The Edinburgh Reporter February 2022

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6 CAMPAIGN FOCUSGet on board now!The Edinburgh ReporterCampaigners check if city’s public transport is just the ticketBy PHYLLIS STEPHENEBUG IS A BODY WHICH LOOKS out forEdinburgh’s bus passengers and services.Edinburgh Bus Users’ Group campaigns as avoice for bus users, and is committed toprotecting and improving Edinburgh’s busnetwork for the benefit of current and futurebus users. EBUG is concerned with bus servicesoperating within The City of Edinburgh Councilarea and those which cross its boundary, andwith city-wide - rather than local - issues.EBUG is committed to sustainable transport.It is user/supporter led, independent of anyoperator, local or national authority, politicalparty or trade union.Participation is open to anyone with aninterest on that basis, and the group co-operateswith other user-focused groups, such as BusUsers Scotland at a national level, and otherlocal groups, as appropriate.WHO ARE YOU?Edinburgh Bus Users’ Group (EBUG) is acampaign providing a voice for bus users. We’veabout 60 signed up members (new memberswelcome and over 700 Twitter followers.The members elect a committee each year todeal with day-to-day business. The committeeis made up of ordinary Edinburgh residents.WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE?To protect and improve Edinburgh’s busnetwork; bus services within EdinburghCouncil’s area and others which crossits boundary.Edinburgh has a much-loved bus networkwhich is the envy of other cities. But it’s beenrather taken for granted and, even beforeCovid, there were dark clouds on the horizon.We want to help ensure that it has a strong,long-term future, meeting Edinburghresidents’ needs.WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?Because without a strong, user-friendly andgrowing bus network, Edinburgh can’t be asustainable, thriving city. Good public transportis at the heart of successful cities world-wide; inEdinburgh that means, in the main, buses.Chris and Jenniferdoing a bus stop auditWHAT FORM DOES YOUR CAMPAIGN HAVE?We always start with question: ‘what is in bususers’ interests?’. Sometimes that means, forexample, looking at bus stop design, sometimesat wider issues like the City Mobility Plan, ortransport policy.Since we started in 2019, we’ve spent a lot oftime responding to the Council’s consultationsand actions. Recently we’ve tried to be moreproactive, for example by creating “Bus StopAudits” to highlight how bus stops could beimproved. In the run-up to May this year,we’ll be challenging candidates and parties inthe Council elections on what they’d do forbus services.We’re still quite a small group, so weconcentrate on city-wide issues. Where there’san issue which is important to one or twoparticular communities, we can best spend ourefforts supporting local campaigns. We aim tohelp, not to take over, local initiatives.We spend a fair bit of time collaborating withother sustainable transport interests. We’reTrams will stop at Picardy PlaceTHE TRAM TO NEWHAVENproject is progressing and justlast month the roundabout atPicardy Place became thefocus of the latest work. It ishere from spring 2023 thatthere will be a newinterchange for EdinburghTrams and Lothian Buses.While pedestrians canaccess the area at all pointsduring construction, it is anarea for vehicles to avoid fornow while track layingprogresses.Access from Picardy Placeto Broughton Street isprohibited for the sixteenweek closure until May.There are diversion routesfor all vehicles travellingfrom London Road to PicardyPlace, and Lothian Buseshave details of the servicescareful to keep ourselves independent ofoperators, local or national authorities, politicalparties and trade unions.HOW CAN PEOPLE READINGTHIS ARTICLE HELP?By joining up (it’s free). And, whether amember or not, letting us know aboutrelevant issues with the bus services youuse. Of course, we can’t promise to solveyour problems, but it’s important that weknow what’s happening out there!There are still vacancies on ourCommittee. It would be particularly goodto get more input from younger people,and the south and west of the city. Are youpart of a campaign group? Would you likesome publicity for your cause? Then get intouch and we will help you tell your story.editor@theedinburghreporter.co.ukwww.edinburghbususers.groupaffected by diversion routeson their website.When complete the line willhave a stop at St AndrewSquare as it does now and thenext stop will be at PicardyPlace before proceedingdown Leith Walk and stoppingat McDonald Road, BalfourStreet, Foot of the Walk, TheShore, Port of Leith, OceanTerminal and Newhaven.Martin P McAdamVolunteerscome this wayEDINBURGH LEISURE is looking for newvolunteers to step this way to train aswalk leaders for their award-winningActive Communities programme,Ageing Well.A Walk Leader training course will takeplace on Friday, 18 February from10.00am – 1.30pm. The training is “laidback and friendly” and there are noexams or tests.The Ageing Well Project is run byEdinburgh Leisure in partnership withNHS Lothian and delivers a range ofcity-wide activities which support peopleto become, and remain, active in laterlife. The emphasis is on meeting newpeople and making physical activityaccessible and enjoyable.Ryan Dignan, Health DevelopmentOfficer (Older Adults) at EdinburghLeisure explained: “Our programme relieson the generous support of volunteers –older adults who give up 1 or 2 hours aweek to help and support other olderadults to get or stay active. No previousexperience is necessary – justenthusiasm, the ability to get on wellwith people from differing backgroundsand ages and a love of walking.