A bus operator has moved to explain why it will not run its open-top Dundee tours to Broughty Ferry.
Xplore Dundee will resume its Discover Dundee tours on Easter Weekend, running until September 1.
It is the third consecutive year that the firm has run its open-top tours.
There had been calls for the buses to include Broughty Ferry on their route.
The Facebook page Visit Broughty Ferry posted last month: “The Broughty Ferry Traders Association has been in discussions today with McGill’s and Xplore Dundee.
Calls to include Broughty Ferry in open-top bus tours
“We would like them to include Broughty Ferry in their one-hour open-topped bus tours in the summer.
“Passengers would be able to hop off for some Ferry delights then back on to continue the tour or head to Dundee and back from the Ferry.”
More than 1,000 people ‘liked’ the post.
In response to the idea, Dylan Drummond wrote: “I just would have assumed it would be part of the tour. Nice idea.”
Shelley Tares posted: “Broughty Ferry is a beautiful extension to the city.
“We get a lot of tourists during the summer months and they’re always asking for recommendations on where to go and what to see and also how to get to these places.
“It would be fantastic if the Ferry was included in the tour even for that reason alone.”
Margaret Robertson said: “I thought it was part of it. It should be, so much to do in Broughty Ferry.”
The V&A, the McManus, the Law and the Tay Road Bridge are among the destinations included in the route.
Xplore Dundee explains why open-top buses won’t visit Broughty Ferry
Stephen Riggans, director and general manager at Xplore Dundee, said: “The Discover Dundee tour is about to enter its third year of operation and has been a great success since Xplore Dundee made the decision to invest in the service.
“We appreciate why local businesses would want the Discover Dundee tour to be extended to Broughty Ferry but above all else, we need to ensure we make the right operational decisions to build on what has been achieved thus far and ensure the service’s long-term term resilience.
“We have been in contact with the traders’ association but there are many cost and logistical challenges if we were to extend, including significantly lengthening the overall journey time of each tour.
“This would mean we would either have to decrease the total number of services we can offer each day or alternatively, find substantial sums to purchase new vehicles and employ new staff to keep current levels of service.
“An added complication is the long-term programme of roadworks on the Tay Road Bridge, which will increase journey times around the area, plus the narrower roads around Broughty Ferry which are more difficult for double-decker buses to manoeuvre through when there is a large volume of parked cars.
“It should be remembered, however, that tickets for the open top tour include network travel on Xplore Dundee services – including our frequent service number 5 to Broughty Ferry – which is promoted to visitors on our website.”
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