Foysol Choudhury MSP has joined Winchburgh residents outside the Scottish Parliament to deliver a petition addressed to Minister Jim Fairlie, calling on the Scottish Government to name a date for a new train station for Winchburgh.
Winchburgh is an expanding West Lothian community, with Winchburgh Developments Ltd delivering thousands of new homes and some new schools. However, a train station has not been delivered, as a new railway station was not a condition of planning permission.
As a result, homeowners in Winchburgh have been left without commuter links to Glasgow and Edinburgh, leading to a campaign to get the station built.
Foysol Choudhury, Labour MSP for Lothian, has been pursuing the issue on behalf of constituents for almost 2 years and has addressed the issue in the Scottish Parliament with Ministers, as well as making enquiries with other stakeholders such as the Council, local councillors and the Developers.
Yesterday the Labour Lothians list MSP joined the residents of Winchburgh outside the Scottish Parliament to call for action from the Scottish Government and deliver the petition addressed to Minister Jim Fairlie.
Following the rally outside Holyrood, Mr Choudhury said: “Winchburgh community have campaigned for many years for a much-needed train station and I have been raising this for almost 2 years at the Scottish Parliament.
“I was pleased to join the community today in delivering a petition for the Minister-it is time for the Scottish Government to take action, enough is enough.
“The Scottish Government needs to stop passing the buck and take responsibility for ensuring this much-needed and long-awaited station can finally be delivered.
“We must all work together to secure a station for the people of Winchburgh, who were sold homes on a belief it would be a commuter town.
“Instead, the Scottish Government do not seem to be taking these collaborative efforts to solve this important issue of clean and sustainable transport links for Winchburgh seriously.
“I am glad that other stakeholders, including MSPs, local councillors, the local community and the developers Winchburgh Developments Ltd, are instead taking this seriously where the Scottish Government are not.
“I am hopeful this petition and the clear strength of feeling from the community will lead to action from the Scottish Government – let’s get Winchburgh train station sorted!”
Mr Choudhury says he remains committed to continuing to pursue a new Winchburgh train station on behalf of all his constituents and will work with all relevant stakeholders possible to secure the station for his constituents.
EDINBURGH’S WALKING, WHEELING AND CYCLING TRENDS REVEALED
The biggest assessment of walking, wheeling and cycling in urban areas in the UK and Ireland
Half of Edinburgh residents want to see more spent on walking, wheeling and cycling improvements across the city, according to a new report.
The biannual Walking and Cycling Index, delivered in partnership between Sustrans and the City of Edinburgh Council, draws on independent survey feedback from a cross-section of more than 1,200 residents in the Capital, surveyed in 2023.
Today Sustrans joined the City of Edinburgh Council to officially launch the Index with a panel discussion on access to walking, wheeling cycling in the city.
Amongst the findings, the report shows that 50% would like to see more spent on cycling while 57% want investment in walking and wheeling and 68% support an increase in spend on public transport. Almost half of residents want to walk and wheel (45%) and cycle (49%) more too, along with a quarter who want to use public transport more, and improved infrastructure is key to this.
Regular walking and wheeling remains as high as 2021, with two-thirds of people travelling by foot or wheel five days a week. The annual number of cycling trips has increased to 30.7 million from 24.4 million in 2021, although the number of residents cycling at least once a week dropped slightly from 26% to 22%.
The majority of residents think their local areas could be improved through a 20-minute neighbourhood approach – with more and easier to access shops and everyday services (say 79%) and parks and greenspaces close to home (according to 78%) amongst the incentives to walking and wheeling more.
Sixty-nine per cent agree they can already get to many places they need to visit without having to drive.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “As ever, the Walking and Cycling Index makes an extremely interesting read, and it’s thanks to the many people from all parts of the city who took part in the survey last year.
“Edinburgh is a compact, walkable city, as demonstrated by the many people who already regularly walk, wheel and cycle here. However, what’s clear from the Index is that there’s still much to be done to encourage even more people make the shift to travel on foot, wheel, bike or, in some cases, public transport.