“It’s not just Ageing Well who benefitfrom the volunteers’ gift of time, ourvolunteers say that they develop deeperconnections within their communities,feel better physically, mentally andemotionally; and are better able tomanage health conditions such as stress.“On completion of their training, theywill lead or support one of the manyweekly walking groups that take placeacross the city.”Run up a hillon #TwosdayON A SPECIAL DATE - 22/02/2022(It’s a Tuesday - so it is now beingcalled #Twosday) and at the time of20:22 (that’s 8:22pm in old money)the Carnethy Hill Running Club aimsto get as many powerful torchesalong the Pentlands ridgelinebetween Hillend and Allermuir aspossible. They need volunteers fromCarnethy and other clubs to spreadout along the ridge. They will markwhere everyone should stand andswitch on head torches at 20:22.www.carnethy.com
7Martin P McAdamFuture of bikeproject savedNew council funding for all ability bikingMartin P McAdamDavid (above left) and Chris (above) from ThistleFoundation would love to welcome new cyclistsWalking the walkCHRIS HOWARD visited Edinburgh on anovernight stop on his 11,000 mile walkaround the British coast. He is now on thehomeward straight as he began his walkfor Children in Need in July 2020. He hadbeen walking for 393 days when we methim in St Andrew Square.Known as the Coast Walker, Chris lefthis wife and three “amazing” childrenbehind in Cambridge and set off on footwith a backpack after only three weeks ofplanning. Relying on the kindness ofstrangers he has camped out or foundbed and board offered to him on histravels. has now raised more than£30,000 for the charity.He has been intrigued that his unkemptappearance has made him invisible. Chrissaid: "I suppose in effect I have mademyself homeless. In cities people don'treally want to talk to me as they clearlythink I am homeless. It is a bit of a sadindictment on our society that we won'ttalk to homeless people. I have found thatstrange and have been in those shoes fora time now. But I have to stay positive -every step is a step closer to home now.”Donate on Just Giving - search forThe Coast WalkerTHISTLE FOUNDATION run adaptivebike sessions at Craigmillar and at SaughtonPark every week, made possible with newcouncil funding.The sessions are at Saughton Park onThursday afternoons and on Sundays from10am-12noon and at their Queens WalkCraigmillar base on Tuesday afternoons from1pm to 4pm. If you fancy a shot on one of theirbikes then turn up and join in, or emailthistleoutdoors@thistle.org.uk to book.If you are new to cycling or have not been ona bike for a while, then Dave and Chris fromThistle will show you what to do using thenearby off-road paths.FUNDING ENSURES THE FUTUREThe inclusive activity has been madepossible with £71,000 of fundingfrom The City of EdinburghCouncil which is a positive resultafter the loss of the cycle hirescheme in the city.This money was awarded inNovember last year after theEdinburgh Cycle Hire Scheme,which was run by Serco, folded. Itis part of a short term range ofinitiatives to get everyonewho can cycle onto abike. Edinburghcouncil agreed athree yearcontract with Serco to run the cycle hirescheme at no cost to the council. When thethree years ran out Serco explained that theyrequired some financial help to renew thecontract for a further period. The councilreported that it would have required a subsidyof approximately £500,000 each year to keepthe scheme afloat. In addition a further one-offinvestment of £1.172 million would berequired to upgrade security for the fleet ofbikes. One of the major problems was theft andvandalism which meant the scheme wasloss-making for Serco during the three years.The council decided against entering into anew deal on that basis, despite the fact that thiswas an award winning scheme which achievedrecord user numbers. At the time it wasdisbanded the scheme offered 600 bikesand 150 e-bikes for hire. More than70,000 users had registered and morethan 500,000 trips had been taken.The council owns 60 former hirebikes and say these will be used in anew scheme which will be thesubject of a report to the council inMarch 2022.The bikes are suitable for the ablebodied or those with disabilities.They offer side by sidecycles for two, andhorizontalDavid Holmeshand-propelledbikes.
Page 1 and 2: Thistle do nicelyFunding boost for
Page 3 and 4: 3Lets crackdownCouncil ready to reg
Page 5: 5ADVERTORIALA NEW YOU FOR 2022Explo
Page 9 and 10: 9Enriched by HopeSupporting childre
Page 11 and 12: 11CANDERSONS SWEET SHOPHERIOT GALLE
Page 13 and 14: 13Even if one or both of us have ar
Page 15 and 16: 15Networkershatch in cityJulie Howd
Page 17 and 18: 17Devil’s in the detailStay over,
Page 19 and 20: 19Matt CrockettPatter & pintsMartin
Page 21 and 22: 21A series of letters from Sir Will
Page 23: 23A new era at DrumtassieNigel Dunc

The Edinburgh Reporter February 2022

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