NEW BUS links between hospitals, health centres and train stations have been unveiled by East Lothian Council after it announced a shake up of the services it subsidises.

The council has awarded more than £1million of tenders to four bus companies to help provide services and have looked at improving their subsidised routes to make it easier for people to get to their destinations.

Two Eve Coaches services – the 128 from Haddington to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (ERI) and the 129 from Haddington to Ocean Terminal – will be cancelled and replaced with a new link service which it is hoped will service both train stations and medical needs.

The services which are being introduced by Prentice Coaches will see the 111 from Haddington to Wallyford Park – via Drem, Fenton Barns, Gullane, Aberlady, Longniddry, Port Seton, and Prestonpans – link up with the 122, which goes from Haddington to Wallyford via Pencaitland, Ormiston and Tranent, but will continue to Whitecraig, Musselburgh medical centre, Old Craighall and the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Eve Coaches has taken over two services from Prentice – the 121 Haddington to North Berwick route, and the 123 Gifford Circle route.

Councillor Michael Veitch, cabinet spokesman for transport and roads, said the changes, which will be introduced gradually over the coming months, came from listening to what people wanted.

He said: “We have undertaken extensive public consultation, with open surgeries in all six towns and a lot of feedback from community councils, representatives and online.

“It is clear getting to medical facilities and train stations were the priority and it was clear it was, for many people, about travelling around East Lothian, rather than back and forward to Edinburgh and that is what we are trying to achieve.

“We are making the changes gradually so some services will continue alongside new ones while they are established.

“This is about ensuring the best service and value for money for our residents.” Councillor Veitch said that, in awarding the tenders, consideration was taken of commercial bus routes which were already operating.

Although East Lothian Council does give some partial subsidy to First Bus and Lothian Country Buses – to help provide off peak services – most of the tenders were split between Eve and Prentice with the 253 remaining with Perryman’s Buses.

There will be no changes to the Prentice-operated 110; however Eve Coaches will add an additional Sunday service to the 120 Dunbar to North Berwick and take over the 121 service, which will then run on a loop to cover both ends of the town.

The council said the decision to cancel the 128 and 129 services was down to a very low number of passengers and the loss of some external funding, understood to have come from City of Edinburgh Council.

Most of the services announced in the tenders will start on Sunday, May 3, although timetables and more details are still to be announced.

More details of the new services are expected to be announced in April.