“Thankfully, we’re on the right track, with an ambitious programme of development underway which will transform the way people travel around the city, and the results of the Walking and Cycling Index reassure us that we have the backing of Edinburgh’s residents to invest in these kinds of changes.
“The majority of residents think local areas could be improved through a 20-minute neighbourhood approach, and we will consult on this approach via our proposals to make Dalry greener, healthier and more vibrant.
“From our recent ban on pavement parking to the completion of the City Centre West to East Link, as well as longer term plans like the tram line between Granton and the BioQuarter and City Centre Transformation, we’re working to make Edinburgh a truly people-friendly city.”
Karen McGregor, Director, Sustrans Scotland, said: “I’d like to thank the people of Edinburgh who gave us their time to take part in the Walking and Cycling Index. The results show that making walking, wheeling and cycling the most accessible and desirable form of transport is of great importance to people, especially during the current cost of living crisis.
“There is clear evidence that people in Scotland’s capital want the option to walk, wheel and cycle to where they need to get to more often. The recent ban on pavement parking in the city is a huge step forward, but the Index also shows that people living in Edinburgh want safe, accessible cycle paths and pedestrian crossings; and they want more investment in public transport.
“The latest Index results show that The City of Edinburgh Council has the backing of the public to build on the work it has already started to make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle to get around.”
Other findings in the Index include inequalities and varied perceptions of walking, wheeling and cycling amongst different groups. Twenty-eight per cent of men cycle at least once a week compared to 16% of women, while the proportion of white residents who walk or wheel at least five days a week (67%) is higher than people from ethnic minority groups (55%).
Participants in the survey shared their views on the kinds of improvements that would encourage them to walk, wheel and cycle more. Some of the changes that would encourage people to travel by foot or wheel are fewer cars parked on pavements (67%), nicer places on streets to stop and rest (71%) and wider pavements (68%).
Seventy-three per cent said more traffic free cycle paths away from roads and 65% highlighted segregated cycle paths on roads as improvements that would help them to cycle more, while 58% support building more cycle paths physically separated from traffic and pedestrians, even when this would mean less room for other road traffic.
The report also emphasises the benefits already being delivered by people walking, wheeling and cycling in the Capital. By taking up to 160,000 cars off the road every day, each year they help prevent 1,314 serious long-term health conditions, create £262.6 million in economic benefits and save 42,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
Sight Scotland launches ‘Pave the Way’ campaign to have tactile paving installed in every train station in Scotland
Sight Scotland, and Sight Scotland Veterans, have slammed the Scottish Government for placing lives at risk by forcing blind and partially sighted people to play tactile paving roulette in train stations across the country.
In August of last year, the Minister for Transport confirmed that tactile paving was installed in eighteen train stations around the country and said that all the remaining one hundred and forty-eight stations owned and managed by Scotland’s Railway will have tactile paving installed by the end of 2023. Unfortunately, this promise has been reneged on.
For most people living with a visual impairment, public transport is the only means they have to make journeys around the country. Tactile paving is a system of textured ground surface indicators that are primarily designed to assist individuals with visual impairments.
These tactile indicators typically consist of raised patterns or distinctive surfaces that can be felt underfoot or with a mobility aid, such as a cane. At a railway station, without tactile paving to indicate where the platform ends, visually impaired people face a serious risk to their safety and could fall onto the train tracks.
Craig Spalding, Chief Executive of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, explains: “We are launching this campaign as a lack of tactile paving at railway stations poses serious safety risks for many blind and partially sighted people.
“While we welcome the completion of phase 1 to upgrade the eighteen high priority stations, the Scottish Government’s deadline has been and gone for the remaining one hundred and forty-eight train stations without tactile paving.
“This is completely unacceptable and as a result many people with vision impairment are having to play tactile paving roulette, as they do not know what to expect from one station to the next.
“This is not scaremongering, or an over exaggeration; without tactile paving to indicate where the platform ends, visually impaired people face a serious risk of falling onto train tracks. We’re calling on the Minister for Transport to urgently upgrade all train stations in Scotland with tactile paving so that blind and partially sighted people can use our railways safely.”
