The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Expansion of flexible bus service agreed despite cost concerns
A dial-a-bus service for rural parts of Fife has been extended to part of Tayport despite concerns about the financial implications if people in other areas demand it.
The Go Flexi service will be made available to some residents of Scott Crescent, after they objected to the withdrawal of the 92 service from their street.
People in rural areas of north and east Fife can book a Go Flexi taxibus for a fare similar to a normal bus.
North-east Fife area committee agreed to offer it to Scott Crescent residents with mobility problems after considering a petition of 70 signatures demanding reinstatement of the Moffat and Williamson service.
Approving the extension, they stated they were conscious of the potential wider implications, and requested a briefing on the cost and logistics of providing it in other parts of the region.
Noting that Scott Crescent was within walking distance of other bus routes, Councillor Bryan Poole said: “I’m uncomfortable signing up to something like Go Flexi without knowing the full implications of the decision.
“There are potential risks in terms of inequity. You could have people asking why they are not getting Go Flexi.”
Road safety and traffic management service manager Murray Hannah said: “If Go Flexi was to be expanded to cover many other rural areas, not just in north-east Fife, there would be a cost associated with that and in the current financial climate that would be something the council would have to consider very, very carefully.”
It was reasonably cost effective to extend its reach in the Tayport area where it already operates, he said, but it was a different matter to extend it to a wider area.
The 92 was rerouted to Scotscraig Drive as the introduction of larger vehicles in 2005 required by legislation made negotiating Scott Crescent difficult.
Moffat & Williamson said trying to get past parked cars had caused unsustainable damage to its vehicles and the removal of Scott Crescent from its route was agreed with the council.