Temporary changes to services

The brakes are to be applied to a community bus service during part of the festive period.

Those behind Auchterarder’s town buses – services 49 and 49A – have said they will not run on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day or January 2.

Normal timetables will be in operation on all other days.

The services were set up by local charity Auchterarder Community Bus Group and are operated by Lang Toon firm Docherty’s Midland Coaches.

A spokesperson thanked all passengers for their support.

Meanwhile, Stagecoach East Scotland has also released details of arrangements over the festive period.

Services will continue to a certain extent but managing director Douglas Robertson cautioned some routes may be busier than normal, particularly with capacity on vehicles still reduced as a result of coronavirus pandemic guidelines.

Passengers are encouraged to check the website www.stagecoachbus.com before setting off, or download the Perth-based transport group’s mobile phone app.

On Christmas Eve, Stagecoach has said what would normally be a Saturday timetable will run on all services in Perth and Kinross until the evening, after which a spokesperson advised “some later journeys will be altered or cancelled”.

No buses will take to the region’s roads on Christmas Day and what was described as a “special timetable” will be in operation on Boxing Day.

Normal service will then resume until Hogmanay, when the same set-up as over Christmas will click into gear on December 31, January 1 and January 2.

Cont a c t- f ree payment is recommended where possible and would-be bus users have been reminded that journeys should only be undertaken if deemed “essential” owing to Covid-19 restrictions.

Face coverings should be worn by passengers, unless exempt.