Further setback for Perthshire community as Stagecoach service withdrawn due to construction works

A Perthshire community will once again be left without a bus after Stagecoach were forced to withdraw their service due to construction works.

The beleaguered 39 route will not serve the Grange area in the Carse of Gowrie for three weeks because of footway maintenance .

Earlier this month, residents of the Grange were also cut off after Stagecoach stopped the service because of overhanging branches on the route.

Cancellations and delays have been a feature of the 16 service, with Carse councillor Angus Forbes threatening to go to the Traffic Commissioner over the issues.

The situation has left workers like Lyn Chesters having to rotate their shifts again because of the lack of public transport.

She told The Courier how “frustrating” the 39 service has been since it was introduced in May to replace the 16 and X7 buses.

‘Folk are just fed up’

“It has been a nightmare,” said Lyn.

“It’s just complaint after complaint. They’re not showing up and they seem to be consistently late.

“It’s really frustrating.”

The latest issue appears not be Stagecoach’s fault but there is a frustration within the community over how the route is being handled.

The replacement shuttle taxi service organised by Perth and Kinross Council to connect the Grange with Errol during the service withdrawal only goes three to four times a day.

“When they cut the buses down to every two hours I had to change my shifts then,” said Lyn.

“Then the road was closed for a week and I had to walk three miles.

“And now I’ve had to change shifts again.

“Folk are just fed up with it.”

Construction work delayed by a week

Lyn says she, and others in the community, want a return of the 16 service which served the Carse of Gowrie before the cuts.

Stagecoach tried to introduce the 39 service from Arbroath a number of years ago but withdrew it due to problems with the route, returning to the 16.

“Generally, since it changed to the 39 it has been awful,” said Lyn.

“I don’t drive and there’s a lot of people in the village that don’t drive either and rely on the bus.”

The Courier helped lead a campaign to stop the complete axing of buses in the Carse of Gowrie and wants to see services protected as more cuts are planned in Fife.

The footpath works were set to take place between July 22 and August 11 but Perth and Kinross Council confirmed to The Courier they have been delayed a week.

A spokesperson for the local authority said: “We have made arrangements for a limited shuttle service in the Grange area of the Carse of Gowrie whilst planned footway construction works, relating to a new development in the area, are carried out.

“This step was taken to assist local residents while there is a temporary diversion of existing public transport services to allow the construction works to be carried out safely.

“We can also confirm that the construction works have been delayed until next week therefore there will be no road closures in place this week and Service 39 will run as normal.”

A spokesperson for Stagecoach East Scotland said: “We apologise to any customers in and around Grange who are affected by the upcoming diversion to be used by services 39 and 39B, which is beyond our control.

“Journeys will be unable to serve Grange from Monday July 29, due to a road closure on C484, which is expected to be in place for three weeks.

“A limited shuttle service will be available for travel between Grange and Errol.”