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Passengers face hike in fares on top of cuts to bus services



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Published Date: 04 December 2008
By CHRIS MARSHALL
BUS passengers are facing another hike in fares next month as Lothian Buses seeks to tackle falling profits.
The council-owned firm has already announced cuts to several services in the Capital, as it attempts to balance the books amid high fuel costs and declining ticket revenues.

The company said it will increase fares "across the board", rather than simply raising the cost of adult singles, as it did in April, when fares went up from £1 to £1.10. The increases are expected to come into force on January 18, the same day as a series of cuts are made to services. Drivers have speculated that the cost of a single ticket could be set to rise to £1.30, but the firm insists it is still working out what the increase will be.

Lothian Buses has been hit hard by the economic downturn and the effects of falling passenger numbers caused by the tram works.

And the outlook for the ailing firm is set to worsen after it emerged the Scottish Government is unlikely to adopt measures laid out in Chancellor Alastair Darling's pre-Budget report, which would have seen a reduction in fuel duties paid by bus firms.

Ian Craig, Lothian Buses' managing director, said: "I can confirm that bus fares will be going up early in the new year – the same time we will be making changes to our services.The fares increase will be across all ticketing types, but we are confident they will still remain as some of the lowest bus fares in the UK."

Councillor Ian Perry, Labour's city transport spokesman, said the company needed more financial support from the city council. He said: "The council needs to take an overall strategic view of bus route closures and any price increases."

Last month Lothian Buses blamed "city-wide" roadworks and the economic downturn for a series of fresh cuts to services. Five more routes were withdrawn or cut back, with frequency reduced on nine more services. The news followed thedecision to cut 11 routes in October.

Passenger numbers and are down seven per cent on last year. The firm has also faced a steep rise in employment costs of £2.7 million, due to the need for more drivers for the extra buses it needs for the tram diversions.


The full article contains 398 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 04 December 2008 11:05 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Lothian Buses
 
1

,

04/12/2008 11:49:53
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
2

allknowing,

04/12/2008 11:56:12
Fuel costs are dropping!!!!

Good, imagine having to pay more for this sorry excuse of a service.

Pay more to stand at a bus stop in the rain.

Pay more to wiat for a late bus

Pay more to be coughed on and have to put up with the antisocial behaviour of other passengers

Pay more to put up with bus drivers.

pay more to get from a-b slower than almost any other form of transport.

Great deal!
3

Grumpy,

04/12/2008 11:57:20
"Lothian Buses has been hit hard by the economic downturn and the effects of falling passenger numbers caused by the tram works"

By inference, then, we can expect further increases when the trams start and passengers move off the buses on to the trams.

Why oh why can't they introduce a split fare - say 75p for up to 8 stops then full rate after that. To go one stop for £1.30 is ridiculous especially when you've had to stand and wait 30 minutes for the bus in the first place.
4

Sister Morag,

Lasswade 04/12/2008 12:00:06
So why is the Government not intending to adopt the measures that would see bus firms pay less in fuel duties?
5

Liz,

Edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:01:27
Bit of a catch 22 situation here, put prices up too much and it is likely passenger numbers will drop even further.

I am getting the bus less now. Partly due to the cost and partly to do with the road works that meant that either the route was always diverted (particularily a problem when trying to find the neccesary stop in the centre of town for routes that had been diverted) or the journey was mind numbingly slow.
6

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:04:07
#55

No, a catch 22 situation is when you're at the bus stop at Ocean Terminal.
7

tumshie heid,

04/12/2008 12:04:28
Another casualty of the great trams. These damned things are ruining peoples lives in lost business and now they are helping to degenerate Edinburghs bus service.
How much will it cost to get on a bus by the time the trinset is finished?
8

SDRAWKCAB,

Edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:04:39
Fuel costs? fuel is getting cheaper by the day!

the reason they are getting less passengers is due to the price hikes. Are they stupid?

