Local MSP Brian Whittle has welcomed progress being made by Stagecoach to boost bus services in the area including an expansion of their electric fleet.
The South Scotland MSP was speaking after a meeting with Stagecoach West Scotland Managing Director Fiona Doherty where he was shown some of the progress on refurbishing Kilmarnock bus station including the pantograph charging system for electric buses.
Following the pandemic, bus passenger numbers have recovered more quickly than trains but continue to be below pre-pandemic levels and Brian is encouraging more people to consider taking the bus.
During the meeting, Brian and Fiona discussed recent issues with anti-social behaviour at the bus station and what can be done to discourage repeats of the problem. Last year several episodes of vandalism and anti-social behaviour forced Stagecoach to temporarily withdraw services before combined efforts with the council and Police Scotland helped to improve the situation.
The MSP, who is the Scottish Conservative spokesperson for Environment, Biodiversity & Land Reform, also heard about Stagecoach’s continuing investment in electric vehicles. The company is now running the first fully electric semi-rural routes in the country as well as the first all-electric city network in Inverness.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“It was great to catch up with Fiona and hear about Stagecoach’s plans to keep improving services in the area. The pandemic brought enormous challenges for bus companies across Scotland and Stagecoach was no exception, but I’m pleased to see that more and more people are opting to come back to the bus or try it for the first time.
Stagecoach have also been taking big steps forward in reducing their carbon footprint, investing in new electric buses which continue to improve the air quality of the areas they serve.
Reliable, high quality bus services are vital for many communities in Ayrshire and beyond. Not only do they offer a more environmentally friendly alternative to the car, but they provide affordable, or even free, transport to the under 22’s and over 60’s who may not be able to drive at all through the Concessionary Travel Scheme
There is much more to be done before Scotland has a public transport system that’s a genuine alternative to the car for most people but it’s great to see how committed Stagecoach are to delivering that alternative. I look forward to continuing to work with them in the years ahead.”
Fiona Doherty, Managing Director of Stagecoach West Scotland said:
“We were pleased to welcome Mr Whittle to our depot in Kilmarnock as part of our £16M investment programme in over 40 vehicles ad part of our decarbonisation plans. We are proud of the investment that we are making into electric vehicles and services in the area. Our fleet of electric buses, which we launched in February, serve the communities in Kilmarnock, Ayr and Irvine with zero-emission public transport. Bus travel is one of the greenest forms of transport available in Scotland and we encourage people to leave the car at home and use the bus.”
