The state of rural bus services in Stirling have come into sharp focus again as one service saw at least 10 scheduled services cancelled on Monday – leaving passengers stranded.
The number 59 service between Callander and Stirling is a vital lifeline for many aiming to get to work or into the city for vital medical appointments but an ongoing driver shortage saw many buses on the route disappear on Monday.
It’s part of a wider trend of cancellations over recent months which have left passengers fed up with the state of local bus routes.
Some of them took to the social media of operators First Scotland East to express their unhappiness with the late cancellations on Monday morning – with one passenger revealing she had already waited for almost 50 minutes for a 59 bus to arrive.
A spokesperson for First Scotland East said: “We can confirm our 59 service was subject to disruption this morning (Monday).
“This was due to the challenges we continue to face as a result of the ongoing national driver shortage.
“We would like apologise to our customers for any inconvenience caused and are continuing to work hard to overcome this issue.”
The shortage has previously been blamed on issues including the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as extra challenges in recruiting drivers due to Brexit.
However, Trossachs and Teith councillor Martin Earl believes more needs to be done to secure a reliable and regular service to ensure rural passengers are not cut off.
Mr Earl said: “I am very aware of the pressures that all bus operators are under.
“The difficulties in recruiting staff has been well publicised as have the many cancellations it is causing. However I have consistently urged that services, such as the 59 Callander to Stirling route, are recognised for the vital lifelines they are.
“Each of these rural services cover many communities and are often the only way people can connect with their work or important appointments.
“Cancelling great blocks of service on the same day cannot be acceptable.
“Cancellations must be applied as evenly as possible and must minimise the prospect of cutting off our rural communities for extended periods.
“I am deeply concerned that continued unreliability will result in many people giving up on using a bus and the viability of running them will be even further undermined.”
The latest cancellation follows a general trend of disruption for bus passengers across Stirling - including in rural areas where the bus often represents an important mode of travel.
The Observer has spoken to a trio of bus users in rural Stirlingshire, who have shared their experiences of the frustrations caused by the service.
Karen McDougall from Gargunnock is a carer who works in Stirling and relies on the bus to get her to and from work.
She said: “The first problem I had was in April this year. I had been working all day and then the bus didn’t turn up at night – it ended up being 1am before I could get home because the taxis were so busy with a Rangers game that night.
“The same thing happened in May and both times the taxis cost me £19. It’s so stressful to work a full day’s shift and then hang about waiting for the bus to turn up and not knowing if it is or not.
“On one of those occasions, I actually didn’t have enough money to get right into the village, so I was dropped off outside and then had to walk up in the pitch black at around 11pm.
“This is the only mode of transport we have if we are not drivers and it could affect my work because it could affect what shifts I’m put on.”
Kate Bovill lives in Aberfoyle and works as a development officer for the Strathard Community Trust.
She told us: “In order for my son to go into town and see his friends, he has to take the bus.
“On one of the occasions, my son – who would have been around 12 or 13 at the time – went into town and then his bus back was cancelled with no warning and I had to drive into town to get him.
“The whole point of having a free bus service for young people is for them to use public transport, but the service is appalling and some people are just not applying for the bus pass here because there’s no point.
“I would like him to have the independence but the fact is you can send him off on a bus not knowing whether we will have to go in ourselves later on and get him.
“It also limits the people who can work in villages like Aberfoyle because we have lots of vacancies we would like to fill but can’t because people can’t get here in time.
“The bus often doesn’t get here by 9am or they have to leave after the last bus into town – and I know of one friend who works in Stirling who has to rely on friends to bring her back because there’s no bus on a Sunday.”
Killearn lecturer Ben Fisher – who works in Glasgow – admits the uncertainty over bus services has forced him to change his own morning routine.
Ben said: “I’m never too sure what’s going to happen when I wake up to go to work and commuters going into the city need a regular and reliable bus service.
“I’m going for the bus before the one I want to get on every morning to make sure I’m there on time for classes.
“I’ve been living in Killearn for about two and a half years and post-Covid, I didn’t think the service could get any worse with cancellations and then it has and that’s just really concerning.”
