A new timetable for Stagecoach buses has been slammed by a Perth city centre councillor as “a disaster” for customers.
On Monday November 7, the same day the Perthshire-wide schedule from Stagecoach East Scotland launched, there were 93 service cancellations.
Perth politicians from all camps have attacked the continued unreliability of Stagecoach buses as undermining to the eco message for people to take the bus if they can.
The new slimmed down Stagecoach timetables are driven by the loss of Scottish Government support that was provided during Covid.
The bus operator had to align commercial services with the present levels of traffic which have not recovered to pre-Covid levels. In particular, use of buses by elderly people using the 60-plus bus pass has only recovered to a level well below pre-pandemic levels of use. So new timetables were adopted at the start of the week – pitched as a more sustainable service for the operator to maintain.
Fewer buses mean fewer drivers needed but there was no apparent relief for Perthshire customers who have learned to expect last-minute cancellations.
Stagecoach continues to experience a woeful cancellation tally that has caused anguish since August.
On Sunday, Stagecoach posted notice of 93 departures that would not be going ahead on Monday, November 7.
Twenty seven of these were the number 1 and 2 bus services which service Letham and Tulloch connecting with Mill Street in the city centre.
Baillie Chris Ahern, representing the Perth City Centre ward, said: “I have already had a complaint this morning from a user. Some people were trying to get the number 7 (Broxden/PRI/Scone) to work, but were being told to get the 8 (Oakbank), only to find the 8 had been cancelled.
“I think that new timetable was obviously going to cause problems and add to that the continued cancellations on top of that, it adds up to a complete disaster.
“I know that Stagecoach has a problem with drivers and that will mean obvious changes to the service they provide.
“But they must be realistic on what they promise so that travellers do not turn up for a service that had been promised but was never likely to be delivered.
“As well as the obvious degradation of the bus service letting down residents of not just Perth but the whole of Scotland where they operate, their communication has been dire. Moving forward we must have better communications to the public so that they can get to work and carry out their day-to-day activities.”
Scottish Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Mark Ruskell noted the timetable changes were “controversial from the get-go, with passengers raising concerns that key routes were being slashed that would leave communities isolated”.
Mr Ruskell challenged Stagecoach to improve its service for communities across the region and called on local authorities to look at alternative ways to run rural bus services.
“Every single person in Scotland deserves affordable, reliable, and accessible public transport services regardless of where they live,” he said earlier this week.
“Put bluntly, if we’re serious about preventing climate catastrophe, addressing transport poverty, and cutting emissions, we need to get people out of cars and onto greener, low carbon public transport.
“And all too often, parts of rural Scotland are dependent on one or two lifeline bus or rail routes that connect them into a broader public transport network. Yet despite this, we keep seeing lifeline routes being cut or ‘temporarily’ withdrawn.
“We’re pushing for transformative investment to empower communities to change the ways bus services are run across Scotland, with new regulations coming into force next year that will allow councils to set up their own municipal bus services.
“I hope Perth and Kinross Council will look at the opportunities this could create for public transport services run genuinely in the public interest.
“In the short term, Stagecoach must improve passenger experience and invest in rural links. If any of my constituents are experiencing problems with Stagecoach’s new timetable, I encourage them to get in touch with my office directly.”
Perth residents who have battled with scores of daily cancellations over two months were dubious that a new timetable would mean a new start for Stagecoach services.
The company has struggled to meet expectations due to a shortage of drivers and many reporting sickness.
“Does this mean that every bus that is ‘due’ will actually arrive and not be cancelled? Or is it still the same situation but your cancellation list will look smaller as the new timetable is less frequent?” asked one travelling customer.
Stagecoach East Scotland replied: “Any cancellations or changes to service will be reported as quickly as possible if need be. You are welcome to contact us if you have any queries with a particular service.”
A Bridge of Earn resident was not happy to see a connection to Perth axed in the new timetable: “Even worse service from Bridge of Earn, taking off the #36 bus on a Sunday. What about people that work on a Sunday?”
Another customer called for less of an assumption that everyone could find the information they needed online: “Timetables back in the buses would help. What about people who aren’t online/FB?”
A spokesperson for Stagecoach East Scotland said: “The last couple of years have been extremely challenging for public transport operators, as well as many other sectors. Due to a number of factors, such as changing work and travel patterns, a reduction in the number of people using public transport compared to pre-Covid, and an increase in costs, we have had to make changes to our network in Perth.
“We have designed a new core network to provide sustainability now, so that we can grow services over the long term.
“Buses remain fundamental to daily life in Perthshire. Looking ahead, they are also critical to helping achieve a green economic recovery, tackling climate change, ensuring cleaner air, and supporting connected communities.
“We are making good progress in our ongoing recruitment activity. However, it takes time to train new drivers to the high standard we expect.”
Councillor Liz Barrett is vice-convener at Perth and Kinross Council for Climate Change and Sustainability.
She said: “At Perth and Kinross Youth Conference on Friday, reliability was identified as the most important factor when getting people to switch from cars to public transport to tackle the climate emergency.
“As COP27 starts, it is hugely disappointing that [Stagecoach East Coast] buses have been reduced again. We can only hope that reliability will improve with the new timetables.”
Cllr John Rebbeck, representing Perth City North, said: “Whilst having some sympathy with Stagecoach with regard to a driver shortage, which is a big problem across the country, particularly post-Brexit, this is of little consolation to the people living across the communities of north Perth, who are being severely let down, as they try to get to work and go about their daily lives. The situation is becoming quite unsustainable.”
Stagecoach recently used its social media to flag up the multiple ways to buy a ticket.
But this did not please those who had been unable to make use of the multi-journey passes bought in advance.
A comment left by one disgruntled customer read: “Great idea. Buy a day or weekly ticket but then the bus never turns up. How can a company that is such a shambles continue to charge such inflated prices?
“Then there’s the ‘we have no drivers’ – I’m currently standing at Glenrothes bus station and I’m counting 11 [drivers], all standing about with their vapes...confused here.”
Perth City Centre councillor Peter Barrett said: “The reliability of local bus services matters to residents. With 93 services cancelled on the first day of the new timetable this has a real impact on people getting to work.
“The cancellations at peak times make it harder on parents getting their children to school and to childcare and the cancellations throughout the day affects medical appointments and those doing their grocery shopping.”
Cllr Brian Leishman of the Perth City North ward said: “People are facing crisis after crisis.
“We have seen a health crisis in Covid-19 turn into an economic crisis with wages not keeping pace with inflation leading to enormous pressures being put on families all over our region and all the time we have the added disaster of climate change.
“Residents in my ward want to do their bit for the environment but are being short-changed by Stagecoach.
“People are suffering from terrible customer service, being left high and dry often at the last minute for getting to work.
“The public deserve better than a decimated timetable and last-minute cancellations.
“We can see public opinion changing – nationalised services that are run in the best interest of the public are popular ideas.
“It’s clear that Stagecoach are falling way short and they need to get their act together and offer a service that is fit for the public.”
