Halkirk district community bus ‘a great asset’ to residents and groups
A new community bus service for the Halkirk area is giving local residents an opportunity to go on essential outings ranging from medical appointments to shopping trips.
The eight-seater, wheelchair-accessible vehicle is the latest addition to the fleet run by Caithness Rural Transport and it has been made possible by funding from the Halkirk District Benefit Fund and the ABH Funds (Halkirk and District).
Jack Macphee, the main driver, operates the bus Monday to Friday from 7.30am onwards. He recently held open days in Halkirk, Spittal and Scotscalder where residents had the chance to meet him, view the bus and learn more about the service.
The bus is also available for community hire within the district, either as a self-drive option or with a driver included, subject to availability.
Elaine Fraser, transport coordinator at Caithness Rural Transport, part of Wick-based Caithness Voluntary Group, said: “This much-needed service covers the Halkirk District Community Council area, offering reliable transport for those who need help getting to medical appointments, shopping and other essential trips. Many residents are already benefiting from it.
“It’s based in Halkirk, and the Halkirk runs will be prioritised. But because it’s just getting built up, when the driver is not being utilised within Halkirk we can use him to come through to Wick or Thurso.”

Residents of the Halkirk district who are interested in joining the scheme or hiring the bus are encouraged to contact Caithness Rural Transport for more information and to sign up. The email address is transport@cvg.org.uk and the phone number is 01955 605588.
Caithness Rural Transport has two office staff – Elaine along with assistant transport coordinator Katy Malcolm. There are five staff “on the road” as well as about 20 volunteer drivers.
With the Halkirk eight-seater, Caithness Rural Transport now has 11 vehicles, all wheelchair-accessible.
Last year, Caithness Rural Transport carried 9077 passengers. Its buses covered a total of 93,294 miles from January to December 2024.
In partnership with Halkirk and District Community Council, Foundation Scotland administers three of the local community benefit funds from local wind farms for the residents of Halkirk district. These wind farms are Achlachan, Bad á Cheò and Halsary, so collectively the funds are known as ABH.
The Halkirk District Benefit Fund provides community benefit to individuals and groups within the Halkirk District Community Council boundary. It too is administered by Foundation Scotland.
The Halkirk District Benefit Fund receives an annual payment from the Causeymire wind farm.
Eilidh Coll, community funds adviser at Foundation Scotland, said: “The new Halkirk district community bus will be a great asset to residents of the local area and for community groups who will have the opportunity to hire the bus which will be on hand and easily accessible for any club trips and outings.
“The ABH panel, who oversee three funds, and the Halkirk District Benefit Fund board were seeking a solution for rural people who might struggle with transport and the idea of inviting Caithness Rural Transport to be a partner in the project was a perfect fit.
“We want to thank Caithness Rural Transport for their dedication to the project and for securing a good deal on a beautiful new bus.”