The chief executive of NHS Tayside has “significant concerns” that Stagecoach’s planned bus cuts in Perthshire will cause additional parking pressures at hospitals.
Professor Caroline Hiscox has written to Stagecoach saying plans to axe the X7 and 16 services will affect hospital staff travelling to work and patients’ ability to attend appointments.
She also fears the cuts will most negatively impact those already struggling financially within the affected communities.
The X7 route connects Ninewells Hospital in Dundee with Perth Royal Infirmary while the 16 runs through the Carse of Gowrie.
Professor Hiscox said: “The withdrawal of these routes will have significant implications and negative ramifications for the local citizens in these areas.
“The removal of the X7 and Route 16 service would lead to an increase in our staff using their own vehicles for business travel, thereby increasing our carbon footprint and create additional carparking pressures.
“NHS Tayside is currently experiencing ongoing parking issues on both the Ninewells and Perth Royal Infirmary sites and work is ongoing to reduce this through active travel initiatives.
“Any removal of public transport to these sites will amplify current issues experienced as increased numbers of citizens will have to resort to car travel to attend work and for
treatment.”
Cuts will affect elderly and poverty stricken
The chief executive also outlined her concerns over the impact the cuts would have on national requirements for all health boards to reduce CO2 emissions.
“With the planned reduction in the NHS pool fleet in 2024, the requirement for staff to use the connection between Ninewells and Perth Royal Infirmary will increase,” said the healthcare boss.
“If the X7 and Route 16 service is not available this will impact on staff’s ability to access their place of work.”
Professor Hiscox believes the cuts would impact the most on the elderly within the affected communities and those struggling with the cost of living crisis.
The Courier has also spoken to residents who fear they will be cut off from their GP is the proposals come to fruition.
Professor Hiscox said: “In Tayside, we have diverse rural and urban communities with an aging population who rely on the use of public transport, and it is essential that transport providers are cognisant of the need to ensure connectivity between hospital sites and to healthcare settings in order to support the optimal delivery of healthcare.
“Any reduction in public transport services to our hospital sites and rural locations will unfortunately further increase local health inequalities impacting on the health and wellbeing of those most in need of our support at this time.”
Stagecoach backtrack on delay promise
Stagecoach have come in for widespread criticism since they first announced their proposal earlier this year to axe services with the new routes originally scheduled for the end of April.
Following pressure from residents, politicians and The Courier, the bus company agreed to delay implementing their new timetable until May 27.
However, The Courier revealed last week that Stagecoach has already backtracked on that promise and will now begin their new timetable on May 13.
It is still unknown what routes will be saved or cut as talks between the bus company Perth and Kinross Council continue.
Stagecoach say they are removing and reducing routes as a result of “of “significantly reduced passenger numbers”.
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