People in Queensferry and Dalmeny have been left shocked and upset after Friday’s news that Stagecoach is to cease serving Queensferry with its 40/40A/40B services.  The route will end on Monday 5 June.
The full Stagecoach announcement can be seen here.

The news has already caused huge concern. This decision will have a huge impact on the Ferry and those who rely on these bus services.

Kevin Lang and Louise Young have spoken with Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP and urgent approaches are now being made to other bus operators.

The local Lib Dem has been campaigning hard for Lothian Buses to serve Queensferry and Dalmeny with a direct bus service to Edinburgh.  Over 2,000 people have signed our petition.

This is now an ideal opportunity for the Council owned bus company to finally step in and serve this important part of the city.
The local Lib Dem team will keep you informed.

Over the last few weeks, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP and I have been running a campaign against Edinburgh Airport’s new plans to change its flight paths and route aircraft directly over Queensferry

You can see all the information about the proposals here.

I’m delighted to say that over 900 local people in Queensferry have now signed our petition.

It’s a great total and really shows the concern over the airport’s plans.  After all, there are other options which would route aircraft over less populated areas.

The petition is still open.  Any further help you can provide to encourage residents to back this campaign is greatly appreciated.

A public meeting has also been organised for next week.  This will allow residents to discuss what more the community can do before the airport’s consultation deadline on 30 April 2017.  Here are the details:

• Flight path public meeting
• 7pm, Tuesday 28 March
• Echline Primary School, Bo’ness Road, Queensferry

I’m pleased to say our local MSP, Alex Cole-Hamilton will attend and speak at the meeting.

I hope you will be able to come along.  I am keen to give the organisers an idea of likely number of attendees so if you can come then please RSVP here.

Over the last two months, the local Liberal Democrat team and I have been running a survey on plans for major housing developments at Echline and Scotstoun.

Over 1,000 residents took part, making this the biggest survey of its kind here in Queensferry.

The results could not be clearer – people are deeply concerned that the Ferry does not have the infrastructure or services to support these major housing developments.

Here is what local people told us.

We asked whether residents were in favour or against the plans for 300 more homes at Scotstoun and 800 more homes at Echline.  Here are the results;

On plans for 300 homes at Scotstoun:

• 90% oppposed
• 9% in favour
• 1% don’t know

On plans for 800 homes at Echline:

• 92% oppposed
• 7% in favour
• 1% don’t know

It’ll little surprise there is such opposition.

99% of all the people we surveyed – very nearly everyone – did not have confidence that the Council will deliver the improvements to services and infrastructure which we need to support these new developments.

Residents agree that we need;

• An expansion of local health service including GP services
• An expansion of local schools
• Improved public transport
• Improved roads
• Better shops and leisure facilities

84% of people also said that SNP and Labour councillors were wrong to vote to turn another 200 acres of greenbelt in West Edinburgh over to new housing.

As your Liberal Democrat candidates in the upcoming Council elections, Louise Young and Kevin Lang will always fight for better services and improved infrastructure BEFORE new developments are approved.

We have a chance over the next few weeks to send a strong message to the SNP and to the city centre Council that enough is enough.

Download a postal vote registration form here.

The reality is that you can’t always predict what is going to happen on polling day.

There can be terrible weather.  People like Mary might have to work late.  People often have to look after children or grandchildren.  They can fall ill or just be too busy to vote.

It’s why postal voting is becoming more and more popular.  It means you get the chance to vote, whatever happens on polling day. With the upcoming council election looking so close, we know every single vote really will count.
If you sign up for a postal vote then your ballot paper will be delivered to your home about 2-3 weeks before polling day.  You can vote in the comfort of your own home, at a time that suits you.  You then put your completed ballot paper in the envelope provided and stick it in the post – you don’t even need a stamp.
Getting is postal vote is quick and easy.  All you have to do is download this online form, print  and complete it.  You send this directly to:

Electoral Registration Officer, 17A South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9FL   
It couldn’t be easier.  It’s why thousands of local people now vote by post.  I know Mary has now signed up for a postal vote too.

Registering for a postal vote now will mean that, whatever happens on 4 May, you won’t miss your chance to vote.

Sign our petition against Edinburgh Airport’s plans to route aircraft over Queensferry.

Edinburgh Airport has been reviewing its flight paths over the last year.

In its first consultation, Edinburgh Airport promised to look at flight paths within a broad ‘envelope’ – this did not include aircraft being routed over Queensferry.

The airport has admitted it changed its plans because so many people in West Lothian objected during the first consultation. The airport is ignoring an obvious truth. People in Queensferry would also have objected if this current plan had been proposed last year.

Elections in West Edinburgh are always between the local Lib Dems and the SNP.

The Council elections in May are no different and the race to come first will be between the SNP and local Liberal Democrat Kevin Lang.

Last year, Alex Cole-Hamilton scored a major upset by beating the SNP and becoming our new local Member of the Scottish Parliament.  He said that only the Lib Dems could beat the SNP – the result proved him right.

It is clear that in this Council election, every Labour or Conservative first preference vote will help the SNP come top.

More and more Conservatives and Labour supporters are lending Kevin their first preference vote to stop the SNP.

Don’t let the SNP come first in May by voting Conservative or Labour.

Every week, people in Queensferry, Kirkliston and Dalmeny tell me how ridiculous it is that Lothian Buses still does not provide a direct link with Edinburgh city centre.

Even worse is the fact other areas such as Penicuik, Musselburgh and Dalkeith, all of which are outside of the City of Edinburgh Council area, already benefit from cheaper fares with the council owned bus company.

It means bus fares from to Edinburgh city centre can cost TWICE as much as fares from parts of Midlothian and East Lothian. It’s just not fair.

This is why your local MSP, Alex Cole-Hamilton and I launched our ‘fairer fares’ campaign to get Lothian Buses to start new a direct service from Queensferry, Kirkliston and Dalmeny to Edinburgh city centre.

Since we launched our community campaign, the response which Alex and I have received has been incredible.  Over 2,000 people have now signed our petition with more and more adding their names in support every day.

If elected your new local councillor in May, I will make this one of my top priorities.  I’ll fight each and every day to get a new direct Lothian Buses service to Edinburgh city centre.

If you’ve not added your name to our bus campaign then you can by clicking here.

As I’ve been out chatting with people in Kirkliston, one issue comes up time and time again – the traffic and congestion at the village crossroads.

It’s little wonder – the problem is getting worse and worse.  People are late for work, having problems getting their kids to school on time and missing important medical appointments because of delays at the village junction.

It’s a great example of the problems created when new housing is approved without proper infrastructure being put in place.  It’s a lesson which the SNP run Edinburgh City Council simply refuses to learn.

Just a few weeks ago, the current SNP councillor for Kirkliston actually voted in favour of turning another 200 acres of West Edinburgh greenbelt into housing, despite huge local opposition.   Yet again, areas have been zoned for housing without the proper services and infrastructure being put in place.  It’s clear mistakes are being made all over again.

Here in Kirkliston, we need the Council to take an urgent lead on the cross roads.   We need a proper action plan to improve the junction and prevent the build-up of traffic.  This would likely involve improvements to the sequencing of the lights as well as other structural changes.

If elected as your new local councillor this May, getting action on the cross roads would be one of my top priorities.  I would push to use the many thousands of pounds raised by the Council from the Kirklands Park Street traffic camera to pay for the study and the necessary action.

It’s what local people here in Kirkliston need and deserve.

Kevin