07/10.2009

Liberal/Labour backed tram works leads to Penicuik bus route cuts

Bus services through Penicuik are being cut back as a result of the road chaos resulting from tram work in Edinburgh SNP MSP Christine Grahame has revealed. Ms Grahame said that following a response from Midlothian Council it was apparent that the “misguided decision” of Labour and Liberals to vote for the controversial multi-million pound tram project was having a direct negative impact on Penicuik bus users. Ms Grahame said:

“Midlothian Council have confirmed to me that Lothian buses have lost considerable fares revenue resulting from the disruption caused by the ongoing and controversial tram works. Set alongside the context of the economic downturn following the financial mismanagement originating in the City of London, bus users in Penicuik and elsewhere in Midlothian will no longer enjoy the services they previously did.

“The tram work has caused huge disruption and sources have informed other colleagues that the bill is set to rise by several hundreds of millions. That follows the misguided decision of Labour and the Liberals to force through the tram project which remains deeply unpopular in Edinburgh and the surrounding towns such as Penicuik.

“The Edinburgh tram project was ill-conceived from the start and will cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds. The negative impact of this project is now beginning to be felt in Penicuik where constituents are rightly angry about the cuts to vital bus services. It is a legacy that will come back to haunt Labour and their unofficial Liberal coalition partners.”

SNP It’s time.....