Samantha Gough, a visually impaired athlete from Edinburgh, who recently had an horrendous experience whilst travelling by rail, is backing the campaign and says action needs to be taken before a serious accident occurs.
“I recently travelled to England by train and needed to change at Doncaster. Unfortunately, no-one was there to help me, and the station did not have tactile paving. It was a nightmare, a horrendous situation to be in, fast trains were screaming past with the wind hitting me and despite screaming on the platform for help, no one heard. People have died falling on the tracks before and I thought it was about to happen to me.”
Please support Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans’ Pave the Way campaign by writing to the Transport Minister to demand that tactile paving is installed on all stations in Scotland: https://sightscotland.eaction.org.uk/tactile-paving-now
Due to roadworks, North Bridge will be closed in BOTH DIRECTIONS from 8pm tomorrow (Sunday 4th February) and will be closed between 8pm and 6am each night for 8 nights.
See Lothian Buses website for diversion information.
Immersive VR experience, designed to empower bystanders to recognise and help combat sexual harassment on the railway, on show today at Edinburgh Waverley station.
Demonstrating how a small action could make a big difference is important – 85% of women would feel relieved if someone intervened when experiencing sexual harassment on public transport.
This is the latest in a series of nationwide events aimed at providing advice and tips on how bystanders can safely intervene and report a situation before police or rail staff are able to get involved.
As part of the rail industry and British Transport Police’s continued commitment to make sure every passenger feels safe when travelling by train, an immersive virtual reality (VR) experience is coming to Edinburgh today – Thursday 16th November.
The event is aimed at tackling all forms of sexual harassment by educating people to recognise how these situations occur for passengers and empower them to intervene safely and report perpetrators.
Sexual harassment is a real and far-reaching issue in society with seven in ten (71%) women in the UK having experienced some form of sexual harassment in a public space, the latest survey commissioned by UN Women UK finds.
The short VR film shows how small actions, such as asking the victim if they want to swap seats or distracting the perpetrator with a question, can prevent further escalation in the moment.
Following a successful initial launch of this innovative VR film earlier this year at London Waterloo station, Rail Delivery Group (RDG) together with British Transport Police (BTP) and local train operators are inviting people in Edinburgh to try the immersive VR experience in their local station.
Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive of Rail Delivery Group said: “As an industry we are actively tackling all forms of sexual harassment and are committed to making our passengers feel safe when onboard.
“By showcasing the ground-breaking VR experience in stations across the country we’re to equipping people with tips on how to safely intervene in situations as a bystander without putting themselves in harm’s way.
“Whether you see it or experience it, we ask everyone to report anything that makes you uncomfortable to British Transport Police by texting 61016 or using the Railway Guardian app.
“Passengers using Britain’s railways have a right to feel safe and confident to call out these behaviours without fear.”
Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Chief Operating Officer, said: “Everyone has the right to go about their day in peace without fear of harassment or abuse. ScotRail works very closely with British Transport Police and Network Rail to ensure that Scotland’s Railway is a safe environment for our customers and our staff.
“To assist us in tackling unacceptable behaviour, it’s important for anyone who witnesses it to report those responsible so that they can be brought to justice. This VR experience plays an important role in helping bystanders identify inappropriate behaviour when it takes place.”
Further events will be held in various cities in Great Britain over the coming weeks and months.
How to report
By reporting all incidents that occur, bystanders can help British Transport Police to identify perpetrators and reduce potential harm for others in the future.
To report an incident, contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or using the Railway Guardian app. In an emergency, always call 999.
To watch the full VR film, visit the National Rail YouTube channel here.
A report to Transport and Environment Committee has set out the Council’s understanding of the failures identified by Lord Hardie in delivery of the first phase of the tram project, and how lessons learned can ensure future delivery of major infrastructure projects can avoid similar issues.
This includes consideration of Lord Hardie’s recommendations relating to the Council, and an assessment of the consequences of the project’s failings, such as additional costs, disruption and impact on the Council’s reputation.
