Stagecoach cuts to Forres, Findhorn, Kinloss bus service – your views
Folk have been reacting to the news that two villages will have to wait eight months before a bus service to the nearest town will return.
Stagecoach withdrew its Findhorn/Kinloss service to Forres last Saturday. The upshot is that anyone wanting to travel the five-mile distance will have to rely on other methods.
This state of affairs isn’t likely to change until April when Moray Council begins operating a replacement service.
Joce Rensley stated it was “sad news” for both villages as well as for Forres.
Meanwhile, Pauline Murray said: “Public transport in Moray is a disgrace. Unreliable, expensive and fat lot of use if you need it for work or college.”
Peggy Greenshields asked: “What about the people who need the bus to get to and from work? What do they do until April?”
To which Justin Käse observed: “That’s the free market economy for you.”
Stagecoach has ceased running the service due to financial reasons.
Between September and May an average of 128 passengers a day travelled that section. This works out at just five passengers per journey, with four of them travelling for free because they are cardholders aged over 60 or under 22.
Michael Drummond commented: “The companies who provide the service need to make a profit. But the SNP government needs to take responsibility and subsidise this service.”
However Chris Hart questioned whether Stagecoach have “cut their own nose a bit”.
He said: “People will be less likely to use their connecting services that folks in Kinloss and Findhorn could access to other parts of Moray and further afield. They say the 32 lost money but some was made up by transfers onto other Stagecoach services which the bus was timed to meet.
Chris continued: “As someone who runs a B&B at the eco-village next to Findhorn, 80 per cent of my guests arrive and depart by bus and use them to travel around while here. There’s no obvious way to get around now other than taxis at nearly £20 just to get into Forres, let alone back again.
“Some of my guests have work or events in Nairn and Elgin which are no longer accessible.
“Due to the service cancellation guests have chosen not to book or come at all. It’s costing me hundreds of pounds of income. It’s probably costing other businesses that as well.
“It’s not good for locals, day trippers or holiday makers. It takes away some autonomy from us all, especially those less fit and able. We need a timetabled services back.”
