Bus services across the north-east could be axed as council chiefs attempt to save £200,000 a year.
Aberdeenshire Council provide funding towards some of the region’s bus services, but agreed earlier this year to reduce their transport subsidy budget.
Last night council chiefs apologised for the shake-up, but stressed the 10 routes – which could be withdrawn or reduced – had been selected due to a drop in passenger numbers.
Stagecoach is now in talks with Aberdeenshire Council about how the proposed changes which will be made.
Funding could be pulled from eight routes – including the peak-time 220 Kirkton of Skene/Elrick to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, 103 Cookney-Aberdeen and 252 New Deer-Mintlaw-Fraserburgh services, which run Monday to Friday.
Greg Mackay, from campaign group Bus Users Scotland, said the withdrawing funding for a link to ARI was “disappointing”.
He said: “We understand the financial constraints the council faces, but it disappointing to see key services like the one to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary being cut.
“Any service that connects people to a key site is going to have an impact on people.
“I would ask whether other avenues were explored before this decision was taken.”
Other services under threat include the 210 Tarland to Aboyne inter-peak run, which run on Mondays and Wednesdays; the Sunday night route between Aberdeen-Westhill (the X17) and the Friday and Saturday evening run from Laurencekirk-Montrose Railway Station (9).
The two routes earmarked for a reduction are the 204 Strachan/Banchory-Aberdeen – with the Tuesday and Friday inter-peak return journey withdrawn but weekday peak return retained – and the 41A Inverurie-Huntly, which will be impacted for Monday to Friday non-schoolday returns.
Council chiefs said last night they cannot “justify” spending the money when so few people are using the buses.
It is expected the changes – which are expected to come into force on May 7 – will save around £200,000 a year.
Aberdeenshire Council’s head of transportation, Ewan Wallace, said: “We keep the performance of the services we support under review and the funding that is being withdrawn is based on this work.
“The journeys and services being withdrawn simply weren’t being used often enough to justify the money being spent on them.
“Other services will see under-used elements reduced, while retaining those parts of the service which continue to be popular and well used.”
A spokeswoman for Stagecoach North Scotland said: “Some of the services and journeys that we operate on behalf of Aberdeenshire Council have been included in their review and are being changed.
“We are still discussing with Aberdeenshire Council how these changes may impact on services we provide at our own commercial risk.
“We are working with the council to ensure Aberdeenshire remains well served by bus. Any revisions to our network will be announced in due course.”
Fraserburgh councillor Brian Topping admitted the shake-up would be “very disappointing” for people who rely on the bus for getting to work, or to the doctors.
But he said: “The council has to make a decision based on whether it is a lifeline or are only a few people using it.
“Bus companies are private enterprises and they run services for profit and it is pointless for the council to pay out thousands of pounds on buses where hardly anybody is using them.
“Sadly that is the way it works.”
