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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

HcLtransport

Community transport with door-through-door support for people with mobility challenges across Edinburgh, West Lothian, Midlothian and East Lothian.

HcL is a Charity based in the Lothians. Set up in November 1982 to provide a transport service for people with a range of disabilities and health needs who are unable, or have great difficulty, in using transport. We operate two main services - Dial-A-Ride and Dial-A-Bus.

28/10/2026

This month, Chris Howard, our Senior Despatcher, celebrates his 20-year anniversary with HcL. Chris started with us as a driver, but many of you will have spoken with him over the years when calling our Edinburgh despatch team!

Chris received his service award from our Senior Operations Manager, Robert Hutson!

Thank you for all your hard work over the past 20 years, Chris! 💚🚌

26/10/2026

Midlothian Falls Prevention Community Day! - Elizabeth, our Service Development Manager, will be at this event. Enjoy a cuppa and friendly advice from lots of community organisations!

Learn about how to reduce the risk of falls and make your home safer with live demonstrations!

Oct 29th, 10- 2, Ladywood Leisure Centre, Penicuik.

This event is for people over 50, plus friends and family.
See you there! 💚🚌

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21/10/2026

This month, Kirsty Kinnaird, our Operations Support Officer, celebrates her 10-year anniversary with HcL. Some of you may have spoken to Kirsty when calling our Edinburgh despatch team!

Kirsty received her service award from our Senior Operations Manager, Robert Hutson!

Thank you for all your hard work over the past 10 years, Kirsty! 💚🚌

19/10/2026

🚌 CT Week 2026 AGM 🚌

Last week, we held our AGM, where we updated our members, reviewed the past year, and thanked our amazing staff, volunteers, and Trustees!

It’s been another year of growth for HcL, especially since our merger with SEAG. We look forward to moving into 2027, offering more journeys and supporting even more people in Edinburgh and the Lothians to stay connected.

We also welcomed guest speaker Gary McMillan from the fire service, who gave a very interesting presentation on fire safety and the measures we can take to keep our homes safe. Gary also highlighted that people can self-refer for Home Fire Safety Visits on the Fire Scotland website:

https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/contact-us/home-fire-safety-visits/

💚🚌

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16/10/2026

🚌CT Week 2026 CTA AGM and Westminster Reception 🚌

Yesterday, our CEO, Kelvin Cochrane, and Deputy CEO Lesia Herasymchuk attended the Community Transport Association's AGM and a reception in the Westminster Parliament, where they focused on the CTA's proposal to enable B licence holders to obtain a D1 (101) licence through a training-based upgrade.

They discussed the proposal with colleagues from other community transport organisations from across Britain and several MPs. They also had a productive conversation with Fleur Anderson MP, who hosted the meeting, about the D1 licence.

We'd like to thank the Community Transport Association and Westminster for inviting HcL 💚🚌

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14/10/2026

🚌CT Week 2026 Frances McCallum- Despatch Coordinator 🚌

💚Celebrating the people who keep community transport moving every day💚

Frances has worked for HcL in our West Lothian office for 26 years. She initially started part-time, answering calls and making bookings for our Dial-A-Bus service. Frances explained that when she started, we had only two services in West Lothian, so she organised Dial-A-Bus, and another staff member handled Dial-A-Ride.
Frances had been working for HM Prison Service as the Barlinnie Prison Governor’s secretary. She was made redundant, so her brother Kelvin (now our CEO) suggested she join our West Lothian Office.
Over the years, our services increased with more buses and drivers, so Frances’s job became full-time and her role developed, eventually becoming our Despatch Coordinator. Frances continues to enjoy her job but has recently become semi-retired, now working part-time again.
Frances says that she has seen a huge amount of change across the organisation over the years, all of which she thinks has been necessary for us to diversify and survive;

“We now have community bus services, people travelling free with their bus passes on Dial-A-Bus, and we have group and school transport. This all means that we help lots of different people and make a positive difference to their lives.”

