Bus to railway station could be reintroduced
Stagecoach reviewing Invergowrie service
Wheels are being set in motion to once again have a bus service to Invergowrie Railway Station.
Stagecoach East Scotland has said it would review the viability of the service as soon as Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) enforces double yellow lines on the section of the route where parked cars were obstructing its buses.
PKC has now announced plans to enforce parking restrictions are finally being progressed.
The issue was raised at PKC’S Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee on Wednesday, March 29.
Labour’s Bailie Alasdair Bailey - who represents the Carse of Gowrie - asked the convener when the committee would again consider parking regulations to allow buses to service the railway station.
The committee’s convener Depute Provost Andrew Parrott responded: “I remain concerned that Invergowrie remains unserviced by the bus that used to serve it and will be doing all I can to encourage the works that require to be done for that to take place.”
Senior engineer Brian Cargill from PKC’S Traffic and Road Safety team told the committee plans for double yellow lines were being progressed.
He said: “I do know work has been progressed on that.
“It’s in process and may well be that it’s due to come forward to Barbara [Renton - executive director of Communities] who has delegated authority to approve them and it’s only if it’s a contentious one that it may come back to committee.”
At Wednesday’s meeting Carse of Gowrie councillor Angus Forbes suggested the delay over the double yellows was caused by a “lack of democracy” with the council’s attention being spent elsewhere on projects where the Scottish Government funding had to be used or it would be lost.
Following the meeting Conservative councillor Forbes explained: “For around two years, buses have been getting stuck at the junction with Noble Avenue and Dargie Road in Invergowrie on their way to the station because of a small number of parked cars.
“Almost two years ago I met with Stagecoach, PKC officers and local residents to try and find a solution.
“We all agreed that double yellow lines was the solution, yet so far we don’t actually have them and Stagecoach have taken a decision to stop that particular part of the route.
“Perth and Kinross Council were under pressure to deliver Scottish Government priorities through the Cycling, Walking and Safer Routes (CWSR) projects which took them away from issues like this.
“I don’t see this as local democracy, there is no doubt in my mind that this issue was of greater importance to the residents of Invergowrie than anything that was delivered in the CWSR project.
“I understand that the plans have now been approved and I hope that the double yellow lines will appear soon and we can persuade Stagecoach to restart that particular route.”
Bailie Alasdair Bailey added: “The council agreed a plan with Stagecoach over a year ago.
“However it is good news that there were no objections to the plans so hopefully things will move along now and the bus will be able to serve the station again.”
A Stagecoach spokesperson said: “Should double yellow lines be put in place and successfully enforced, we would review the viability of serving the railway station after completing a thorough risk assessment.”