Rural Perth and Kinross residents are about to be stranded without a bus service.
The 155 Perth-Crieff bus service - operated by Docherty’s Midland Coaches - is being withdrawn and will run for the last time on Saturday, July 1.
Perth and Kinross Council - which subsidised the service - said the decision had “not been taken lightly” but said a decline in usage had led to the decision.
Residents in the Tibbermore area will be left with no alternative bus service.
Hollay Allwood (32) of Balgowan relies on the service to get to and from her full-time job at Costa Coffee, Perth Railway Station. She says walking three miles to get a bus is not an option.
She told the PA: “Numerous people around here use the service.
“Pupils use it to go to school and pensioners and young people to go to Perth. Without the bus service they will be stranded.
“The nearest Stagecoach bus to me into Perth is a three mile walk to Methven through a farm track in the dark. Three miles to get a bus to work for eight hours to then walk three miles home again. That is not even an option for me.”
She added: “It is like rural people don’t matter any more. They can cut bus services and are happy to build a second museum?
“They talk about being eco-friendly and carbon neutral by using public transport then take them away. For a taxi it is £25 each way to my work - I would just be working to pay for my taxi.
“They need to keep it running, at least if they can keep the morning services during the week instead of removing it altogether.”
A PKC spokesperson said: “The decision to cancel Service 155 has not been taken lightly as we have to consider the best use of our public transport funding to most effectively serve communities’ needs.
“The level of usage of the service by fare-paying passengers has remained consistently very low.
“This, coupled with a reduction in the small number of secondary school pupils entitled to free school transport needing to use the service from the start of the new school year in August, means we cannot justify its continued funding.
“As advised, we will confirm with families prior to the start of the new school year, the revised school transport arrangements for those pupils who have previously used service 155.”
All three Almond and Earn councillors have been contacted by local residents.
Conservative councillor Frank Smith said: “I fully understand the frustration of people who have bought houses out at Tibbermore.
“The council needs more money from the Scottish Government or there are going to be more people isolated. The settlement was not there so there’s no money to subsidise it all.”
Conservative councillor David Illingworth described the situation as “desperately sad”.
And SNP Almond and Earn councillor Michelle Frampton said: “I am aware of the strong public reaction to the news that the 155 service is to be cancelled.
“I share those concerns and alongside Jim Fairlie MSP I will be consulting with Perth and Kinross Council and bus operator Docherty’s Midland Coaches to understand what can be done to mitigate the impact of the reduction in service.”
