Stirling Council funds six Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) services in rural areas that provide affordable transport and improved opportunities to access learning, training and work.
New or replacement DRT contracts started in August this year and feedback has been sought and received from rural communities as to how the existing DRT schemes could be enhanced.
As a result of this feedback, the Council has agreed to implement the following four requests:
-Extend the Balquhidder/Lochearnhead & Strathyre DRT scheme to St Fillans, to connect with onward travel to Perth
-Extend the Trossachs DRT scheme to Blairdrummond Safari Park road end to allow connections with Service 59 (Callander – Stirling);
-Extend the Fintry DRT scheme to include Buchlyvie; and
-Extend the Fintry DRT scheme to allow direct journeys between Arnprior, Buchlyvie, and Balfron early on Saturday mornings, due to the recent withdrawal of commercial local bus journeys.
Council officers are required to seek agreement to these changes from the Office of the Traffic Commissioner. As such the changes will be registered to commence in mid-January 2017.
Other suggestions received may be considered in due course, as the engagement of Communities and their Community Councils in this is vital to ensure Stirling Council can constantly improve the services it provides.
Councillor Danny Gibson, Stirling Council’s Environment Convenor said: "I am really pleased that following community feedback and due to savings being made within the existing budget that our officers are able to facilitate these extensions to DRT provision in our more rural areas as this is a really valued service to the public."