I hate LRT.
9

tumshie heid,

04/12/2008 12:05:25
trainset
10

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:05:56
#2

You are a dafty. Belt up.
11

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:07:21
I seen Rosa Parks on the bus yesterday. And Jim Morrison.
12

Lothian Buses Driver,

Port Seton 04/12/2008 12:07:30
Ever been to Leeds? £1.60 togo one stop and day ticket £7. weekly ticket £26. Very few buses at night and weekends. Stop moaning. Its a good cheap service. You have buses xmas eve, xmas day, new years eve and new years day. £1.30 single, peanuts. £3 day ticket, fantastic value.
13

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:08:05
#2

No, seriously, belt up. You're a wally.
14

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:08:54
#12

Agreed, but bear in mind Leeds metropolitan area is much bigger than Edinburgh.

Eeh bah goom.
15

daddybear,

04/12/2008 12:09:05
and the day ticket is going up to £3
16

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:11:19
One day everything will be a hundred times more expensive than it is now:

Poundland will be £100 Land

Bus fare will be £130 single fare.

I estimate this will happen by 2036
17

Steven P,

edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:11:45
While every other business is cutting prices, LRT are going to try and buck the trend.
Perhaps its time for Mr Craig to push his well-salaried butt out the same door as fat-cat Renilson.
18

craig7653,

Edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:12:05
Couldn't agree more #12#. I don't use my car very often. The buses are great and cheap. Some of the other passengers are not the best, but thats public transport. Long Live Lothian Buses. You drivers are doing a bad job very well. Many Thanks.
19

tumshie heid,

04/12/2008 12:13:23
It would make more sense to buy a moped and pay about £5 per week in fuel than £3 a day on day tickets. At least you have flexibility.
20

fresian,

edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:14:11
Why not encourage passengers on to buses by making every second bus a ned free zone, or provide the neds with a dedicated limited stop service between Niddrie, Bingham, Piershill, Lochend, Leith, Granton Muirhouse Broomhouse,Sighthill, Wester Hailes, Oxgange and Gilmerton, something like the old 32/52 route, just don't allow the passengers to get off outwith these areas.
21

allknowing,

04/12/2008 12:15:01
'13 why??? is that the sum total of your debating skills!!! Mmm.. your why i dont use public transport. Go on, away and play with the buses.
22

Pacob75,

Edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:16:00
You folks aren't happy unless your moaning about something. LB haven't even confirmed how much they will increase by. You'd have a lot more to complain about if there were no buses at all!!!

3 - Why would you pay £1.30 to go just stop? If ye dinnae like it then walk....easy.
23

allknowing,

04/12/2008 12:16:16
#20 excellent idea. But i would go further, and just dont allow them to travel.

Get on board bus, enter postcode. If it matches one on the nedabase, then no travel.
24

fresian,

edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:17:58
Tumsie, good idea, cheap enough to buy and insure and at least you own the thing. I bought a bike to travel to work in Edinburgh, it costs me about £10 per fortnight in petrol and takes 10-15 min for the journey. Alternatively I can get a bus at £2.50 a day, and take 1 hour to do the same journey, changing buses twice on route. I also have the bike forweekend blasts in the borders if I want.
25

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:18:52
#23

No, seriously, belt up. The only debating you do is mass debating.
26

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:20:01



Anyone here ever listen to the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2?

A succession of ill-informed moaners debate the issue of the day. It's like allknowing and Gorgie T are stuck in the radio.
27

hibbywul,

04/12/2008 12:22:42
My annual bus pass expires 16 January, I will renew on 17th and get it at current rates.
28

David Harrington,

Edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:24:01
This is certainly not an ideal situation - the Council should return some of the money paid to it in the good years, and the Scottish Government needs to increase its fuel duty rebate in line with that made in England (ideally to 100% as they used to get).
Furthermore, I know this doesn't suit this newspaper's agenda, but not all of the roadworks in the city are caused by tramworks (e.g. Portobello).
Finally, at least Lothian Buses are honest in calling it an increase, most other companies - particularly the worst ones i.e. First and Arriva, would call it a "fare revision". Bus fares only ever go one way in the UK, because of lack of support from councils and government - each passing the buck to the other and nobody having a strategic plan (outside of London, which with Boris Johnson's TfL cuts is looking less positive by the day).
29

,

04/12/2008 12:25:17
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
30

fresian,

edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:25:35
rrrrRRRRRRRRRrrr! David, the works in Portobello may not be related to the trams, but they are still being carried out courtesy of the cooncil.
31

Bob 2,

04/12/2008 12:25:57
And the outlook for the ailing firm is set to worsen after it emerged the Scottish Government is unlikely to adopt measures laid out in Chancellor Alastair Darling's pre-Budget report, which would have seen a reduction in fuel duties paid by bus firms.


