Good service will get folk on the buses
BetterrunningC48welcome
Big improvements to a heavily criticised bus service should encourage more people to use it say locals.
Stirling Council are overseeing improvements to the C48 service after a public petition highlighted complaints relating to reliability, driver attitude and poor condition of the vehicle.
The C48 provides transport through Kinbuck, Dunblane, Stirling and Bannockburn.
A new temporary bus stop has also been introduced to serve residents left devastated when the C48 stopped serving Rylands Road in Dunblane after concerns were raised about an “unsafe” reversing manoeuvre.
This is set to remain while officers investigate the possibility of a new permanent bus stop on Kippendavie Road, close to the junction with Rylands Road.
Kinbuck resident Alexandra Ullathorne, who launched the petition, told Stirling Council’s environment and housing committee in writing on Thursday that, in general, passengers she had spoken to are happy with the “big improvements” to the service.
“With friendly and efficient drivers, the buses are now running on time,” she added. “It has made such a difference knowing you can trust the bus to arrive and transport you to your destination on time or in time for your forward bus or train journey.”
She said apart from one of the vehicles, which “struggles up hills”, the buses had improved, albeit decent suspension or newer buses would not go amiss.
“The new scanners are problem free, however hopefully the future bus stop alterations near Rylands Road will partly make up for the inconvenience caused by the Rylands Road stop now being excluded from the C48 route.
“The result of this is a catastrophic inconvenience being forced on the retired, elderly or infirm who have no access to a car and who live up that hilly area of Dunblane and for years have had a bus facility and shelter situated there.”
Ms Ullathorne said she had delivered the new bus timetable to every home in Kinbuck and, if another was produced due to the restructuring of the timetable, would do so again.
She added: “I’m positive, as word has spread of the reliability of the new service, the passengers and children will return, and many more besides.”
Committee chair Councillor Jim Thomson said he took Councillor Maureen Bennison’s point that there were plenty other bus services they could look at, however a fuller review may required at some point and local authorities were not in control of public transport.
Local councillor Alasdair Tollemache said it was great to see citizens making a difference, adding: “The petitioners wanted to use this bus service but didn’t because it wasn’t reliable and people were put off using it. They are now speaking to people in the community to get them to use this bus.”