Plans for a new multi- million pound bus service in Edinburgh aimed at creating swifter "greener" links between key business sites will be discussed today by transport officials (link below.)
http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.2425909.0.Bus_service_bid_to_link_business_hubs.phpThe South East of Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStran) board will consider proposals for an Edinburgh Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT) serving economic hubs around the capital.
If approved, the scheme would allow people to travel on public transport between major peripheral bases including Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh Park and the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary without going through the congested city centre or using their cars.
It would also tie in with park-and-ride sites to help integrate the city's transport network.
The initiative would involve putting buses on new routes including the hard shoulder of the by-pass, "quiet" roads, new or as-yet-unbuilt bus-only roads and even a stretch of disused railway line. There are two options which the SEStran board will be asked to approve for further investigation after a study led to all other options, including more trams, being rejected.
One option, costed at £54m, would see 12 buses an hour provide a new dedicated service from Newbridge to Musselburgh.
A second option, set to cost £10m less, would serve roughly the same area but without a complete orbital and with extra links to nearby business and residential areas.
Both are expected to be well-used with around six million extra passenger trips per year estimated as a result.
Yesterday the city council welcomed the idea while tram organisers said it was "vital" that the different transport types complemented one another.
The report before SEStran anticipates that, if approved, the service would be self financing.
Capital costs would need to be met, however, and SEStran admitted that it had no offers of cash yet and "difficult discussions" would be needed in future.
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