Hold on, isn't Fuel Duty and National Taxes a Nationaly Controlled thing by the Treasury?
32

craig7653,

Edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:26:24
Yeah belt up allknowing your an idiot. If you don't use buses you don't need to comment on the bus stories. You know nothing.
33

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 12:27:31
I think bus prices are actually very reasonable in edinburgh. 2 pounds 50 (?) to go whereever you need to go for a whole day ?

Its a bargain folks. even at 1.30.

Here , a single journey is around 2 pounds 10.
34

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 12:28:15
12 Totally Agree.
35

fresian,

edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:28:51
Piehead, I think he makes a valid point, really. Who wants to share space with sub humans.

36

Big bob 79,

04/12/2008 12:29:50
Lothian Buses are going from bad to worse!....
a 20p increase and they are STILL cutting routes!...LOL
I doubt that a fares in crease will attract anyone to use Lothian buses Failing services....
I stopped using the bus due to the high fares I have used the buses since 1987 I now save over two hours each week on my commute and it does not cost me a fortune on bus fares

Its clear dump the bus and buy a car!....


37

malcyh,

04/12/2008 12:30:22
So the bus company (owned by the Council) is complaining about the road works (Agreed by the council)and the fact they will have to increase fares? Diesel is coming down if I am not mistaken?
The Council appear to be at fault here as they are penalising the passengers for their incompetence all round. Nice to Labour councillor stirring it up, surely we had enough of their nonsense when they controlled the council?
The bus service is still very good compared to other cities
38

fresian,

edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:30:53
#12, Bradford is even worse.
39

big man,

Longstone 04/12/2008 12:38:18
As a Bus Driver with Lothian, i can't see why the people of Edinburgh moan about the price of fares, it's good value for money including daysavers, yes buses might be late, but whose fault is that?, if the tramworks had never started maybe Edinburgh would never be in the mess it is, and to some who say us drivers are grumpy, take a look at yourselves 1st, my pet hate is someone who comes on with a mobile strapped to there ear and put money in the hopper without saying a word, that's what i call total ignorance, we do my job as best as i can, iv'e always been civil when people say £1.10 please, i say thanks, to the people who put money inand just stand there and say nowt, once again there ignorant, but i don't classs everyone in the same boat as others, just the same as we are drivers, civility costs nothing, but at the end of the day if your not happy with what you have, who else will do it, forget about First, just think what other company big enough can handle it, on the whole Edinburgh has a good service, cuts are inevitable. (would you run a company at a loss ?)
40

Son of Gramsci,

Edina 04/12/2008 12:39:10
Save money - ride a bike.

Get you there quicker, too.
41

Brian Ferrari,

04/12/2008 12:40:44
If you're offering a poorer service and your passenger numbers are going down, then shouldn't you be thinking about reducung fares?

You guys at LRT are no very smart, ken?
42

fresian,

edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:41:24
big man, one of my pet hates, is seeing a bus driver with his mobile phone stuck to his ear.
43

fresian,

edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:43:30
Another alternative to my suggestion at No 20 would be to provide neds with a bus where the exhaust was fed into the passenger compartment. You could make it look attractive by painting pictures on the windows of people sipping champagne and smiling.
44

Pond Hall,

04/12/2008 12:44:01
28 David harrington is correct - FIRST have fares revisions.

but fare have came down,

Some 22 and a bit years ago a single fare cost me £1, and with a city single just now its still £1.

FIRST have actually REDUCED fares at one point, a single fare to Edinburgh down our way was £1.35, its currently £1.10

Yip the Tram and Road works have certainly cost us.

In terms of Services and Fares.

And a Sharp increase will only make things worse.

Things will only get worse, with 3+ years of TRAMWORKS ahead.

