A north east Fife bus company has done a last minute deal to save a threatened route between Dundee, Newport-on-Tay, Wormit and Gauldry.
Stagecoach bosses planned to axe daytime services on the number 77 between the city and the largely rural communities along the north Fife coast.
Residents criticised the changes, which they said would leave young and old alike isolated while cutting other vulnerable passengers off from essential services.
But Fife bus firm Moffat and Williamson has agreed to step up its own services on the route to make up for Stagecoach’s retreat.
The company’s depot is located at St Fort, just off the A92, and only miles from the threatened rural route.
The firm already offered some services linking Gauldry, Wormit and Dundee prior to Stagecoach’s announcement.
Replacement service will run throughout the day
The service will run throughout the day from 5:48am to 7:20pm, although it will not be a complete, like-for-like replacement for the Stagecoach offering.
Tay Bridgehead Lib Dem councillors Jonny Tepp and Allan Knox led the local campaign against the cut.
Mr Tepp made submissions to Stagecoach containing first person accounts of how the cuts would affect local people’s lives.
He said: “I highlighted the concerns of local people to Stagecoach during their consultation but was frustrated that they proposed cutting this important service at all.
“It is a relief that a new timetable with Moffat and Williamson has now been confirmed.”
Stagecoach has completed the consultation on its proposed changes, which could also affect other Fife town’s such as Newburgh and Kirkcaldy.
It is yet to publish the results, with the new timetable expected to come into operation at the start of November.
The Gauldry would have been ‘cut off’
Mr Knox said: “I am very happy to see this new timetable has been confirmed. The loss of the 77 threatened to leave Gauldry cut off.
“I heard outrage from local people as well as concern from many who relied on the bus to get to and from work. Some were worried that they wouldn’t be able to continue in their jobs.
“The new 77 timetable goes a long way to addressing these issues, with a continuous service throughout the day, as well as early and evening buses.”
Stagecoach will continue to run the 77A, which provides an evening service linking the city with the Fife villages.
Moffat and Williamson did not respond to a request for comment.
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