Published on:
26
June 2012
Clackmannanshire Council has decided to step in to save the Service 64 Alloa Town bus service.
Earlier this month bus operator WAVE announced that they would be withdrawing the service from 3rd August. This would have meant that there would be no local bus service operating in several areas of Alloa on during Monday - Friday.
The Council has decided to subsidise the service to allow the 64 to continue on Monday - Friday during the daytime.
Council Leader Gary Womersley said: "Our research shows that this is a well used service, particularly by concessionary passengers and we have received a number of letters from people who use the service who were very concerned when they heard that the operator was withdrawing.
"We were very concerned that WAVE considered it necessary to withdraw Service 64 and I am delighted that we have been able to step in. We want to ensure the most widespread bus services, for all of our communities and will continue to look at ways of safeguarding the interests of all of those that rely on public transport in the area."
"The whole issue of bus companies just unilaterally withdrawing bus services needs to be looked at by the Council - and if we need to have a complete overhaul of how the Council achieves best value for all bus passengers in Clackmannanshire - then we need to seriously consider this"
New Enterprise & Environment Convenor, Cllr Donald Balsillie, added: "I completely agree with Cllr Womersley that the Council needs to look at ways of mitigating bus companies just withdrawing vital services. I am happy to commit to reviewing how the Council engages with bus companies in order to be sufficiently robust and protect passenger interests in the future."
The Service 64 has an average of 730 passengers a week. In order to fund the continued Service 64, the Council will be withdrawing its subsidy from the least used service - the late evening C69 Alva - Alloa - Dollar service which has an average of 9 passengers per week
The C69 will be amended as follows:
Mondays - Saturdays
19:56 Dollar - Alva, will terminate in Shillinghill, Alloa at 20:24
20:57 Alva - Dollar withdrawn
21:56 Dollar - Alloa withdrawn