The report is accompanied by three other appendices covering: the financial cost and reporting of the tram project; whether any action is to be taken with employees as a result of the Inquiry’s findings and assurance of arrangements in place for Arm’s Length External Organisations (ALEO) and contractors; and an update on any possible legal action (the final to be considered in private).
These three reports will be considered by Governance Risk and Best Value Committee (GRBV) on 28 November and, along with the report to Transport and Environment Committee, will be referred to December’s Full Council for consideration.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “Since the start of the Tram Inquiry we’ve completed the line to Newhaven and launched passenger services, the success of which was down to the hard work of the in-house project team and partners. It’s also thanks to lessons learned from the first project, and our own improvements to project management and governance, communication and independent oversight.
“It’s worth noting too that in the nine years since the line between Edinburgh Airport and York Place was built, the service has flourished to become a hugely successful transport route for thousands of residents and visitors each day.
“While we broadly agree with Lord Hardie’s recommendations, prior to the inquiry’s announcement we had already introduced processes and strategies to help avoid some of the problems experienced in the original tram project. Not only have we applied this in the construction of the line to Newhaven, but these lessons are hugely beneficial to other major infrastructure projects.
“Of course, scrutiny of the Inquiry’s findings has allowed us to provide further, robust assurance that we understand the factors that contributed to the difficulties in the first phase of tram delivery, and to build confidence in future infrastructure delivery. We want to make sure we continue learning and improving.
“We know that serious mistakes were made in the construction of the original tram line, which caused a great deal of disruption and concern for residents and businesses, as well as impacting the Council’s reputation. Once again, I want to apologise for this.
“Ultimately, creating a better connected, environmentally friendly transport system is essential for a modern, successful city and we need to transform the way people move around if we are to achieve our net zero goals.”
The Edinburgh Tram Inquiry report was published in September and provides an account of the original Edinburgh Tram project’s progress, identifying factors that contributed to difficulties in its delivery.
The independent inquiry was commissioned by the Scottish Government following the completion of the section of tram line between the airport and York Place in 2014. Its remit was to establish why the project was delivered years late, massively over budget and did not produce the promised ‘network’ – only part of one of the originally-promised lines was eventually delivered.
The Council’s response examines and acknowledges the findings made by the Inquiry, including those around governance, the need for independent legal advice and reporting practices. It also considers the implications for future project management.
While the report broadly agrees with Lord Hardie’s recommendation, it highlights that, since the original tram project, several processes and strategies have been put in place which have helped to avoid some of the problems experienced. It’s thanks to this approach, along with lessons learned from the original project, that we have successfully delivered the Trams to Newhaven line.
LESSONS LEARNED, BUT AT A TRULY MASSIVE COST TO EDINBURGH’S BUSINESSES AND THE HARD-PRESSED TAXPAYERS WHO FOOT THE BILL FOR FAILURE – Ed.
Lorna Slater MSP, the local Scottish Green MSP for Lothian, has hailed the cheaper greener rail fares pilot that will see peak rail fares scrapped across Scotland from 2nd October.
The pilot, which will last for at least six months, will provide huge financial relief to people commuting to and from Edinburgh at peak hours, and will protect the planet by encouraging more people to take the train rather than drive.
Route Current peak fare New peak fare
Edinburgh to Glasgow £28.90 £14.90
Edinburgh to Dundee £41.40 £32.20
Edinburgh to North Berwick £4.90 £3.80
Lorna Slater, the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, said: “I’m delighted that with Scottish Greens in government we are introducing this trial, ending the two-tier pricing system and helping thousands of people across Lothian to cut costs while leaving the car at home.
“Every pound saved on a commute is money that can instead go towards heating, eating, and other expenses this winter.
“It’s a game-changing opportunity to transform habits, cut congestion, save money, and make our communities safer, cleaner and greener places to live and work.
“We’ve already seen how free bus travel for everyone under 22 has boosted bus use since we launched it last year, with tens of thousands of journeys being taken across Scotland every day.
“By helping people come back to public transport, and making our streets safer to walk, wheel and cycle, we are beginning to see the kind of positive, transformational change that Scottish Greens joined the government to deliver. Change that will help people, communities like the Lothians, and our planet.”
