ALL councillors have got on board with plans to overhaul the region’s failing bus network and finally deliver reliable transport services for residents.
It was last week agreed that Dumfries and Galloway Council should go down the route of developing a publicly-owned and operated bus service to deliver more routes and support wider community transport provision.
And on the back of news that Stagecoach is preparing to pull the plug on the majority of its services across the region, addressing the bus crisis urgently is now considered a priority by the council.
At last week’s full council meeting, Labour councillors tabled a motion for the local authority to have more control over the local bus network, and this was supported unanimously by all elected members.
Annandale North Councillor Carolyne Wilson, leader of the Labour Group, said: “Continuing with the managed decline using the existing model is not an option for our region.
“Nationally, Scotland has lost over 40 percent of its commercial bus mileage since 2007, and in Dumfries and Galloway that decline has been felt far harder than most.
“Dozens of routes have disappeared. Evening and weekend services have become a rarity.
“And thousands of residents, particularly in rural areas, are now effectively cut off from work, education, healthcare and social activity because of the lack of buses.”
Council officers acknowledged the seriousness of addressing the bus network situation, but underlined that there are resources and capacity issues which will prevent a quick turnaround.
It was also noted that the council is in the middle of a procurement process with some commercial bus contracts and is trying to fill routes that are not currently being serviced.
Council leader Stephen Thompson said: “We have to set direction as a council, and clearly we want to drive this forward.
“I appreciate we’ve got capacity issues as well. It is a juggling act for our officers and staff, but if we can at least signal as a council that we take this seriously, and want to be open-minded and explore this as best as possible.”
Mid and Upper Nithsdale Councillor Jim Dempster said: “The folk in my ward know that there is no bus provider after August. They are isolated.
“They can’t get on a train with a bus pass, and there is no bus service currently organised after August.
“I have communities right along my ward that will have no access to services in Dumfries, nor Ayrshire, because the buses simply won’t run.
“And that’s not acceptable – so we have to do something, and we have to do something now.”
It was agreed that work will be done by council officers to investigate developing a publicly owned and operated bus service, but this would also be in partnership with local commercial and community transport providers.
A report laying out options will be brought back to the council at a future date.
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