Latest news with #LothianBuses
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Edinburgh firefighters rush to blaze on busy street as major response scrambled
Around 12 firefighters are tackling a blaze on a busy Edinburgh street. Three Scottish Fire and Rescue Service appliances have been spotted on Bruntsfield Place after the alarm was raised at 4.20pm. Images from the scene show two pump appliances and a height vehicle parked at the side of the road with firefighters assembling equipment and hose reels. READ MORE: Edinburgh Robbie Williams fans vow 'never again' as they're trapped in huge crowds after gig READ MORE: Two Scottish gangsters linked to notorious clan shot dead outside Spanish bar They can also be seen standing on the pavement outside Thai Lemongrass restaurant, although it is unknown if the blaze has originated from a residential dwelling or commercial business on the street. Lothian Buses has since issued a service alert as the road has been closed off. They wrote: "Due to a road closure services are unable to serve Bruntsfield Place and instead will divert via Gilmore Place, Polwarth Gardens, Polwarth Terrace and Colinton Road in both directions until further notice." An eye witness passing the scene told Edinburgh Live: "We saw the fire engines go speeding past us from Tollcross and when we walked towards Bruntsfield Links they were getting the hoses out. "I couldn't really see smoke but it looked like they had already started spraying water as it was running down the hill." We'll bring you more information and updates on this breaking news story as we get it. In the meantime, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X for the latest news, what's on, trending stories and sport. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
The Herald Scotland
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
We have power to nationalise Scotland's bus services - so let's use it
Worst of all, it's us that foot the bill. Our new report: The Next Stop: The Case For Publicly Owned Buses In Scotland has shown that almost £500,000,000 of public money has been spent propping up a broken system of private bus ownership. In 2023–24, bus operators in Scotland received £439 million in public subsidy, equating to 58% of all revenue in the sector. Read more Roz Foyer Less than half of bus operators' revenue comes from passenger fares. Therefore, the public – via taxpayer money and in addition to workers spending their hard-earned cash on overpriced fare – are a major shareholder within the bus network in Scotland. But here's the kicker: the public pays into a system over which it has no agency. No say on pricing. No say on accessibility. No power over reliability or frequency. It's a system designed to exclude passengers from decision-making and rewards the dividends of shareholders. First Glasgow, for example, paid a £25 million dividend to its parent company in 2022–23. That's set against a backdrop of bus coverage in Strathclyde and South West Scotland shrinking by a staggering 30% in the past five years. Across Scotland, bus coverage has fallen by 16%. At the same time as presiding over a fall in bus coverage, the private bus industry has produced an average gross profit margin of more than 10% over the last 20 years. We find ourselves in the rather grotesque situation that working people are paying more for a network they don't have a say in running, with the spoils shared amongst shareholders rather than workers. Workers losing out is a continued theme. The STUC's research highlights that many privately operated companies impose excessive working hours, lower pay and weaker protections. Contrast this with the experience at Lothian Buses, Scotland's only surviving publicly owned operator, where union representation is high, hours are family-friendly, starting pay is stronger and structured progression routes are in place. Unsurprisingly, staff satisfaction and workforce retention are both higher. Passenger numbers are higher too. Lothian buses are publicly owned (Image: free) 10 years ago, there were 18 million more passenger journeys in Strathclyde and South West Scotland than in South East Scotland. Now that picture is reversed – with eight million more passengers in South East Scotland. Lothian Buses has bucked the trend of rapidly falling passenger use. It is a concrete example of how public ownership delivers for the workforce and the community alike. Lothian Buses is not a pipe dream. It's a viable model. Over the last decade, Lothian has returned £36 million in dividends to the local authority, money that wouldn't have been returned for the public good if it had been a private company. In 2023 alone, they reinvested over £4 million into maintaining vital but less profitable routes. So not only is public ownership good for workers and good for taxpayers; it's good for the environment too. Lothian was the first operator in Scotland to convert its entire fleet to ultra-low emission vehicles and is on track to electrify fully by 2035, a pace of progress unmatched by the private sector even with £130 million of public subsidy behind them. This is what responsible stewardship of public money can achieve. With meaningful control and fair governance, Lothian Buses is a template in how bus networks should operate: with accountability, with sustainability and with a clear public mandate. The cost for public ownership is manageable too: £17.5 million annually for a city the size of Dundee; £44 million for the whole of Strathclyde. These are not unachievable sums. Especially not when compared to the hundreds of millions leaking into corporate balance sheets each year. Further, the STUC estimates that 2,900 jobs could be created in bus manufacturing alone if we committed to a publicly owned electric bus transition. That is 2,900 livelihoods, built around secure, unionised work in a sustainable sector. But the status quo, where operators receive huge subsidies to buy electric buses built abroad while Scottish manufacturers struggle, must