Trams are jsut wonderful, were they not supposed to Improve Public transport?
45

Road Raga,

EDINBURGH 04/12/2008 12:44:11
#39 the good burghs of this city like a good moan, its not the drivers fault.
46

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:44:21
#35

Well, you only want to share the bus with bovines.

mooooo
47

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:45:31
#35

I think you'll find Allknowing is the subhuman - have you seen his motel?
48

Big bob 79,

04/12/2008 12:46:47
#39
sure its fare, so fare I bet you do not use your comapny pass and pay like all the poor mugs on the bus...
yeh sure wake up, if it was good value for money everyone would use the bus, £1.10 to go one stop!... people in town are being robbed to pay for the out of town travellers

49

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:47:09
Detective Arbogast here. What seems to be the problem?
50

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:47:12
Detective Arbogast here. What seems to be the problem?
51

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:47:14
Detective Arbogast here. What seems to be the problem?
52

fresian,

edinburgh 04/12/2008 12:47:57
Is it like a concentration camp???
53

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 12:48:04
Sorry for triple post - EEN website is gone flaky
54

Pond Hall,

04/12/2008 12:50:18
41 Brian Ferrari,04/12/2008 12:40:44
If you're offering a poorer service and your passenger numbers are going down, then shouldn't you be thinking about reducung fares?

You guys at LRT are no very smart,

Brian, read the articles.

Up until the tramworks Lothian Buses had won numerous awards.

a few interesting points about LB

low Fares
24/7 Services
Modern Bus Fleet - investment in new buses every year
Timetables - available locally
bus tracker
CCTV on all buses
local bus shops

unlike some other Local bus companies.
55

Brian Ferrari,

04/12/2008 12:53:09
#54

Key words are UP UNTIL the tramworks
56

Pond Hall,

04/12/2008 12:54:20
48 Big bob 79,04/12/2008 12:46:47
#39
sure its fare, so fare I bet you do not use your comapny pass and pay like all the poor mugs on the bus...
yeh sure wake up, if it was good value for money everyone would use the bus, £1.10 to go one stop!... people in town are being robbed to pay for the out of town travellers

What Town Dalkeith, Musselburgh?
57

Pond Hall,

04/12/2008 12:55:29
think the bike is looking better every day.
58

BobW,

Not on a bus 04/12/2008 12:55:33
With fuel costs going right down, how can LB justify any more rises. People are avoiding them because they are unreliable, smelly and full of neds. They are also far too expensive. passenger numbers will drop even further in January.
59

Robin Bankes,

Culross 04/12/2008 12:56:27
I frequently park my Lexus at Ingliston and travel to Leith by a bus combination of X48 and 22. Prior to being eligible for a Scottish Concessionary Bus Pass I paid just £2.50 for a day ticket which allowed unlimited travel on the vast bulk of the Lothian Buses route network. Even at £3 or £3.50 this represents fantastic value considering that the network extends eastwards as far as the tent-dwellers of Seton Sands.
The advent of trams will make my journeys to Leith all the more convenient and agreeable.
60

Big bob 79,

04/12/2008 12:56:39
56 take your pick
61

Big bob 79,

04/12/2008 13:00:53
59 great tell everyone to sit on a hugh number of buses each day to get their monies worth out of their day ticket, sadly in the REAL world most people want to get to work and home again fast with min fuss. Lothian and the council have clearly forgotten this and seen dead set of punishing commuters for using public transport


62

thehitmaster,

Penicuik 04/12/2008 13:02:49
The increases will still make it good value, but I agree with the aspect of why should someone going 1 stop have to pay the same someone going 20 miles? For those mentioning First, just wait and the fare will increase to whatever Lothian settle on.
63

Fuma Kotaro,

ejinbara 04/12/2008 13:03:23
Neds, bad though they are, aren't the worst thing you find on buses.

5) Jakies that've wet themselves

4) Herds of old wimmin who think they have a God given right to everything, and look at you with obvious hatred.

3) Middle class people's croth fruit being allowed to 'express themselves'

2) The lonely, pasty faced man that sneaks looks at girls breasts and think that no one realises what they're doing.

