Glenfarg’s community bus pioneers have brought back a much-missed service as their extraordinary success story steps up a gear.
The Glenfarg Community Transport Group’s latest addition, the 23 bus, was launched on Monday.
It will travel from Kinross to Tillicoultry, on the hour, six days a week.
And its arrival resurrects a route, and route number, that existed for more than 90 years until it was cancelled in 2021.
It’s the latest breakthrough for the group, which was set up in 2023 to combat the loss of the 55 bus service that connected the village to Kinross.
The village already had a community minibus to take locals on outings.
So, residents decided to step up a gear and take over the running of the 55 service themselves.
Their 55 bus now runs all the way from Perth to Kinross.
And they now have a registered charity, with a fleet of coaches, salaried bus drivers and a squad of volunteers.
Their enterprise is also being held up as an example of what rural communities can do to address transport shortages in their own areas.
The 55 won the Best Bus Service Award at the Scottish Transport Awards in June 2024.
It impressed the judges after its passenger numbers rose 10-fold during its first year of operation.
More innovations on way for Glenfarg bus pioneers
The new route means passengers will now be able to travel on the same bus all the way from Tillicoultry to Perth.
And connections at Kinross Park and Ride and Perth will open up a whole new world for residents in communities along the way.
Douglas Fraser, Glenfarg community council chairman and charity trustee, said: “We’ve travelled a long way in the 18 months since we started the 55 and are excited to watch the 23 doing the same.”
The new 23 service has been designed in partnership with Fossoway Community Council to include access to Dollar and Tillicoultry.
Tony Lamb, from the Fossoway group, said: “I know that the communities within the Fossoway area will welcome the arrival of Glenfarg Community Transport and the 23 bus serving our area, and especially it being linked directly to Perth without a change.”
The innovations don’t stop there.
In October, Glenfarg Community Transport Group will be launching a new booking and tracking app to support the two services.
Both routes are run as a Public Social Partnership, subsidised by Perth and Kinross Council.
The council is also helping with the procurement and servicing of vehicles.
It will also be providing a new 16-seat accessible minibus to increase the Glenfarg fleet.
Councillor Richard Watters, convener of Perth and Kinross Council’s climate change and sustainability committee said: “Since it launched last year the 55 service run by the Glenfarg Community Transport Group has been a tremendous success and demonstrates the amazing impact community-led initiatives can have.”
Conversation