Frances is very proud of the work that HcL does and how we have adapted to meet constant funding challenges, ensuring services continue for our passengers.
Frances explained that although there have been lots of changes over her time with us, she knows that at the centre of everything and the most important thing is our passengers;

“The very best thing about my job is talking to passengers and over time getting to know them when they phone to book journeys. I know that sometimes I might be the only person that they speak to that day, so I like to have a chat and make sure that they are okay. It’s funny because I never really get to meet people face to face, but I know them really well, and they know me.”

Thank you, Frances, for the vital role you play in helping people stay connected, independent and involved in their communities

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13/10/2026

🚌 CT Week 2026 Ros Stein & Bob Laing- Drivers 🚌

💚 Celebrating the people who keep community transport moving every day 💚

As part of Community Transport Week 2026, yesterday we highlighted our 69 Community Bus service and how we have responded to passenger feedback to provide an even better service. Today, meet the drivers!
Ros and Bob split the week driving on this service: Ros: Monday -Wednesday and Bob: Thursday -Saturday.

Ros says:

“A variety of different people use the 69 service, people getting their shopping and meeting up with friends, but also, we have passengers who use the bus to get to the gym or to work and in the afternoon lots of school kids. Adding the Fort Kinnaird stop has been good because some passengers wanted to come here but found it difficult, so we are providing a service that our passengers asked for.”

The passengers’ feedback about both Ros and Bob is excellent:

“The service is very, very helpful and the drivers are brilliant”

Thank you for providing a great service, Ros and Bob! 💚

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12/10/2026

🚌 Community Transport Week 2026 Service 69 Lady Nairne 🚌

This week, Monday 12th to Friday 16th October, is Community Transport Week. This year’s theme is Driving Communities Forward. During this week, we recognise the connections community transport services, staff, and volunteers create, the barriers they help remove, and the opportunities they open for people across our communities.

After the local community successfully campaigned to reinstate a local bus service in East Edinburgh, we introduced our 69-community bus route in December 2024. Then, in response to passenger feedback, we adapted the route in June 2026 to include Fort Kinnaird.

The feedback from our passengers on the 69 service is so positive:

Janet explained:

“I was on the first bus when the service restarted with HcL and I have used it ever since. I use the bus to get to the shops and to my doctor's. I also go out for lunch or for a bacon roll, so it's great for me. Most of all, the regular, reliable service is excellent and very, very helpful in helping me get out and about.”

Caroline told us:

“I use the bus 2 or 3 times a week to go to ASDA and Portobello. The bus is always on time, and the drivers are brilliant. It’s also really handy to get to the Fort”.

Caroline also explained that because we operate a hail-and-ride system, it works really well for her, as she can be taken up a hill near her house instead of struggling to walk up for 20 minutes if she gets the service bus. Caroline also explained that her friend Charlie, who is ninety-two, uses the 69 service most days to get out and do things, and he knows he can rely on the service.

Thank you, Janet and Caroline, for taking the time to share your feedback. 💚

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09/10/2026

Next week is Community Transport Week!

This year, the theme is Driving Communities Forward, which celebrates the people who keep community transport moving every day, from paid and volunteer drivers to the staff, trustees and volunteers working behind the scenes.

Recognising the connections they create, the barriers they help remove, and the opportunities they open up for people across our communities. 💚🚌

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08/10/2026

!! Important Announcement - Ratho 67 Service weekends !!

We are excited to announce that, starting on the 10th of October, our 67 service will run on Saturdays and Sundays!

The weekend service will initially run on a different timetable from our weekday service, with Saturdays and Sundays on a 2-hourly schedule, as shown below.

Plan your journey! Try the 67! Make it Permanent! 💚🚌

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Address

24/3A Dryden Road, Bilston Glen Industrial Estate
Bathgate
EH209HX

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

01506-633953

Website

http://www.hcltransport.org.uk/

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