Caithness bus travellers hit by service cutbacks
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CHANGES to bus services in Caithness and north Sutherland are to be introduced by Stagecoach this weekend after it lost a number of Highland Council contracts.
The company said the loss of some local and school contracts covering a four-year period from 2012 to 2016 would impact on its services throughout the Highland area.
Some routes will no longer operate while timetables for others have been revised to take account of the situation. The changes take effect from Sunday.
Steve Walker, managing director for Stagecoach in the Highlands, stressed the company has had to revise its position after the loss of a number of contracts.
He said: “We have been looking at our operations for next year and following the tender announcements we have had to make a number of changes to our overall network. Many of the commercial journeys we operate currently are combined with the contracted journeys so we can provide a more comprehensive network.
“Without some of these contracted journeys, however, it simply is not financially viable to run the same levels of service on some of our commercial routes due to the high operating costs involved.”
Mr Walker added: “Like all businesses we face rising costs including wages, pensions, fuel and energy bills and we are committed to keeping the fares as low as possible for our regular customers and continuing to operate high-quality public transport services.”
In the Far North the changes will mean some services will be withdrawn while others will be revised or be subject to minor changes, according to the company.
In Wick, the Thurso Street to North school journeys will be withdrawn following termination of the Highland Council contract.
According to the company there will also minor timing changes on the 76 Wick town service, the 77 Wick to John O’Groats, the 78 Thurso to Scrabster, the 178 Scrabster to Thurso High School, and the 79A 79C Mount Vernon to High Ormlie in Thurso routes.
Most buses on the 80 Thurso to John O’Groats service will be slightly retimed along with the 181 Bower to Thurso High School and the 82 Oldhall to Thurso High School routes. The Monday to Friday afternoon service from Wick will be improved by the introduction of an additional bus at 3.25pm.
The evening and Sunday buses operated on behalf of the Highland Council will be retimed as required by the contract specification.
Changes to the timetable are also planned on the evening service between Wick and Thurso via Halkirk.
Others include:
a) The 183 Spittal to Thurso High journeys. Two operate at similar times but will be combined into one journey in each direction.
b) The 174 Melvich to Thurso High service will no longer serve Melvich following the termination of the Highland Council contract but connections are available at Reay onto route 173.
c) There will be minor timing alterations on the Berriedale to Wick route and the 75 Staxigoe to Hillhead school service.
d) The Bettyhill to Tongue service 70 will be withdrawn, however, a similar journey acts as a replacement operating as 274 (within 73 74 timetable).
e) The 168 9/70 Melness to Durness and Scourie service will no longer be operated.
c) The 73 Tongue to Reay and Thurso service will be revised to benefit shoppers as return journeys will no longer require a change at Bettyhill and provide a longer period of time in Thurso.
d) The 73 Melvich to Farr High will be subject to minor timing changes.
The new timetables are available to download from www.stagecoachbus.com
