Bus shake up: Plea  for’common sense’ over axe threat over Kirkcaldy bus service

The town’s MSP, David Torrance, has added to the political pressure on the bus company to think again over its proposal to withdraw the daytime 14 service from Dunnikier Estate - the area’s only bus link.

Weekend and evening services are not affected by the proposal, but the changes have raised concerns.

The plan was branded “short sighted” by Kirkcaldy North Councillor James Leslie who called for a re-think.

Now Mr Torrance and Councillor Carol Lindsay have added their weight to the argument to save the service.

They have called on Stagecoach to use “common sense” after it revealed the bus faces the axe.

Mr Torrance has also written to Stagecoach asking it to look again at the proposal.

He said: “Cancelling this route would effectively cut people off in the area who do not drive, and would be another blow to ailing services in Kirkcaldy.”

The SNP politician said that many people in his constituency will be facing financial difficulty when the energy cap is increased, and that the prospect of bus routes being cancelled will hit the most vulnerable the hardest.

“To cancel bus routes when people are being encouraged to use public transport is ludicrous, especially when people are facing serious hardship due to the energy crisis,” he said.

“As always, it will be the most vulnerable that will pay the price for the waning bus service in Kirkcaldy.”Mr Torrance has started talks with bus company, Bay Travel, to see if it could fill any gap.

Cllr Lindsay added: “David and I will work together to look at every avenue to ensure that Dunnikier Estate has a bus route throughout the day.

There are a lot of elderly people in the estate who rely on this bus route for various different reasons, so it is vital that this service remains, or another is put in place.

“Public transport is really important to those, who without it, would be isolated in the community and it beggars belief that Stagecoach would cut it completely.”