Stagecoach defends services to Victoria Hospital
Stagecoach has hit back at claims there are no services to and from west Fife to the Victoria Hospital.
- By Leeza Clark
- Published in the Courier : 30.01.12
- Published online : 30.01.12 @ 09.23am
Last week, amid claims of a nightmarish parking scenario at the Kirkcaldy hospital, NHS board member John Winton claimed the new bus services left a lot to be desired.
Mr Winton, who is a member of NHS Fife's operational division committee, called for improved bus links to the site and claimed the new services only help those living in Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy.
Two new bus stops have been created on the hospital campus and more than 280 buses will drop visitors off on weekends.
After discussions with Stagecoach, existing services will also call in at stops in the hospital grounds.
However, Mr Winton claimed there were no services from the west of the region, adding that people were unlikely to leave their cars at home if there was no suitable public transport alternative.
But Sarah Longair, the operations director for Stagecoach in Fife, said the company had revised a number of its local routes and timetables — including 6, 8, 13, 32, 33, 34/34A, 38, 39/39A, 41, X27, X33, X37, X42 — to serve the new wing at Victoria Hospital, with regular routes operating into the new site and many additional connections available.
''We are constantly reviewing our network and will be monitoring usage and journey reliability to ensure we are adequately satisfying the needs of our customers,'' Ms Longair said. ''Our selection of great value tickets also make travelling to the site easy and affordable for both staff and visitors.''
She added that the new or diverted routes operating directly to the Victoria Hospital site serve various areas of Fife including Aberdour, Auchterderran, Cardenden, Cowdenbeath, Dalgety Bay, Dunfermline city centre and Queen Margaret Hospital, Glenrothes, Inverkeithing, Kennoway, Kinghorn, Kinglassie, Kirkcaldy bus station and rail station, Leslie, Lochgelly, Leven, Rosyth, Thornton and even as far as Glasgow and Dundee.
''With a single change of service at Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy or Leven bus stations, many more locations are also within easy reach,'' she said.
12.08pm - 30.01.2012 dcm - Dalgety Bay, Scotland Report This
Perhaps Sarah Longair could let people from West Fife know which buses go directly into the Victoria. If she checked out the Stagecaoch site and enter Inverkeithing, Dalgety Bay or Aberdour buses only take you to Kirkcaldy bus station. Also how long will the journey take for a short visit.
02.21pm - 30.01.2012 Anon - Kirkcaldy, Scotland Report This
Believe it or not, the Number 7 turns into the Number 6 at Kirkcaldy bus station which continues onto the Hospital. No need to change buses. Details are on their website at http://www.stagecoachbus.com/PdfUploads/Timetable_9844_7%207A%20Fife%20.pdf
04.46pm - 30.01.2012 Ian - Perth, UK Report This
Superb answer by Sarah Longair. John Winton obviously hasn't a clue about the intricasies of providing a comprehensive bus service for Fife. Stagecoach provide a superb service and with their choices of ticket anyone can travel anywhere throughout Fife and beyond quickly and cheaply.
12.51pm - 31.01.2012 Gary Moyes - Glenrothes, Scotland Report This
Fife Council publishes a 'How to get to Victoria Hospital' leaflet, showing a map of the bus routes and bus stops along with other useful information. Visit http://www.fifedirect.org.uk/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=publication.pop&pubid=725E40B6-E7FE-C7EA-096D57E82CAF0D79 for the latest version
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