Dozens of people have complained about the axing of a Fife bus service.
The loss of the 36 service between Perth and Glenrothes next month will cause problems for those who use it to access work or college.
And while Fife Council has stepped in to fund a replacement for part of the route, several communities are still losing out.
Stagecoach has defended the service’s withdrawal from August 19, saying it is responding to community feedback.
The company also says passenger numbers have been low since the pandemic.
However, more than 50 people have contacted North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie with a number of concerns.
And the Liberal Democrat MSP called on Stagecoach and the council to explain how the changes will work.
What are the changes and why are they a problem?
The bus firm is replacing the Glenrothes to Perth service with an alternative.
A new Perth to St Andrews bus will travel via Newburgh and Cupar.
This follows findings from community studies carried out during the Newburgh Transport Appraisal in 2022, which found a need for services to Cupar.
Meanwhile, Fife Council proposes continuing the service between Glenrothes and Newburgh, to be operated by Moffat and Williamson.
However several concerns remain:
- People travelling between Glenrothes and Perth will have to change at Newburgh and it is not yet known whether one ticket will be accepted by both bus companies.
- The new proposals miss out Freuchie and Balfarg.
- The service through Auchtermuchty and Kinross is being replaced by a Go-Flexi on-demand service which has to be booked in advance.
Why is Stagecoach withdrawing the Glenrothes to Perth bus?
Stagecoach has explained the rationale behind the withdrawal of service 36.
A spokesperson said: “Our decision to make changes to bus services in the north of Fife has been impacted by a number of factors.
“Mainly, the low usage on parts of the route, in particular since the pandemic where travel patterns fundamentally changed.
“We need to adapt accordingly to operate a commercially viable network.”
The spokesperson said the most used sections of the 36 service route are being replaced.
What about tickets and the communities no longer served?
Stagecoach says it is working to develop a ticket acceptance scheme with Moffat and Williamson.
Details of this will be announced as soon as possible.
They add: “The frequency of the service between Newburgh and Glenrothes will be improved with the M&W travel options, as the timetable no longer includes gaps for school journeys.
“And the use of Go-Flexi services in Auchtermuchty, Strathmiglo and Gateside offers much greater flexibility, including increased hours of operation.
“Other areas no longer served by the 36 still have access to other bus services around Glenrothes providing suitable connections to local and express services at Glenrothes bus station.”
Fife Council’s transportation chief John Mitchell says there are plans to look at ways to improve Freuchie and Balfarg services once the new route is established.
Courier campaign to protect bus services
It comes after Stagecoach implemented a raft of service cuts in Perthshire and Fife earlier this year.
The Courier has been campaigning for adequate bus routes, particularly in rural areas. See more on our dedicated campaigns page.
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