Public transport in Ayrshire was today plunged into chaos — as bus firm Stagecoach West Scotland announced more than 100 cancellations to journeys throughout the region.
The firm issued a statement earlier today announcing that scores of journeys in North, East and South Ayrshire would be shelved due to “staff shortages.”
And to make matters worse, the crisis has unfolded at the very start of Scottish Bus Week, a national campaign which runs until Sunday and is aimed at "celebrating the bus" and the role it can play as a "solution" to the biggest challenges we face.
Among the South Ayrshire services affected were the number 1 between Carrick Street at Hayhill, while the numbers 2, 6, 42, 43, and the 58/60, between Ayr and Girvan, have experienced considerable disruption today.
And the X77, which takes passengers from Ayr and Kilmarnock to Glasgow and back, has seen eight cancellations to today’s service already.
Among the services in North and East Ayrshire to experience cancellations were the number one from Kilmarnock to Priestland, the number 4 Kilmarnock to Ayr and the number 11 Ardrossan/Kilmarnock.
In total more than 100 journeys are affected within the Ayrshire region — with some passengers seeing the early morning 5.50am Ayr to Girvan service axed temporarily.
Other cancellations will continue right throughout today with the 10pm X77 service from Glasgow back to Ayrshire also pulled.
A Stagecoach spokesperson said: “Stagecoach West Scotland is unfortunately seeing a continuing impact on our staffing levels as are many other public transport operators.
"However, our teams are working very hard to continue running our planned bus services for our customers.
"We apologise to our customers who are impacted by the small number of journeys which may not operate due to shortages.
"We will ensure customers are updated through our website, app, and Twitter account with as much notice as possible.”
Today’s bus service cancellations come on the very day that ScotRail began operating a vastly reduced rail timetable to many Ayrshire services.
Only 70 per cent of weekday train services will run due to a shortage of drivers who are locked in a pay dispute.
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