Fury as OAPs left stranded

Bus firm Stagecoach has abanonded an area of Troon home to a high proportion of the elderly.

The claim is made by the Ayrshire Bus Users Group ( ABUG) after the fourth change of route on the number 14 service in under four years.

ABUG complain the latest switch of the Ayr to Irvine service through Troon benefits the south of the town.

But it says the Dundonald Road and Logan Drive area has been short- changed.

An ABUG spokeswoman said: “The changes to the number 14 service is good for the south of Troon now that buses are again running directly from Ayr to Irvine,

“But this is to the disadvantage of those in the Dundonald Road area. For over 65 years there have always been buses to Ayr and Irvine on this road.

“Now there is only the hourly 10 bus service to and from Kilmarnock and the area has been cut off from Irvine and Ayr.

“In the Logan Drive area there is the largest sheltered housing complex in Troon and a large number of onebedroom houses occupied by the elderly. Stagecoach has just abandoned this area of Troon to the detriment of the elderly.”

The group will meet Stagecoach’s Ayrshire managing director Sam Greer later in February.

Stagecoach defended their position, saying they had fully consulted over the past 18 months.

A spokesman said: “In October last year we wrote to the group before publicly consulting on a number of suggested changes to the 14 service which met the majority of their aspirations for the service, and pointed out that in order for this solution to be commercially sustainable there would be a small number of stops previously served by the 14 or 14A that would no longer be on the 14 route.

“After responding to their concerns in October we received no further response from the group on the proposed changes during the public consultation, or again until a few days before the new timetables began operation in January.

“Passengers numbers in the affected areas of Logan Drive and Dundonald Road have been very low for a number of years and those residents continue to be able to use the 10 service which has a number of stops in common in Troon town centre with the 14 service.”

For over 65 years there have always been buses to Ayr and Irvine on this road