Wednesday 13 August 2008

Latest update on bus services


Martin Hall of Stagecoach Strathtay and I had an excellent meeting with over 40 residents at the Paton's Lane Sheltered Lounge this afternoon about the future of the 72 bus service. The news release below expands upon the situation - but the key points are :


* There will be three full journey routes each day Monday to Friday on the "old" 72 route - now badged as the 69 and including the "old" 69 Broughty Ferry route.


* There will be an additional four reduced routes (City Centre to Windsor Street and return) badged as the 72.


* The main service buses will return to the Perth Road (Nethergate to Sinderins) from 6am tomorrow following the end of the gas mains replacement works.


Here's the news release :

NEWS RELEASE : Councillor and Stagecoach meet West End residents about bus worries

Dundee City Council Planning and Transport Convener and West End Councillor, Fraser Macpherson, together with the Operations Manager of Stagecoach Strathtay, today met a packed meeting of over 40 West End residents to discuss their issues about local bus services, following concerns about the future of the 72 bus service in the West End area.

Cllr Macpherson said this evening that the meeting was an opportunity to explain the new bus arrangements, which start next Monday (18th August) following agreement between the City Council and Stagecoach Strathtay to retain the route, albeit on a different timetable.

“The agreement between the City Council and Stagecoach ensures that three full route return journeys per day Monday to Friday will be retained, now badged as the 69 service and now also covering Broughty Ferry. This will ensure that Royal Victoria Hospital, Ninewells Hospital and the Newhall Gardens & Invergowrie Drive areas continue to be covered by the service. Additionally there will be four journeys each day on a reduced West End route as far west as Windsor Street, badged as the 72 service,” said Cllr Macpherson.

”The new arrangements will ensure the continuation of local services at least until the end of the current financial year in March 2009, by which the City Council aims to have progressed a demand responsive transport solution to ensure that those who are not served by the main bus services or have mobility difficulties using the service buses, get a service that is useful to them.”

Cllr Macpherson said that he was also able to advise the meeting that he had been informed that normal bus services on Perth Road between Nethergate and Sinderins would be resumed from Thursday at 6am, ending the diversion of buses onto Hawkhill, because of Scotland Gas Networks’ mains replacement project. He concluded, “Residents will be very pleased to see the buses running along the east part of Perth Road after a gap in service for many weeks.”