Local MSP Craig Hoy has confirmed that East Coast buses is to reintroduce the X5 bus service in June following a concerted community campaign.
The X5 service, an express route which runs from North Berwick to Edinburgh, will return from June 5. The service was suspended over two years ago due to Covid. Following a petition, which secured over 1,000 signatures, Mr Hoy and fellow Scottish Conservative councillors, led calls for the service to be restored.
Craig Hoy said he was very pleased that the service was set to return: “This is an overdue but very welcome move by East Coast Buses. I would like to thank residents who joined my campaign by signing the petition and engaging regularly on the future of the X5 service," he said.
“This service is vital for many residents in coastal communities and I look forward to seeing it return in early June. I also welcome further moves to ensure East Lothian residents are properly served by express bus services now that people are freely commuting as Covid restrictions are removed.”
In a letter to Mr Hoy, Nigel Serafini, Managing Director of Lothian Buses, said: “It is our intention to introduce a service change with effect from 5th June with changes which aim to provide increased frequency, more capacity and faster journeys for customers in East Lothian.”
Mr Serafini added: “Most notably, East Coast Buses will be reinstating Service X5 on an hourly basis. I hope this provides clarity on the timeline for reintroduction of some services which I appreciated have been missed by customers.”
Craig also thanked East Lothian Councillors Lachlan Bruce and Jeremy Findlay, along with North Berwick Community Council Chairman Judy Lockhart-Hunter, for their support for his campaign.
“Judy, Jeremy and Lachlan have played an important role in galvanising the community and in calling for the return of the service. I would like to thank them for their commitment to ensuring coastal communities have proper local bus services.”
For further information full details can be found here: https://www.lothianbuses.com/news/2022/04/service-change-5-june-2022/
