Investigation launched by bus company into blunder

STAGECOACH has been forced to apologise for the second time in a week after a bus route blunder left passengers “stranded”.

The Tele previously reported that residents in the Law area of the city were left without a 202 service after the firm failed to tell them the route had been changed due to weather conditions.

An apology was subsequently offered to the residents.

But the bus company has now launched an investigation after a second gaffe in which a driver was unaware the route had been reinstated.

The mistake meant the residents were once again left waiting for the service — which never arrived.

David Frenz, operations director for Stagecoach East Scotland, today offered a second apology to the impacted residents — saying the situation was “not acceptable”.

He said: “Due to driver error, unfortunately, certain service 202 journeys continued to operate the diversion route on Monday.

“A full investigation into how this happened has been launched.

“We understand this is not acceptable and want to ensure the residents of the Law area that their service will use the original route from now on.

“We apologise for any further inconvenience caused.

“We would urge any customers affected by this error to get in touch with us directly to discuss the matter further.”

Local resident Andy Walker previously blasted the bus company after he and a number of elderly residents were left waiting for the service in freezing temperatures.

Despite being assured that the route was now back to normal, the Kenmore Terrace householder said he was once again “left stranded” by Stagecoach.

He said: “We were told that it was a mistake and they apologised publicly. But we were waiting on the 1.50pm bus, it never showed up, then the 2.50pm bus didn’t come either.”

Andy said that he managed to find another mode of transport but, when he got on the bus home, he was told by a driver that the bus no longer stopped at the stop in question.

He added: “I told him that I had been in the paper last week and they apologised.

“We argued for a while and then he phoned head office and they told him that the route was back to normal.”