and one of only four outside London.
EASTER DONUT: Edinburgh-based bakery Kilted Donut are set to provide visitors to Edinburgh’s Bonnie & Wild with a sweet treat during the Easter holidays as the popular Food Hall hosts an exclusive pop-up. The venue uses its position within the St James Quarter to champion “small Scottish food businesses and local talent”.