Friday 4 August 2023

Save the 204 and sheltered shopping bus services


At this year’s council budget, SNP council administration forced through cuts to council-supported bus services which will sadly mean that the 204 service across parts of the West End will be axed next year along with other services including the sheltered housing shopping bus service.

The 204 - although it sadly does not serve some of its original area around Newhall Gardens, Invergowrie Drive and Glamis Drive - remains a vital service for residents in the Magdalen Yard Road/Windsor Street area and also in Scott Street and Tullideph Road – all streets that lack main bus services.

The sheltered shopping bus service runs services on Tuesdays for folk at Tullideph, Logie and Pine Court and on Thursdays for folk in Corso/Abbotsford, Pennycook Court, Muirlands and Paton’s Lane – taking shoppers to Tesco Riverside to shop and back afterwards. In addition, the “Out and About” service that takes older folk on day trips will also see its funding withdrawn.

We strongly opposed the bus services cuts that will impact especially on older residents.

In the totality of the council budget, the savings from these cuts are minor and alternative savings could have been found. Taking away these services is indefensible. We will continue to campaign to save them before the axe falls in April 2024.