Bus firm swings the axe on 11 routes ahead of fares increase

A further five under-threat routes have been given a temporary reprieve as part of a 124,000 rescue plan approved by the council's transport committee yesterday.

Opposition parties had wanted all of the services saved until the start of the next financial year but city leaders said they had identified the routes with the biggest social need.

Bus chiefs today warned that with the firm's passenger numbers still seven per cent down on last year, fare rises will be on the cards.

Lothian Buses chief executive Neil Renilson said: "The biggest single thing that has gone against us, even more so than the rise in fuel costs, has been the drop in passengers. We have made a public commitment that we will not increase fares again this (calendar] year but as things stand we will not have to wait very long into the next year for the next fare rise."

Mr Renilson said any fare increase would be across all of the ticket types they sell, as opposed to April's 10p increase which was only on adult single tickets.

The services given a temporary reprieve yesterday were the 13, 18, N16, N26 and N44.

Councillors also instructed city officials to investigate ways of reinstating the number 12 service or find an alternative way of serving the area around Craigentinny Avenue North.

Officials will also look at ways of replacing the number 60 service around Dumbiedykes.

Councillor Phil Wheeler, the city's transport leader, said: "This has obviously been a very difficult process, but the work carried out by our officials and Lothian Buses has identified the services which really are lifeline services and we will fund them to the end of the financial year."

Councillor Ian Perry, the city's Labour's transport spokesman, accused the ruling administration of hypocrisy because it had made great play of trying to save post offices across the city on the basis of social need but was not doing the same for the bus services.

He said: "We all understand quite clearly the financial situation that Lothian Buses finds itself in but it does not take away from the fact that these services are needed by people who simply find it difficult to get around.

"What I can't understand is that a number of night buses are being saved but not a service like the 60 into Dumbiedykes, which provides a clear lifeline for the elderly and disabled."

Affected routes

• No 12: Withdrawal of King's Road to Pirniefield section

• No 17: Reduced Saturday Service

• No 20: Withdrawn

• No 24: Evening frequency from Hanover Street to ERI reduced to every 60 minutes

• No 26: Evening frequency reduced from every 10 to every 15 minutes

• No 30: Reduced peak-time frequency from every 5 to every 10 minutes

• No 45: Peak frequency reduced from every 5 to every 10 minutes

• No 42: Evening and Sunday service between Bristo Square and Kings Road withdrawn

• No 60: Withdrawn

• Nos 21/32: The 21 service will be extended to part replace the 32 services which are being withdrawn outwith the Monday to Friday peak times