end. Public control can ensure that procurement supports Scottish jobs and skills, not just shareholder returns. Read more The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 gives local authorities the power to take control through franchising or to directly operate services. Yet these powers have not been seized with urgency. The legislation exists, the public appetite is there, and the economic case is overwhelming. So why won't politicians get on the bus then? If we are serious about transforming Scotland's transport, the empty promises of the past must be consigned to the past. We must establish new publicly owned bus companies - arms-length or in-house - across Scotland. We must support councils and regional transport partnerships to pool resources, share infrastructure and provide stable employment. Crucially, that means treating buses as a public good, not a private opportunity. Scotland's next parliamentary election will be a test of leadership, on climate, on inequality and on public services. Therein lies the challenge to every party, every candidate and every council leader: if you're serious about delivering accessible, affordable and sustainable transport for the people of Scotland, then you need to get on the bus for public ownership. No more blank cheques to private monopolies. No more excuses for shrinking routes and rising fares. No more public money without public power. Next stop: public ownership. Roz Foyer is general secretary of the STUC
Daily Record
22-05-2025
- Daily Record
Lorry crashes with Edinburgh Tram 'leaving shattered glass everywhere'
Edinburgh trams have alerted travellers to the incident. A lorry has smashed into the glass door of an Edinburgh tram, claims a commuter. The collision is understood to have taken place at around 5pm on on Thursday, May 22. An eye witness told Edinburgh Live the lorry was turning from Dalmeny Street when the back end of the vehicle hit the tram and smashed the glass. Glass " shattered everywhere" and passengers on board the tram were asked to disembark. An image appeared to show a part of the tram's outer casing sticking in between the smashed doors. Edinburgh Trams alerted travellers to the incident on social media with services now terminating at Balfour Street from Edinburgh Airport. They also advised customers a ticket sharing agreement is in place with Lothian Buses for those impacted. In a statement on X, Edinburgh Trams said: "Due to tram incident at Balfour Street, we are currently running part route between Edinburgh Airport and Balfour Street. "Customers travelling to Foot of the Walk, Shore, Port of Leith, Ocean Terminal and Newhaven. Ticket acceptance is in place with Lothian Buses." A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "At 4.55pm on Thursday May 22, we received a report of a crash involving a tram and a lorry on Leith Walk in Edinburgh. "One man received minor injuries but did not attend hospital." Yesterday, in a separate incident, we reported that a 29-year-old man has been arrested by police in connection with a hit-and-run attempted murder on a Dumfries street. A 28-year-old man was seriously injured after he is said to have been deliberately hit by a car in the town's Criffel Road on Saturday, May 17, 2025. The emergency services raced to the scene, near to the town's Lincluden Road, at 11.20pm, after receiving a report that a car had deliberately crashed into a man. The 28-year-old was rushed to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary for treatment and a police probe was launched. Officers said the driver fled the scene, heading towards College Road and onto Newbridge Drive. They also said that a silver-coloured, five-door VW Golf with tinted rear windows was in the area at the time. And the force said today that a suspect had been arrested and charged. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal and the suspect is due to appear in the dock at Dumfries Sheriff Court tomorrow, Thursday, May 22, 2025 in connection with the case. The investigation into the incident continues. Detective Inspector Scott Wilson said at the time: "Extensive enquiries are ongoing and we have been gathering CCTV footage from the surrounding area, which is being reviewed. "Officers have also been carrying out door to door enquiries in the local area and will continue to do so. But I would also be very keen to speak anyone who was in the area at the time or has seen the car since then and may be able to assist our investigation. "I would also like to hear from anyone who has dash cam, private CCTV or doorbell footage from the Lincluden area around the time of the incident. "Any information, or footage, could prove vital, so please do pass it on to officers. Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference 4575 of 17 May. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Edinburgh Reporter
19-05-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
New way to pay on trams from today
The operator of Edinburgh's tram network has launched its new payment solution, 'Tap on, Tap off' or TOTO, which is now live in the capital. The first customers using the new system rode the tram this morning, after tapping a contactless card or device on the existing platform validators. This marks a significant step forward for the operator, allowing more seamless bus and tram travel in the city thanks to partnerships with Edinburgh Trams' sister company, Lothian, and facilitated by payment provider Flowbird. Lea Harrison, Managing Director of Edinburgh Trams, said: 'The launch of ToTo today comes today following months of hard work from colleagues across the business, and would not be possible without significant investment in existing infrastructure. We believe that ToTo future-proofs the tramway, making it easier and more efficient than ever to use the tram to glide across the city.' Lea was joined for the official launch this morning by David Thompson, General Manager-Transport for Flowbird, Lothian Buses' Head of Product Strategy Stevie Chambers, and