Stagecoach North Scotland today announced the extension of their timetable consultation to Monday 19th November with the addition of four public events.
The timetable consultation is open as a result of the expansion of the Stagecoach North Scotland business with the introduction of the new and extended bus network in Inverness expected to begin operation on 7th January 2019.
Proposals include –
- New service 9 operating Monday – Saturday connecting Kinmylies and Holm Mills to Culduthel, Raigmore, UHI and Inverness Shopping Park. Service 9 will be the first Stagecoach bus service to use the West Link Road providing more attractive journey times for those crossing the city by bus.
- Additional service from the city centre to UHI and Raigmore as service 2U.
- Additional frequency from Culloden to UHI
- Hourly service for Lochardil incorporating school journeys for Inverness Royal Academy
- Peak bus service from Culbokie to Inverness on service 22
- Extensions to Yairs View Estate in North Kessock using low-floor buses on most journeys
- Improved evening service to Beauly and Muir of Ord
- Merkinch and Raigmore Estate services to increase in frequency from up to every 45 minutes to up to every 30 minutes
- Bus service for scholars travelling from Evanton to Dingwall
- Service to Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club on home match days
Stagecoach is inviting feedback from the local communities in Inverness and the Highlands through a public consultation open from Monday 5th November until Monday 19th November. The consultation follows on from the success of the Caithness network consultation earlier this year where locals have been able to influence the proposals ahead of the plans being finalised.
All proposed timetables are available to download online now. Feedback can be given digitally at stagecoachbus.com, via email to nscotmarketing@stagecoachbus.com by post or alternatively there is the opportunity to discuss the proposals directly with staff at one of the below drop-in events –
Lochardil Hotel on Wednesday 14th November 14:30 to 16:30
Dingwall Community Centre Thursday 15th November 14:30 to 16:30
Culloden Baptist Church Monday 19th November from 10:30 to 12:30
Merkinch Community Centre Monday 19th November from 14:30 to 16:30
All feedback received will be reviewed ahead of the proposals being finalised for completing the official registration process with the Traffic Commissioner.
David Liston, Managing Director, Stagecoach North Scotland said: “We have been delighted with the level of constructive feedback we received in the first week of our timetable consultation.
Customers have provided us with valuable guidance in relation to the proposed timetables and examples include comments on the departure times from Raigmore Hospital in the evenings as well as the Lochardil service. We have benefitted from holding timetable consultation events across the North Scotland over the past 4 years and hope that in the final week of our consultation in Inverness and the Highlands even more people will be able to provide feedback on the services
Customer comments do help us to ensure we have optimised departure times and routes and would be grateful for all comments, good or bad, by Monday 19th November.”
To join the consultation click here.
Due to the continued expansion of the Inverness bus network, Stagecoach is also welcoming applications for friendly, flexible and reliable bus drivers in the Highlands capital. Part-time and full-time roles are available.
If you’re applying to become a bus driver, then you should hold a full driving licence, which should have no more than 3 endorsement points and have had no driving bans within the last 5 years. If you have held this licence for less than two years, then a clean driving licence is required.
All applicants must be driving a vehicle regularly during the last 12 months. Full paid training is provided, if this sounds like the new start you are looking for, apply to stagecoach/careers.
