New changes announced for local bus network

A number of changes to the local bus network will come in to effect from next month.

First Midland Bluebird this week confirmed the changes will include a direct service from the city to Glasgow.

As part of the improvements, the new X36 service will run every 30 minutes during the week and every hour on Sundays and will also operate via Denny and Cumbernauld.

There will also be a new Uni Link service between the city centre and Stirling University. The service will now provide a year-round service and operates at a 30 minute frequency all year linking the city centre with the Stirling University ground, stepping up to every seven minutes at term times.

The operator has also announced that the revised 57 service will now serve the new Stirling Community Hospital between Raploch and the city centre running every 30 minutes.

New services will also replace two existing routes.

The number 54/54a will become the number 51 service. The bus will run from Cowie to Alloa, via Bannockburn, Whins of Milton, Broomridge, Braehead, Stirling, Causewayhead Corner, Tullibody and Alloa.

The number 52 will replace the 62/63 from Stirling to the Hillfoots. The new route starts at Stirling Bus Station and goes via Causewayhead Corner, Wallace Monument, Stirling University, Menstrie;, Alva, Tillicoultry, Coalsnaughton, Fishcross, Sauchie and Alloa.

The frequency will be reduced to every 30 minutes on each route.

The changes will come in to effect on September 10.

David Phillips, Operations Director at First Scotland East, said:“Our aim is to try and maintain as many of the lifeline services as we can reliably provide whilst also trying to make our Stirling and Forth Valley network as efficient as possible. These changes are necessary to make sure that our services better match passenger usage and maintain their commercial viability.

“Last month, we hosted a‘meet the manager’consultation event on a bus at Stirling Bus Station to engage with customers on the proposed changes. We listened to views from over 400 passengers, who gave feedback, thoughts and opinions on the changes. This feedback is invaluable to us and we have now listened to these views and as a result made changes to our original proposals.

“As a result, we have now settled on a finalised new network structure which will come into effect from next month. We are aware that these changes may mean changes to customer’s journeys, but we are confident that these changes will improve our local bus network to the benefit of our passengers.”