Highlands MSP anger over Cairngorms bus service axe
Scottish Labour’s Transport Spokesman, David Stewart MSP, is to ask the Scottish Government what steps can be taken to prevent a bus giant from pushing ahead with controversial timetable changes that will hit the strath.
The Highlands & Islands MSP has expressed his dismay the main Scottish CityLink service to Edinburgh and Glasgow is to be allowed to by-pass communities in Badenoch.
Instead the firm plans to run a minibus calling in at Kingussie, Newtonmore and Dalwhinnie which will meet with the main services at House of Bruar in Perthshire.
Kincraig and Tomatin will lose all their Citylink services bar the early morning coach to Inverness.
"Public transport services are really important for our rural communities," said Mr Stewart, "and any lessening of this service has a dis-proportionate effect on them.
"This bus service to Edinburgh and Glasgow is a vital link and replacing a standard coach with a mini-bus is not providing the service that these communities deserve.
"A mini-bus shuttle journey of 30 miles to link up with a coach that passes within a couple of miles of your village seems a nonsensical arrangement.
"There are many questions that need to be answered about this proposed service.
"For instance, what provision is to be made to accommodate passengers with mobility problem and what responsibility will the company assume if passengers are stranded at Bruar due to bad winter weather or a coach breakdown?
"Perhaps, most importantly will Scottish CityLink guarantee that this mini-bus service will be robust enough to cope with the winter weather conditions it will have to face?
"In addition, many services already include having to change coaches at Broxden services so passengers from Badenoch will an extra change to make.
"This decision by CityLink is a further attack of the services that our rural communities depend on.
"I will be writing Scottish CityLink on this matter and I will also write the Scottish Government to see what steps can be taken to help reverse this decision."