A blind woman footballer from Edinburgh was left traumatised after she feared falling in front of a speeding train when rail staff never showed up to help her.
Samantha Gough – who plays blind football for England despite being a Scot – booked assistance before starting her journey at Edinburgh Waverley, but when she got to Doncaster station en-route to a competition, no-one was there to help.
The station also did not have tactile paving – a system of textured ground surface indicators on platforms to assist the visually impaired.
Samantha, 20, from Lasswade, (pictured, in glasses) who attended the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh, said: “It was a nightmare, a really horrendous situation to be in. People have died falling on the tracks before and I thought it was about to happen to me.
“I was in full panic mode and there was not one person there to help despite me booking assistance before I set out. I waited for about five minutes and then really began to panic. I had no idea how close I was to the platform edge as there was no tactile paving.
“Fast trains were screaming past with the wind hitting me and despite screaming on the platform for help, no one heard. I called my mum at home in Scotland and she had to phone the police. A few trains later, a guard got off and asked if I was ok and took me to station staff. They said my assistance request was not on the system but I had been told at Edinburgh that staff were phoning Doncaster to inform them that I was on the way.”
The news comes as train operators are preparing to cut 2,000 staff in line with plans to close almost every train station ticket office in Britain.
Rail companies have already outlined proposals to make thousands of job cuts by October – even though the UK government is yet to approve the planned ticket office closures.
Plans to close 974 out of 1,007 railway station ticket offices were first announced by industry body Railway Delivery Group in July. Scotland’s busiest station Glasgow Central, which serves 15.3 million passengers each year, could also lose its ticket office.
EDINBURGH, UK – 21st June 2022: Royal Blind School pupils and families take part in a fun filled Fiesta Day at the school. (Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY)
Samantha added: “I was travelling on to an event in Conisbrough. I was just left outside Doncaster station in a distressed state and had to wait for someone to come and get me from Conisbrough.
“It is a disgrace and has really knocked my confidence. It has really made me think twice about going anywhere without support.”
Samantha has been visually impaired from birth due to cerebral visual impairment (CVI) – a condition which means the eyes are healthy but the brain’s visual pathways do not work, resulting in sight loss.
She competes in a number of sports and plays for the England women’s blind football side as Scotland does not have a team in the sport.
Last year, Samantha, who is severely sight impaired, competed in the European Para Youth Games and was the only Scot representing her country at goalball. She scooped bronze with Team. The para sport consists of three players on each side of the court, with 18 metres wide goals at either end. Players use a blue ball with bells in it which is thrown by hand and never kicked.
Samantha said: “We complained about this situation and we were offered two first class tickets as compensation. But I don’t want to go near their trains after my experience so it completely misses the point.
“This is the most extreme situation I have faced on the train. Sports people need to use the rail network all the time to get to training and events. There is a real issue here about accessibility and fairness. It really is a disgrace.”
Midlothian MP Owen Thompson has written to LNER demanding action. He said: “I was extremely concerned to hear about this constituent’s traumatic experiences. It is simply unacceptable. I find it hard to comprehend how something like this can happen in this country in the 21st century.
“There is a real issue about accessibility, equality and fairness here. Blind and partially sighted people should be able to travel safely and comfortably at all times. I wrote to LNER a couple of weeks ago and have still to receive a response. I am concerned that tactile paving is not an essential at every station in the UK.
“I do not think that the Secretary of State for Transport’s statement that tactile paving will appear in all mainline railway stations in Britain by the end of 2025 at the latest is good enough. Samantha has my full support. We have already met with Samantha and her mum to hear their concerns and I will stay in touch as we battle to get this resolved.”
Craig Spalding, chief executive of Sight Scotland, said: “We’re deeply concerned at Sam’s experience and the dangerous situation she was left in.
“Being left without any assistance and on a platform with no tactile paving highlights just how inaccessible travelling can be for people with visual impairments. Sadly, train journeys like this are not uncommon for blind and partially sighted people.
