I can't go for my shopping any more, says angry resident after axing of bus service
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Recent changes to Stagecoach timetables are continuing to cause problems for local people who rely on public transport.
One Bowermadden resident, who wished to remain anonymous, described the axing of the 81 service as "shambolic" as it has left her with no way of going shopping.
A journey on the bus to Wick used to take her 20 minutes. However, the new replacement service, number 77, now takes twice the time as it involves single-track roads to Lyth, and then on to Keiss, before heading back along the A99 to Wick.
She said: "I cannot go for my shopping any more – they are putting money before people. Someone sitting down in an office in Inverness does not realise how difficult it is.
"They need to come and live in Bowermadden without a car or internet, or being able to rely on family to do shopping."
The annoyed bus user added: "The 57-seater buses are not fit for purpose on the single-track roads."
The 81 service, which originally took passengers between Wick and Thurso via Castletown, is no longer on the new timetable.
Instead, at Bower, the replacement 77 service takes passengers up the single-track Hunster road to Reaster then along through Lyth, joining the A99 to go to Keiss before heading into Wick.
Pointing out that at a public meeting in 2018 local bus users were assured by Stagecoach that no changes would be made without consultation, the Bowermadden resident said: "It is just shambolic."
In a reply to an email she sent, John Gunn, Stagecoach operations manager at the Thurso depot, said: "Due to the Covid-19 pandemic we have had to restructure our entire network to make sure we offer our customers the best possible service but also keep us financially viable.
"Our commercial team shall be keeping an eye on the network over the next few months to see if we can make changes to any services for our customers."
A Inverness-based spokesperson for Stagecoach Highlands said: “The last six months have been an extremely challenging time for our business with passenger journeys falling by 90 per cent across the Highlands with little signs of recovery so far.
"We have made adjustments to some of our services across the Highlands in line with the demand we are seeing return. No town has had bus services withdrawn completely.
"We unfortunately are not in a position to operate services at a loss and have had to make adjustments our network across the Highlands to protect the business.”
Local bus campaigner Brenda Herrick said: "The cuts are pretty drastic, but – as I keep saying – buses in remote areas need subsidy. They can't run a commercial service with so few passengers. That's why I'm annoyed about all that money going to Inverness – as usual."
The Wick to Dunbeath part of the 81 service was replaced with the number 75 bus. The changes came in to operation on August 10.
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