Auchterarder residents are celebrating a partial victory in the fight to save their community bus.
Locals protested earlier this year after the popular round-town service was reduced from six days a week to two due to a funding cut.
However, the charity which runs the bus has now obtained financial support to restore the service to three days a week.
Townspeople are being asked to vote on which additional day would suit them best.
The 49/49A service links locals with St Margaret’s Hospital, the Aytoun Hall and the Co-op.
It currently runs on Tuesdays and Fridays.
There is now an option to add Monday, Wednesday or Thursday, starting in November or December this year.
The closing date for responses is today.
A spokesman for the Auchterarder Community Bus Group said residents could pick up a copy of the survey on the bus, in the Library and at St Margaret’s out-patients department.
People can also email their first and second preferences to acbug2018@gmail.com.
Bus provides a vital link for Auchterarder community
The service was launched in August 2019 and daily passenger numbers quickly rose to more than 50.
Locals staged a protest outside St Margaret’s Hospital in May when details of the cuts emerged.
They included Angela Laurie, community connector for the Auchterarder and Aberuthven Community Action Plan.
She said the town bus was much more than just a means of transport and encouraged everyone to have their say before the survey closes today.
“For many people the bus is a vital link between home and the wider community, providing a much-needed opportunity for social interaction,” she said.
The service is operated by Docherty’s Midland Coaches on behalf of Auchterarder Community Bus Group (ACBuG).
The initial funding of £150,000 over four years came from the Auchterarder Community Facilities Fund, which comes from developer contributions.
ACBuG has sought additional funding from other sources to help meet its annual costs.
Passengers are charged a flat fare of £1.20. But they almost all have bus passes so income from users is close to zero.
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