“We’ve heard first hand of other cases where people have waited for assistance to arrive and nobody turn up. This has a knock-on effect on someone’s confidence to travel independently and being able to safely get from A to B.
“Urgent action is needed now to ensure all train stations have tactile paving, in person ticket booths and assistance to ensure rail travel is accessible for all.”
An all-night tram service is being lined up for weekends in August to help visitors and local residents to make the most of Edinburgh’s festival season.
Over the summer, the city hosts one of the world’s most popular celebrations of arts and culture, and Edinburgh Trams is gearing up to play its part in helping to keep the city moving as tens of thousands of people flock to Scotland’s capital.
In addition to daytime and evening services, which run from every seven minutes between the airport and Newhaven, trams will continue to serve all stops throughout the night on Fridays and Saturdays, so that people get home or back to their accommodation once the entertainment has come to a close.
Following the usual end of services around midnight, trams will then operate from every 20 minutes until 2am, then from every 30 minutes until the normal timetable commences the following day.
Lea Harrison, Edinburgh Trams’ Managing Director, commented: “Alongside the main festival, August also sees the Royal Edinburgh Tattoo and fantastic Fringe performances during what is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for the city.
“Following the enormous success of late-night trams in previous festival seasons, we wanted to go the extra mile this year by running a 24-hour service over the weekend, which is a testament to our commitment as Scotland’s number one public transport operator.
“For further convenience, anyone heading for the festivals can avoid the hassle of finding a parking spot in or around the city centre by leaving their cars at Ingliston Park & Ride, which has over 1,000 spaces available and a tram stop.”
The operator’s normal range of tram tickets will be accepted at no extra cost when all-night trams are running and more information on great money-saving ticket deals can be found here.
One of Scotland’s leading public transportation providers has won an award at this year’s Scottish Transport Awards for an initiative that gives drivers insight into the experiences of blind and partially sighted passengers.
Drivers with Lothian Buses have been taking part in hands-on training events, named ‘Swap With Me’ sessions, alongside community members from national sight loss charity, RNIB Scotland.
The sessions, which have taken place monthly since November 2022, give trainee drivers an opportunity to attempt to hail a bus, buy a ticket and board while wearing sim-specs; special glasses that simulate different sight conditions.
The drivers also engage in meaningful discussions about their role in ensuring an inclusive journey, while individuals with sight loss have had the chance to describe their experiences and gain a deeper understanding of the driver’s perspective by sitting in the cab.
Driver’s actions can make a huge difference to the accessibility of bus travel for all passengers, says community member, Sylvia Paton: “This could include telling blind and visually impaired people the number and destination, and allowing passengers with sight loss time to find a seat before pulling away.
“It is also helpful if drivers let them know when they arrive at their destination. Helping the trainee drivers to understand our experiences has really helped to change perceptions and attitudes towards blind and partially sighted passengers.”
The Excellence in Transport Accessibility Award recognises Lothian’s commitment to providing improved access to travel for disabled people. The award covers projects and initiatives that highlight innovation and collaboration between operators and organisations, such as Lothian and RNIB Scotland’s ‘Swap With Me’ sessions.
Gaynor Marshall, Communications Director for Lothian, said: “We are delighted to be recognised with the Excellence in Transport Accessibility Award for the second year running.
“Partnerships with the RNIB Scotland and other such organisations allow us to better understand the needs and experiences of disabled people travelling on our services.
“Lothian is committed to providing safe, reliable and accessible travel for all of our customers and awards like this are testament to the amazing effort of teams across our business in getting it right for everyone.”
James Adams, Director of RNIB Scotland, said: “By raising awareness among their drivers and encouraging them to take that extra bit of time, Lothian Buses is making a significant difference in the lives of blind and partially sighted passengers.
“We applaud their efforts and are grateful for the opportunity to explain the importance of accessibility. The award is well-deserved recognition of their dedication to making bus travel as accessible as possible for all and we look forward to the future of this partnership.”
There are around 183,000 people in Scotland living with significant sight loss.
Lothian Buses has over 700 buses servicing over 67 routes throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians.