1) The disgusting, loud mouthed, arrogant, big haired tw@t teenagers, usually from good backgrounds, who think everyone's so impressed by the 'outrageous' ' amount of beer they drank last night and the craaaazy things they get up to. They should know that I'm secretly wishing they would die every moment they are near me.
64

Niko Bellic,

04/12/2008 13:05:30

"The advent of trams"

The advent tram calendar is like a traditional advent calendar but has three major differences outlined below:

1. It costs fifty to one hundred times more.
2. Instead of pictures of magi and mangers, open a door each day to see holes in the road, traffic jams, and millions of pounds being p1shed up against the wall by incompetents.
3.Rather than the traditional 24 door calendar, the advent of the trams calendar has 3, 000 days, but no wee bit of chocolate behind the doors - it would be too heavy.
65

Big bob 79,

04/12/2008 13:10:18
Adult single £1.10 to £1.30
Day ticket to £2.50 to £3.00

This massive hike will drive people off buses for sure, then another hike to cover the losses due falling passenger numbers and the drivers pay rise in march, dark days ahead....
66

Boy Wonder,

04/12/2008 13:11:37
I said no to my daughters because they wanted a trampoline for Christmas. I'll have nothing with those four letters T - R - A - M in my house.

Edinburgh is a no-go area ... and all because the City Council thinks it knows better than the voters! There should have been a public vote on this issue alone ... because its implementation is killing businesses in the city ... and ravaging its own bus service.

Edinburgh is slowly committing suicide!!!
67

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 13:13:41
Where to start..

Edinburgh needs trams , buses and suburban rail before it becomes a viable option to the car.

The buses arent bad, but in most cities buses would be the 2nd choice , if not the 3rd.

The problem we have in edinburgh is that we are just at the very start of any sort of integrated public transport. So , the single tram line MUST be extended after what we have.

Its the standard for just about every growing city in Mainland Europe.

Its a very conservative (with a small c) city , folks. change wont happen quickly.

Your ticket should be interchangeable and last an hour for your 1 pounds 30.

unfortunately a single fare system is in place just about everywhere i can think of, i dont see that changing.

Anyway , thats quite enough about buses.

but you STILL have a very good deal.
68

James Collins,

04/12/2008 13:13:44
Think £2.50-£3.50 is fine for all day with lots of traveling. Would raise it more than 3 x single fee though.

£1.30 is still a bit pricy to get from West end of Princes Street to foot of the walk. Yes I could walk it (and frequently do) but after a gym session or a long day at work it's a bit much. Agree that the old number of stops system was good - was 50p from foot of walk to Waverly only 6 1/2 years ago and I used it a lot more.

And as a Leeds native - please don't compare any decent bus system in the world to that discrace.

LRT (or whatever they are called these days) is good, but could be a lot better.
69

Libra Hibby,

04/12/2008 13:14:23
If, as has been stated by Lothian Buses, it is the tram system that has caused the problems can they tell me why the 15 service will now stop at Eastfield and will not go on through Musselburgh to Tranent. The people of East Lothian are to bare the hardship caused by an Edinburgh problem.
70

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 13:15:53
65 come off it. Other cities have installed dig and cover metro systems and Paris , berlin , frankfurt , brussels , amsterdam , rotterdam , antwerp (need i go on) seem to be doing fine.

You just dont like disruption and that i can understand but you have to see a wee bit further.
71

It's me!,

04/12/2008 13:18:40
"as Lothian Buses seeks to tackle falling profits". So LRT are still making a profit. I can understand fares rising if they were making losses but in these troubled financial times LRT should be taking a drop in income the same as everyone else.
72

Niko Bellic,

04/12/2008 13:20:59
POWER
DISRUPTION
LIES
73

Bottoms Up,

Murrayfield 04/12/2008 13:26:58
I used to get the bus when there was a cheap 80p fare for short journeys.

Now that it is £1.10 to go one mile to work it's cheaper taking the car (since petrol prices have fallen)and much warmer!!!
74

Niko Bellic,

04/12/2008 13:27:26
As I've said before, s'not necessarily trams that are bad, but trams in the hands of the council and TIE is bad news indeed.

Think about the Parliament building. It was an incredible waste of money. Nothing wrong with the idea of building a parliament, but moulded concrete and bamboo sticks for £400 million? I think not.

