Temporary save for 15 bus service
Hamish Hutchinson • Published 26 Oct 2012 09:00
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A BUS route between Alloa and Falkirk has had a temporary reprieve due to Falkirk Council.
The local authority has stepped in to fund the number 15 service which will be axed by First Scotland next week.
The service was one of several due to be withdrawn from 29 October as part of a shake-up of the First bus network within the Falkirk area.
Falkirk Council's Policy and Resources committee agreed to step in to replace, among others, the Service 15 (Falkirk-Kincardine-Alloa), Service 16 (Falkirk-Letham-Airth-Stirling), Service 17 (journeys between Limerigg and Slamannan) and Service 27B (Banknock-Forth Valley Royal Hospital-Falkirk) while a wide scale review of non-commercial bus operations are undertaken.
Councillor Craig Martin, Falkirk Council leader said, "The commercial decision by First to withdraw these services has left us in a very difficult situation and we see this as being the only way we can balance the needs of communities with the harsh realities of constrained budgets.
"We need to take a closer look at these services provided but in the meantime, we can operate a substitute service that can support our communities."
The saved bus services that were scheduled to be withdrawn by First Scotland will continue to run until the end of March 2013, while the council review of routes is expected by the end of January next year.
As previously reported in the Advertiser, the number 15 service had already been altered earlier in the year when First Scotland ditched the original route through Stirling.
It caused a knock-on effect as it meant there was no service operating to the Bowhouse area of Alloa.
That caused Clackmannanshire Council to seek the alteration of another service to continue provision through the Bowhouse area.
An assessment of council-subsidised routes led to the number 68 bus at Devonway being altered to serve bus users in Bowhouse.
This article appeared in Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser 24 Oct 12
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