Highland Council's first in-house bus services revealed – with Culbokie – Dingwall route included
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The council is due to begin running a number of local bus services from early January.
Highland Council is to begin directly operating a number of bus services on a pilot basis from early in the new year.
Parents on the Black Isle had welcomed the prospect of services
Chairman of the council's economy and infrastructure committee, Councillor Ken Gowans, said: “We are set to make savings of around £1.4 million a year by setting up our in-house bus company and it is great to now be able to confirm details of the initial routes our buses will be covering.
“As well as achieving significant savings, we will be able to provide reliable and sustainable routes to communities."
He added: “I’m also pleased to announce that our recruitment campaign for drivers has been successful, and they will be undertaking their induction shortly.
"We will be closely monitoring how these initial routes operate with a view to being able to expand our in-house services in the future.”
RELATED: Highland Council gets update on plans for in-house services
Black Isle parents welcome prospect of council-run school bus service
A few public bus services will begin on Wednesday, January 4, with further school services beginning on Monday, January 9.
The services are:
- Foyers – Inverness (available to school and public)
- Whitebridge – Inverness (school and public)
- Fort Augustus – Glenurquhart High School (school)
- Tomich – Strathglass – Dingwall/Inverness (public)
- Cawdor – Nairn Academy – Cawdor Primary School (school)
- Nairn Town Service (public)
- Culbokie – Dingwall Academy (school)
- Milton of Leys – Millburn Academy (school)
Details of timetables for each of these routes will be published on the Council’s website shortly.
Members of the public and school pupils are reminded that national concessionary schemes for bus transport will apply to all of these services. This includes the Under 22 free bus travel scheme, allowing pupils who are non-entitled to school transport to use their free Under 22 concession cards on all services.
Full details on this scheme, including how to get your concession card and all other applicable discount schemes can be found by visiting the Council’s website - https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/1526/public_and_community_transport/120/bus_pass_and_travel_discounts
