Fears have been raised that hospital patients in Moray are being put at risk after a bus timetable shake-up.
Passengers used to be dropped off at the rear of Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.
But the nearest stop is now on the other side of the A96 West Road in the town.
Yesterday, Moray MP Douglas Ross described the changes as “unacceptable” for pensioners and other vulnerable people making their way to appointments and to visit loved ones.
He said: “Several constituents have been in touch with me following changes to the bus routes to Dr Gray’s.
“It means people now find themselves having to cross the A96 rather than being dropped off at the back where the previous route stopped.
“This really is not acceptable. The health and safety of travellers must be a priority.”
Stagecoach has pledged to review the issues raised by the MP when he met managing director Mark Whitelocks.
Mr Ross organised a public meeting in Elgin last year to discuss the future of bus services across Moray.
More than 170 people turned up for the talks at St Giles’ Church to debate what improvements could be made.
Stagecoach has repeatedly stated that services that consistently make a financial loss will be withdrawn, while Moray Council has stressed it does not have the resources to run its own network of routes.
Mr Ross added: “We will therefore have to find other solutions – and that has to include encouraging people to use the buses as much as possible to provide the necessary financial underpinning to improve the service.”
Meanwhile Anita Milne, chairwoman of the Moray Transport Forum, revealed the group was planning a seminar on transport issues in the region during spring.
She said: “It will be open to anyone interested in the issues affecting our communities in respect of transport.”
