FROM NO.30 TO NO 30! - UPDATE

We have now written to 4 MSPs including Kenny MacAskill (SNP MSP) informing them of the impact this is having on our students and demanding the service be reinstated or an alternative provided.

We will endevour to keep you briefed with all updates as they happen.

If you want your say-attend Student Parliament Tues 25 Nov see SU for details.

STUDENTS’ UNION EMAIL TO LOTHIAN BUS SERVICE REGARDING THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE N30 SERVICE  - 21/10/08

To whom it may concern.

I am writing on behalf of the staff and students of Queen Margaret.

Several concerned students and staff have contacted me about the lack of night bus available to and from campus throughout the week (Mon-Thurs).

We would like to know if there was any consultation done with the staff and students on this matter?

I am concerned because a lot of our students work off campus in part/full time jobs and rely on the night bus to get them back to campus safely.

There are financial and safety issues in question here.

The last train back to campus is at 23.07 and some student's shifts do not finish until after this time leaving them with no alternative but to get a taxi, at the cost of £15-20 meaning they have worked the past 3 hours of their shift just to cover their fare home. Some companies have a policy not to pay for a taxi until after midnight-thus leaving our students stranded in the city centre and beyond at night.

As a result of this students take on more shifts which leads to their studies and home life being further disrupted.
I am sure you will agree this is not acceptable.

I realise students could get 2 buses back to campus (which again rises concerns about safety at bus stops and on the streets in general) -the 26/44 then the no. 30 which terminates at 00.06 but again students

shifts may finish after this time.

Can you please clarify this situation and let me know what, if any, consultation was done and if there are any plans for another service, so that we can inform our students.

I understand the costs involved in running a bus service but hope that money is not the key factor here.

We look forward to your response.

LOTHIAN BUS SERVICE REPLY 27/10/08

Thanks for your email concerning the N30.

The position is that on Sunday to Thursday nights, this route incurred very heavy financial losses. We had been able to offset these loses since the route’s inception as a result of a sufficiently strong financial performance in our business overall, however, that position has changed substantially. In view of the financial pressures we are now facing we are simply not able to cross-subsidise loss making routes in the way that was previously possible.

For this reason, we notified the relevant local authorities in July of our intention to withdraw the N30 on Sunday-Thursday nights. This gave time for them to determine if they felt there was a need to provide funding to continue operation of the services on a subsidised basis. No such funding has been provided, so there is no possibility of the route being reintroduced unless another funding partner can be found.

I am sorry that I cannot respond more positively, but if you feel that there is a strong case for funding to be found for this service, I can only suggest that you take the matter up with the relevant local authorities.

Bill Campbell

NEXT STAGE

THE SU IS WORKING WITH COLLEAGUES IN EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION TO CAMPAIGN AND LOBBY EDINBURGH COUNCIL FOR A SOLUNTION TO THIS. MORE UPDATES WILL FOLLOW.