Bus firm revises timetable changes after complaints

A bus company has revised its proposals to change a service in Perth following a public backlash.

Stagecoach says it has taken on board complaints from residents living in the Oakbank area of the city, regarding planned alterations to the number 7 and 7A buses.

Campaigners had branded a previous plan to merge the 7 and 301 services as a “recipe for disaster” after passengers claimed the current 10-minute journey from Oakbank to Perth’s South Street would take twice as long if the new route proposals went ahead.

Stagecoach said it had drawn up the new 7/7A services to respond to residents’ concerns.

Douglas Robertson, commercial director for Stagecoach East Scotland, said: “Thanks to comments on our proposals from residents in the Oakbank area of Perth, and following further discussions with Perth and Kinross Council, we have revised our 7/7A proposal which we think will address the concerns raised.

“The number 7 route will extend to Scone Park and Ride, providing more frequent departures in place of service 57, which will no longer serve the park and ride site.

“At Hillend, journeys will operate in alternate directions either as service 7 via Hillend and the Western Edge as they do currently, or as new service 7A via Ettrick Drive and Hillend.

“Both services 7A and 7B will serve Broxden Park and Ride, replacing service 301, and will also provide evening and Sunday services.”

He added: “There are a range of traffic conditions affecting us on a daily basis so we’ve constructed our network revisions to consider current and future road developments, customer demand and changing travel habits.”

The revised timetables, which come into effect on November 20, will also see a new service between Perth and Crieff, along with increased buses from Blairgowrie.

Information on the revised bus services is available online at www. stagecoachbus.com.