Angry bathroom fitter warns Lothian bus drivers not to toss urine-filled bottles into 'Bogwood' hedge

The Dalkeith resident also discovered ‘excrement’ bundled in tissue and copies of a free newspaper available on the bus service though he could not certain of its origin.

Tom Halliday, 61, said he had dealt with his fair share of human waste in his career but was shocked to find more than 30 bottles of urine thrown into a hedge near where Lothian bus drivers stop on Bogwood Road.

The keen environmental activist cleared the bottles from the hedge and arranged them next to a rubbish bin he says is located just 20 yards away from the dumping site.

After notifying Lothian Buses, Mr Halliday said the firm apologised and told him they would ensure all drivers were made aware that this is not acceptable behaviour.

But then last week Mr Halliday again found urine in plastic bottles lodged in the hedge.

He said: “Since lockdown I began taking a litter picker out with me when I walk the dog. On one day in April I discovered a number of bottles protruding from a hedge nearby where Lothian Buses pull up when waiting to start the return leg of the route.

“It is disgusting to think a multimillion-pound company cannot facilitate toilets for their staff.

"Drivers must be getting caught on the buses CCTV peeing into the bottles.

"And after they have disposed of the urine what do they do with their hands? I’d hate to think they are going unwashed and that others could become infected during a global pandemic.”

Tom contacted Midlothian Council who removed the second wave of bottles before Lothian Buses could send someone to address the situation.

But on Thursday morning the bathroom fitter discovered what looked like excrement wrapped newspaper at the scene.

He added: “Whilst walking the dog and picking litter in the area, I discovered someone had defecated onto some newspapers. There were two papers and an associated pile of tissues. I obviously have no proof that it was a bus driver, but I would imagine that given the location, and the previous history of the location that I would be justified in making that assumption.

“Surely they could check their CCTV from their buses to see if they are being disabled.

"I would have thought if it was a member of the public, they would be unlikely to have two newspapers and tissue on them and they would also have probably gone into the field behind the hedge.”

Lothian Buses did not deny the bottle allegations but questioned the veracity of the other claims.

A spokesperson for Lothian Buses said: “Lothian are committed to delivering for customers in what continues to be hugely challenging operational circumstances.

"We have worked with local authorities and other partners, to put in place arrangements for toilet facilities along much of our routes across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

"Any incidents of this nature which are reported to us directly will be fully investigated.”

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