Edinburgh locals hail new bus route 'reconnecting them to vital services'

Residents of Bingham are getting a new bus route after months of campaigning following the rerouting of the Number 4 that left elderly residents unable to get to the shops.

The number 69 service is set to begin running from December 16, and will link residents of Bingham, Portobello, and Duddingston with key amenities including the Asda at the Jewel.

The campaign for a new bus service began in September last year, when Lothian Buses changed the route of the number four bus.

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Residents complained about being cut off from vital services like shops and schools. The new 69 service will be run by dial a bus service HcL, as one of their community bus routes.

The campaign against the Lothian bus route change, and later the campaign to secure a new route, was spearheaded by the Bingham Blether, a community newsletter and facebook group for the residents of Bingham.

One of the editors for the Bingham Blether spoke to Edinburgh Live, describing the impact the new route will have on residents.

They said: “The new bus route encompasses key places like the Asda which is a real positive for the people of Bingham.

Bingham is home to a lot of older people and when they stopped the number four route it became impossible for them to reach the shops.”

“When Lothian Buses cut the route it seemed like they were expecting these older people to stand in the cold waiting for connecting buses.”

They also described the lengthy campaign to secure the new route: “We were all really upset about the number four closure, so we started a petition that gained over 400 signatures.”

“We got the local council involved and they helped to secure the new route, alongside Edinburgh based organisation, Community Renewal”.