Local Bus Services Information

Which services are supported by the Council?

The council only subsidises 20% of the local bus network, the remaining 80% is provided commercially by local bus operators and therefore the council has no authority or say over the operation or timetabling.  The council seeks to have a frequent and reliable bus service for passengers however we have no control or ability to change commercial operations.  The table below shows those services that are provided on behalf of the council.  Subsidy can cover an entire service, or parts of a commercial service that the council has sought to enhance by providing additional journeys at certain times of the day, in line with the Passenger Transport Strategy.  Where commercial services exist, the transport act of 1985 states that council cannot compete with these services. 

* in partnership with SPT.

** in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council.

*** funded though Calderwood developer contributions.

**** funded though Winchburgh developer contributions.

Where can I get Public Transport Information?

Public Transport Information is available from the Council's Information Service (CIS) offices and bus and train operators.  Alternatively follow the links to Traveline Scotland (opens new window) for further information.

• Traveline Scotland (opens new window) is Scotland's national public transport information service and provide impartial timetable and journey planning information for all of Scotland. This includes buses, trains, coaches, subway, ferries and Scottish internal flights.

How do I complain about a bus service?

If your complaint is about one of the services in the above table, you should complete the online form Here.

If your complaint is about a commercial service, you should contact the operator of that service in the first instance. We've included links to customer feedback pages for each of the operators who provide services in west lothian below:

Alternatively, if passengers feel that their complaints are not being responded to or dealt with by the bus companies they can contact Bus Users Scotland with information on service failings and they can follow up such service complaints with the bus operators on behalf of the customer.  Bus Users Scotland can also share information with the Office of the Traffic Commissioner, who has authority over all bus service operations in Scotland. Please visit:  www.bususers.org

Fraud and misuse of the National Concessionary Travel Scheme

Fraud and misuse of the National Concessionary Travel Scheme is believed to cost the taxpayer millions every year and is an ongoing area of concern for national transport agency Transport Scotland, who manage the scheme.

Transport Scotland provides a 24 hour hotline to help beat the practice of 'over-staging', where bus pass holders are given a ticket for a longer journey than they actually travelled.  This can result in the operator submitting an incorrect claim of concessionary travel subsidy due from the Scottish Government.

Callers to the phone line will also be able to report other forms of misuse of the scheme, such as passengers using passes which don't belong to them or using fraudulent cards.

• The hotline is free to call and will be manned 24 hours a day on 0800 328 5690.  

Service Standards

We will:

• Provide timetable information in bus shelters across West Lothian;
• Ensure that operators perform to contract for services supported by the council;
• Monitor performance of supported services;
• Assess demand for new services and implement them if they are approved; and
• Work with operators in the first instance to try to resolve customers complaints