Sooner the trams project implodes the better. And it will implode. Mark my words.
75

NorT,

Edinburgh 04/12/2008 13:30:33
They are having to put the bus fares up and will be doing it in stages to over £3 as the trams fares will be the same as the bus. Cllr Wheeler has declared that the bus and tram fares will be same but would not admit that the bus fares would rise to a high level so that they could charge high fares on the trams. We now know the truth.
76

OddJob,

Edinboring 04/12/2008 13:36:08
Well TIE have been gleefully informing us that that tram fares will be the same as bus fares for ages now. But as always, the devil is in the detail. Only five or six more unavoidable increases required to get the fares up to a suitable level.
77

OddJob,

Edinboring 04/12/2008 13:37:53
Great minds NorT.
78

Big bob 79,

04/12/2008 13:40:18
#74 over £3!....for a single?....
I bet you will still have morons saying its good value!

I really hope that this can all be sorted out as it
just seems to be getting worse and worse

As for the 15 being cut its the same old pattern, Lothian withdraw a service (or part of if) waiting for the out cry so they can demand higher subsidies for running the service..
I would not worry I am sure it will be back soon
79

Statsman,

Edinburgh 04/12/2008 13:43:17
Abandon the tram project! No one wants it anyway. It's ruining this city.
80

Robin Bankes,

Culross 04/12/2008 13:43:33
61 Big Bob - have you ever experienced the fare structures in other areas of the UK? If you had, you would be pushing it to describe the levels charged by Lothian Buses as "punishment".
The annual Ridacard is currently advertised at £444 which is a miserably low of £1.22 per day for unlimited travel on the vast bulk of services. How much cheaper do you want it and how would you achieve it whilst keeping the company solvent?
81

Big bob 79,

04/12/2008 13:48:49
Yes I have, and how many other areas in the UK have a comapny that is owned by the local council?..... Lothian Buses with the support of the council are punishing the WORKING people of Edinburgh!....
82

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 13:49:46
77 erm , hang on. Do you think that there ia any chance he just made that up ?
83

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 13:50:28
81 I suppose you think everything should be free ?!
84

Big bob 79,

04/12/2008 13:50:35
I pray that its made up
85

Big bob 79,

04/12/2008 13:51:54
#81 of cource!...
86

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 13:55:23
Interesting concept. Didnt work (see gdr /russia etc)
87

Big bob 79,

04/12/2008 13:59:42

GDR and many Russian cities have Trams!...
88

Tr1xx,

Edinburgh 04/12/2008 14:03:23
I recall the time when we could be proud of the Edinburgh city bus service. This was down to a combination of frequency, speed, convenience, cost, comprehensive network, etc.

The ball burst as soon as trams appeared on the horizon... and I expect this fare increase won't be the last bit of bad news before the trams come into service either.

. . . to be continued . . .
89

Ima Stoner,

HIGH street, edinburgh 04/12/2008 14:04:46
Buse fares subsidising the trams doesn't surprise me - they are a bunch of bar-stewards. I'll help myself keep fit by walking most of the time - in fact, it is quicker walking these days rather than waiting on a bus and then sitting at roadworks for ages.
90

Hmm ...,

04/12/2008 14:07:56
... Leith Cowboy (69) said "65 come off it. Other cities have installed dig and cover metro systems and Paris , berlin , frankfurt , brussels , amsterdam , rotterdam , antwerp (need i go on) seem to be doing fine. You just dont like disruption and that i can understand but you have to see a wee bit further."

Thing is that once these dig and cover schemes are complete, there will be less congestion for all other road users. The majot weakness in Edinburgh's tram porject is that once the work is complete, the roads will be dedicated to the trams - closed to other road users or traffic light barred to give the trams what they call "priority", forcing other road users off the roads.

Edinburgh will be worse off once the work is completed, as the tramLINE will be a moat across the city centre, requiring traffic to go around it.

And Lothian Buses will be left holding the baby in terms of cost.
91

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 14:09:21
90.. these cities have trams too.

nice try.
92

Hmm ...,

04/12/2008 14:11:00
... Big Bob (87) said "GDR and many Russian cities have Trams!..."

Yes - but only because they never developed beyond the '50s!

