About 40 people attended tonight’s Kincardine and Mearns Bus Forum in Stonehaven. Senior managers from Stagecoach were present.
A wide variety of topics were aired:
– Concerns over the suitability of the X7 coaches (lack of bells, difficult steps, too few seats for disabled passengers), but we are stuck with what we have apparently. Two Portlethen residents voiced their objections, including difficulties with shopping/luggage.
– Complaints that Aberdeen services not serve Laurencekirk.
– A number of poorly-used services will no longer run from May 7, including Muchalls to the park and choose, and Cookney to Bridge of Dee.
– Why are there no competitors to Stagecoach? The answer is that any suitably qualified operator (i.e. has a PSV operator’s licence) can decide to provide a local bus service on a commercial basis.
– An A2B dial-a-bus service is being introduced in Portlethen on Wednesdays.
– Concerns were also voiced about the services around the Saints in Newtonhill and the time it takes for a 7B to travel between Newtonhill and Aberdeen (about an hour) via Portlethen and Marywell.
– Why does the last bus from Stonehaven into Portlethen leave at 8.52pm? This being to be considered by Stagecoach when the next timetable is reviewed.
– Points were made about the frequency of services via the Aberdeen South industrial estate at Hillside.
– I asked when the next revision of the timetable would take place. However there was no definitive answer.
The meeting almost finished on time. However the acoustics in the town hall were poor so perhaps the audience had run out of steam! The next meeting will be in the autumn.