Several local bus services around Aberdeenshire will be reinstated next month.
Aberdeenshire Council withdrew its support for 15 services due to budget pressures, with routes for those in Echt, Westhill, Braemar, New Pitsligo, Fraserburgh and Fyvie among those impacted.
Services were originally withdrawn in May this year in an attempt to help the local authority save £245,000.
However, in June, full council agreed a revised 21/22 budget which resulted in an additional £120,000 for local bus services and another £120,000 for next.
This has enabled the authority to reinstate the vast majority of withdrawn journeys, with the services resuming from October 4.
The only route not being reintroduced is the 747 (Peterhead/Ellon-Dyce) due to low passenger numbers and other services being available.
Councillor Peter Argyle, chairman of the infrastructure services committee, said: “I am delighted we have been able to fund the resumption of our supported bus services from October.
“While I appreciate the impact the temporary halting had on users across our communities, the combination of serious budget pressures and changing travel patterns arising from Covid makes the provision of bus services extremely challenging. I do hope people will make use of these restored services.”
Vice-chairman John Cox echoed the call for people to use the services, or risk losing them for good in the future.
The council will be looking at their performance in a post-Covid world.
Mr Cox said: “It is important to stress that the performance of these resumed services and the remainder of the supported bus network will continue to be monitored during the Covid recovery period and will be amended as appropriate in response to the evolving market demand.”
Here is a full list of the services that will be reinstated on October 4.
