Falkirk Council: Local authority apologises to residents hit by cuts to bus services

With the costs of running bus services having risen by 21 per cent this year, the council insists it had little choice in the matter.

Michael McGuinness, head of growth, planning and climate change at Falkirk Council, said: “The council would like to apologise to residents who are disrupted by the reduced bus services that will begin in mid-August on routes that are subsidised by the local authority.

“The impact of Covid, Brexit and the conflict in the Ukraine have all combined to dramatically increase costs by 21 per cent in the bus industry and the latest quotes offered by bus operators were significantly higher than the budget the Council has available to spend.

“The only option available was to reduce a number of early morning, evening and Sunday services which are very poorly used by our community to bring bus costs back on budget.

“The Council remain committed to supporting communities across the Falkirk area with public transport. This year we will still spend £1.1 million to ensure that bus services continue on routes that are so underused that they are not commercially worthwhile for bus companies.

“This directly benefits residents across the authority including in Banknock, Maddiston, Whitecross, Dunipace, Denny, Bonnybridge, Slamannan, Limerigg, Shieldhill, Avonbridge, Bo’ness, Blackness, Airth, Middlefield, and California.”

The announcement by First Bus last week that from Monday, several of the services it runs on behalf of Falkirk Council would be reduced or scrapped, met with a furious response.

The bus operator has come under fire recently for erratic, infrequent services caused by driver shortages and falling passenger numbers.

However, announcing the latest changes, it stressed that the reduction in services came after a review by Falkirk Council.

In February, councillors had agreed to cut the £1 million subsidy by £100,000 – but the soaring costs affecting transport have meant prices soaring by 21 per cent.

The council now says it will spend around £1.1 million this year to subsidise bus services on routes that are not profitable.

Residents in the Upper Braes have been particularly badly hit with no Sunday services at all for Limerigg and Slamannan once the changes take place.

Local councillors in the Upper Braes say they have been inundated with complaints with many people saying the reduction to services means they can no longer get to their work by bus.

Both Labour group leader Anne Hannah and Conservative Upper Braes councillor Claire Mackie-Brown have said that the new timetable is “unacceptable” and have called on Falkirk Council and First Bus to work together to come up with solutions.

For a full list of changes to services click here.