The closure of the Bathgate Department of Work and Pensions office will be a “huge blow to local people” according to Lothian MSP, Lorna Slater, who has warned that the extra costs and travel time will be particularly harsh for parents and young people.
Lorna wrote this in a letter to the UK Minister for Employment, Mims Davies MP following an announcement that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to close 40 offices across the UK. This follows warnings from the Scottish Government that the closures could impact up to 3,000 jobs.
The changes will force workers to travel to the nearest DWP office in Falkirk but, as Lorna notes in her letter, this will be unaffordable for many workers.
In a letter to Mims Davies MP, Lorna Slater wrote: “It is extremely disappointing that yet again the UK Government is moving jobs out of West Lothian. We have recently seen the closure of the Livingston HMRC office with staff forced to start commuting to Edinburgh or face redundancy.
“Many families in Bathgate are already struggling to make ends meet due to the brutal austerity of the UK Government and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am particularly worried for parents and younger people. The timing of this closure could not be worse for them.
“Commuting between Bathgate and Falkirk can be difficult, particularly when relying on public transport. By train this journey can take upwards of an hour and when relying on buses this can be even longer.”
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