The Highland Council has confirmed it will expand its in house bus network to protect key public transport routes in Inverness following the planned withdrawal of several services by Stagecoach.
From Thursday 19 February, the council’s in house bus team will introduce a number of new routes, including a service covering the Dalneigh area of the city.
The move comes after Stagecoach announced it intends to withdraw several Inverness bus services from Sunday 15 February, raising concerns about access to essential travel links for residents and visitors.
The council says its in house operation has acted swiftly to ensure continuity of service and reduce disruption for passengers.
Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Ken Gowans, said the response highlights the value of having a council run bus service.
“In response to changes announced by Stagecoach, our in house team have stepped in to create new services so residents and visitors can still enjoy regular and reliable public transport in and around Inverness.
“I’d like to thank our in house bus team for their work to quickly response to the needs of communities.
“Having the ability to be flexible and to react to customer demands is one of main benefits of investing in council bus services.”
Chief Officer for Facilities and Fleet Paul Reid said the council was committed to supporting communities affected by the changes.
“We are pleased to be able to step in a provide a service for the communities affected by the pending changes.
“Our in house has worked to provide timetables based on our resource capability at this current time.
“Highland Council are committed to reviewing our Public Transport Network and providing solutions to our communities.”
The new services operating from Thursday 19 February will include the 104 Milton of Leys to Falcon Square, 107 Slackbuie to Bridge Street, and 106 Bruce Gardens in Dalneigh to Academy Street routes.
To accommodate the changes, alterations will be made to existing council run services.
The current 100 Inshes service will end on 18 February and will be replaced by the new 104 route.
The 108 Shoppers bus will end on 17 February and will be replaced by a combination of the 104 and 107 services, depending on where passengers live.
The in house team will also deliver the 404A Conon Bridge and Maryburgh to Dingwall service on school days only.
This service is primarily for pupils living 3 miles or more from Dingwall Academy, although other pupils may use it if they show a valid NEC card when boarding.
The council says further reviews of the public transport network will continue as demand and resources evolve.
Details of the timetable will shortly be available on the Highland Council Buses dedicated webpage and Facebook page