the City of Edinburgh Council's Deputy Leader, Councillor Mandy Watt. David Thompson said: 'At Flowbird, we're proud of our partnership with Edinburgh Trams, alongside Lothian Buses, in developing and delivering Scotland's first multimodal, multi-operator account-based ticketing system. Edinburgh is a true 'world' city and so it is fitting that its people, along with millions of visitors, should benefit from technology that makes travel on the tram and bus network seamless, easy to use and cost effective. By doing so, we encourage a modal shift to more sustainable transport and help to make cities more liveable.' Deputy Council Leader, Councillor Mandy Watt said: 'I'm delighted to have attended the launch of the new ToTo system today. I really enjoyed meeting colleagues from Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses to hear about the new system and see the first journeys being made. This key development reinforces our integrated, seamless, and accessible public transport network here in Edinburgh, which is the backbone of any major city. It's fair to say that when it comes to our public transport network, we punch well above our weight compared with similar cities. 'In addition to existing tickets, travel across our trams and buses will now be even easier and more convenient than ever with ticket prices automatically capped at the cheapest daily and weekly rate for those using ToTo. Our excellent public transport system is an inclusive form of travel – it provides an alternative to car use especially for people on lower incomes or with mobility issues. Low carbon travel is also a cornerstone of our wider climate ambitions and I'm sure that ToTo will encourage greater use. 'I'm proud of the part the Council has played in delivering this milestone and commit to working with our transport operators to deliver yet more improvements to our public transport network. 'I have no doubt that many millions of journeys in the coming months will be made using the new system and everyone involved has my sincere thanks. We're committed to keeping Edinburgh moving and ToTo is a very welcome addition to the transport landscape.' Reminder to tap off Customers are reminded that, unlike on Lothian Bus services, they are required to 'Tap off' when they leave the tram, in order to complete their journey and be charged the correct fare. If the same card or device is not used to Tap off, the journey is registered as incomplete, and customers will be charged the full Airport Zone fare of £7.90. This system works alongside Lothian Buses' existing TapTapCap system to cap bus and tram travel across the city at the Cap rate, aligning Edinburgh Trams with services offered by its sister company. Sarah Boyd, Managing Director of Lothian Buses said: 'Lothian is delighted to work with Edinburgh Trams to further enhance our TapTapCap solution which now offers integrated payment for journeys across the city's bus and tram network. 'The introduction of daily and weekly capping across both modes will ensure that customers using the same card or device can always benefit from the cheapest Pay As You Go fare regardless of how their travel plans might change.' Customers who benefit from existing concession cards or use a Ridacard should continue to use these as before and aren't required to tap off to end their journey. Each contactless card or device can only be used for one standard Adult fare – customers travelling in groups or with children should still use the ticket vending machines on platforms or the Bus & Tram App or Edinburgh Ticket to pre-purchase their tickets. Click here for additional information about 'Tap on, Tap off' – FAQs and terms of use. Pic Greg Macvean 19/05/2025 Edinburgh Trams – launch of TOTO (tap on tap off) scheme Sarah Boyd Managing Director of Lothian with Lea Harrison Managing Director of Edinburgh Trams with Martha at the launch The official party from Lothian, Edinburgh Trams and Flowbird at the launch Edinburgh Trams – Lea Harrison Managing Director of Edinburgh Trams with Alfie at the launch of TOTO (tap on tap off) scheme Pic Greg Macvean 19/05/2025 Like this: Like Related
The National
19-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Edinburgh Trams unveils new contactless payment system
Customers will need to tap their device onto the existing platform validators when they begin their journey, then tap off on the platform after they have disembarked the tram, with the new system charging them the cheapest fare based on the number of journeys made. The payment system will also be integrated with Lothian Bus Services' existing TapTapCap system, providing commuters a 'seamless' journey across the capital as it caps bus and tram travel across the city at the day ticket rate. READ MORE: NC500 residents slam campervan tourists for dumping 'poo' at beauty spot Weekly travel will also be capped at the weekly rate, so customers are able to travel as much as they would like within the City Zone and only pay the weekly cap fare. Sarah Singh, head of service delivery, said: 'The delivery of this project reflects months of hard work from colleagues across the business and Lothian Buses, to fully integrate ToTo into their existing system, and we're pleased to be offering our best-ever service to customers across Edinburgh.' Transport convener for Edinburgh Council, councillor Stephen Jenkinson, added that the launch of the system marked a 'significant milestone' for Edinburgh's public transport network. 'This will allow residents and visitors to travel more efficiently and at the best value with ticket prices automatically capped at the cheapest daily and weekly rate,' he said. He added: 'Our excellent public transport services is the most inclusive form of travel; it provides an alternative to car use especially for people on lower incomes or with mobility issues.' 'Our integrated public transport system is something we're very proud of here in Edinburgh – compared with similar sized cities we are an example to be celebrated and followed.'