The rolling stock in many other European cities that still run trams is OLD - again because they never moved on from them. How many are actually re-introducing trams where they had an alternative?
93

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 14:13:14


Sorry for laughing.
94

Decent,

04/12/2008 14:13:40
12 - Do you get peanuts on buses now? Seriously? I thought that was just on domestic flights! Things must have improved now then. Last time I got a bus it was 50p to go uptown. Has it gone up now then?
95

Captainofedinburgh,

Edinburgh 04/12/2008 14:16:05
People on here who think that £1.10 is expensive for a bus or £2.50 for almost unlimited travel all day is too much must really be falling on hard times. And those complaining about paying £1.10 to go one stop, walk you lazy sods! Edinburgh's buses are very cheap in comparison to other cities in the UK. I have family in Aberdeen and each time I go up there I have a heart attack when I use the bus. It's so expensive compared to here. They have a tiered fare system granted, but any more than a handful of stops and you're paying £2. Pretty much double the price here. And up until recentley most of the buses were as old as the sun and not in the best of nick. Think First bus here, but even worse! So stop moaning, realise how lucky you are and stop being so lazy and walk if you're just going a short distance!
96

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 14:16:15
Oh you've got green trams

Oh you've got blue trams

Oh you've got grey trams
97

Big bob 79,

04/12/2008 14:16:58
94 ha ha
you do get TV on most buses, some times even live fights even with surround sound its like you are really there... hold on
98

,

04/12/2008 14:17:53
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
99

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 14:18:14


sorry dudes
100

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 14:18:38


(I thought it was youtube)
101

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 14:27:05
confusion.
102

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 14:28:03
theres too much happening.
103

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 14:28:53
ra ta ta ta ta ta ta ta HEY

You just can't believe me
When I tell you how bad the trams'll be

The past is the future
104

PaulB,

Edinburgh 04/12/2008 14:29:31
Here's an idea - why don't we all try and support our local bus service, instead of constantly doing it down. We have some of the cheapest fares in the UK and most comprehensive networks. If everyone carries on slating the company, their wish will coem true and it will be sold, leaving us to rely on lastbus or (even worse) stagecoach). Even if the fare is £1.30 it is still a bargain considering the distance that allows you to travel. Please stop moaning and try to be positive for a change.
105

The Judge,

04/12/2008 14:29:47
Another little drip drip negative story about the tramLINE.

When January comes the council will use any old excuse, except the real reason, why they are cancelling the tramLINE. This just gives them more ammunition.

"We're scrapping the tramLINE to save the buses"

"We're scrapping the tramLINE to save jobs"

"We're scrapping the tramLINE to protect services"

"We're scrapping the tramLINE because of the credit crunch"

"We're scrapping the tramLINE because of the downturn in house building(Waterfront PLC)"

Never once admitting. "We're scrapping the tramLINE because we're over ambitious, nobody wants it and we can't afford it".

The pro-tramies on the council are few and far between, even hard-line New Labour councillors know it's going to be a failure and are actively looking for escape clauses in all the contracts. Thankfully Carillion will give them a way out, well not Carillion more HMRC.
106

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 14:30:04
Blakey the trams inspector:

"CLIPPY BAMSTICKS"
107

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 14:33:11
104 because these are people from edinburgh , they are miserable and always accentuate the negative.

Al in all , it makes for a wonderul place to live and as a council insider said , " we are proud to acknowledge edinburgh as a world centre of negativity. Rat a tat a tat ta HEY"
108

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 14:34:09
see 105. Could you imagine sharing a house with this joyless bamstick ?
109

Kirsty Boyd-Williamson,

New Town 04/12/2008 14:34:15
>81 : Big Bob ~ I would suggest that most of the UK population would be delighted with the frequency of service and fare levels that users of Lothian Buses enjoy. Lothian Buses is a deregulated company and therefore not an extension of the DSS. It is obliged to operate on commercial terms. I fear your whingeing will receive little sympathy among those who recognise there is no such thing as a free lunch!
110

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 04/12/2008 14:35:39
LOves got the trams in motion

and I cant believe its true
111

Uncle Piehead,

04/12/2008 14:36:20
TOP 10 CARILLION JOKES:

1. The "Kayleigh" joke
2. The "Fugazi" joke
3. The fish joke
4. the Aristocrats joke
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Due to unforeseen and unprecedented economic circumstances jokes five to ten (inclusive) have been indefinitely postponed.

Going forward, it is endeavoured that jokes five to seven (inclusive) will be instated as and when this is a financially executable possibility.

Til then me old muckers, get the f***in bus and watch your tax money being used for Edinburgh to dig istelf into a hole.


112

Hoof Hearted,

Glasgow 04/12/2008