Lothian's parking worry
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OCAL AUTHORITIES should be given power to fix the starting and inishing points for new express bus services being operated by rrivate enterprise.
This was said last week by :ouncillor James Cook, onvener of Lothian Region pubc transport sub-committee, rho has written to the region's irector of public transport, haries Evans, proposing that n approach be made to the iovernment, asking it to make n amendment to the 1980 ransport Act in the interests of )ad safety.
Councillor Cook said that a articular problem had cropped p in Edinburgh where private perators were setting up pickp and set-down points for their ew inter-city routes without rst consulting the regional ouncil as the highways
Jthority.
He said: "I believe that one rivate outfit is even contemlating using the Waverley ridge in Edinburgh which is al!ady congested with service -id tour buses, Airlink buses, xis and people calling at the ritish Rail parcel office.
"There is another operator 3ing a point in the city centre, just off Princes Street, which forces local buses to double park at a bus stop."
Councillor Cook said he was passing on complaints from local people and road-users and he was now seeking control by the local authority.
"I have written to the director asking him to make strong representations to the Transport Secretary with a view to giving local highway authorities complete and strict control over private hire companies using the public highways as terminus points," he said.