Lothian Buses has today (Monday 11 May) announced its intention to introduce an update to its critical services network from Sunday 17 May to help keep key workers across Edinburgh and the Lothians moving during this time.

Since the introduction of the Critical Services Network on Sunday 29 March, teams across Lothian have continued to analyse customer travel patterns and customer feedback to ensure the business is meeting the needs of as many key workers and essential travellers as possible.

Nigel Serafini, Interim Managing Director at Lothian Buses, said: “Over the past six weeks, our services have provided vital links for those who require to travel for work or to obtain essentials such as food and medicine. Our teams have continued to monitor customer travel patterns and have listened to both customer and colleague feedback. Today we are announcing additional revisions to our Critical Services Network which will better meet the needs of key workers and those for whom travel remains essential.

“Every team across our business has continued to go above and beyond to provide these vital services and my thanks go to each and every one of them both on the frontline and behind the scenes. I would also like to thank our customers who have shown an enormous amount of support and understanding throughout what continues to be an incredibly challenging operational time.”

City of Edinburgh Council’s Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “It’s thanks to Lothian’s services that many of our key workers are able to carry on doing the crucial jobs they do. This is a particularly challenging time for everyone, and these changes will ensure that critical routes are prioritised, while supporting those that require to make essential journeys – that’s why we think our city’s bus company and its staff are the best in the UK.”

From today customers can view updated timetables on Lothian’s website and from Wednesday customers can plan journeys on Lothian’s website or through the Lothian app which offers journey planning tools and real-time service updates, all integrated with Google Maps. It can be downloaded from tfeapp.com.

Lothian Buses network changes include:

Service 3

Revised timetable with additional journeys from Mayfield in the early morning, Monday to Friday.

Service 4

Route extended to operate between Asda The Jewel to Oxgangs every hour. Buses will turn at Oxgangs Bank (just before the library).

Service 16

Frequency increased to every 15 minutes between Silverknowes and Morningside Monday to Saturday daytime with improved morning running times. Torphin, Colinton and Oxgangs will continue to be served every 30 minutes. Buses terminating at Morningside will operate a loop via Morningside Drive, Craighouse Road, Craighouse Gardens, and Balcarres Street.

Service 19

Revised timetable with all journeys operating to and from Leith Street.

Service 21

Revised timetable with additional journeys. Route extended from Westside Plaza to Clovenstone Roundabout.

Service 30

Frequency improved from every 30mins to every 20mins on Monday to Saturday daytime.

Service 37/47

Revised timetable with most Monday to Friday service 37 buses now serving Deanburn (except a few early morning and late evening journeys which will continue to serve Ladywood).

Introduction of hourly service 47 from Penicuik Ladywood to Granton Harbour, Monday to Friday to provide additional links to Straiton, to the NHS sites at Lauriston Place, the Western General Hospital and a service for residents of Granton Harbour/Waterfront Avenue.

Service 41

On Mondays to Saturdays the last evening return journey to Cramond is withdrawn.  The Sunday service is also withdrawn.

Service 44

Minor timetable changes on Monday to Saturday. Sunday frequency improved from every hour to every 45 minutes

Minor timetable changes: 1, 7, 11, 14, 22, 25, 26, 27, 31, 33, 34, 38, 48, 63.

No changes to services 5, 8, 20, 24, 29, 35, 49, 100.

East Coast Buses network changes include:

Service 106

Monday to Saturday daytime frequency increased to every 30mins Edinburgh to Haddington, with the hourly service to/from Dunbar maintained.

Service 113

Revised timetable introduced to coordinate with Service 106.  Last journey from Edinburgh & Pencaitland withdrawn.

Service 124

Revised timetable introduced, including an additional morning peak journey from Longniddry to Edinburgh on Mondays to Saturdays.

Service 139

On Saturdays, the last evening return journey is withdrawn.

Service 140

No change.

Lothian Country network changes include:

Service X18

Minor timetable changes on all days of the week, including a new Journey introduced from Whitburn to Edinburgh on Mondays to Saturdays at 07:52

Service X27

Revised timetable on all days of the week

Service X28

Revised timetable on all days of the week, including a new earlier morning journey from Livingston Bus Terminal to Bathgate and a later Sunday evening journey from Edinburgh to Bathgate.  On all days of the week, the last evening journey from Edinburgh which currently terminates at Deans North will extend to Bathgate.