After-dark bus service aims to revive nightlife

CITY centre bosses are hoping new after-dark buses will revive Perth’s flagging nightlife and provide a lifeline for rural revellers.

Stagecoach and Perth and Kinross Council have teamed up to offer late-night weekend runs to towns and villages in all corners of the area.

The new services will leave Perth bus station at 11.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays for Pitlochry, Blackford, Kinross, Crieff and Invergowrie.

Until now, music fans and culture vultures were only able to get to gigs and shows at venues such as Perth Concert Hall if they had a car, or were willing to pay for a taxi.

The new service also goes some way to addressing worries about connections and social isolation raised during Perth’s bid for UK City of Culture status.

Council leader Ian Campbell said: “I’m sure this will be a real benefit for people living in rural areas who have found it difficult to get in and out of Perth at nights.

“It will also mean they will be able to stay and have a drink, which will be a boost for bars and restaurants. We hope this will really make a difference to Perth’s nightlife.

“We know residents and visitors alike enjoy sampling the varied options for evening entertainment on offer locally.

“We also saw that increasing late-night public transport provision would benefit them and therefore the night-time economy as well.

“I’m pleased we can provide this support to Stagecoach to deliver additional departures.”