Perthshire South and Kinross-shire MSP, Jim Fairlie, and Perth and North Perthshire MP, Pete Wishart, have today met with Stagecoach bosses to discuss service disruptions across Perth and Kinross caused by a lack of drivers.
Both Mr Fairlie and Mr Wishart have been contacted by constituents who have been impacted by last minute service cancellations – often impacting employment and important appointments.
Mr Fairlie and Mr Wishart met with Douglas Robertson, Managing Director of Stagecoach East, to discuss concerns about services in Perth and Kinross at their Dunkeld Road offices on Thursday 25th August. Stagecoach detailed what work they are undertaking to recruit more drivers and committed to resolve issues surrounding incorrect information being displayed on automated bus stop displays and in the Stagecoach app.
Commenting after the meeting, Jim Fairlie MSP said: “I have been contacted by a number of constituents who have been impacted by cancellations on the bus network over the last few weeks. I am aware that some people have been left waiting at bus stops for buses that never arrived, which has been doubly unpleasant during the recent hot weather.
“Stagecoach have invested a lot of money in the network in Perth and I particularly welcome the recent announcement regarding the move to all electric buses in Perth by the end of 2023. Nevertheless, it is vital that Stagecoach get on top of the current issues which are causing these last-minute cancellations, which are a major inconvenience for my constituents.
“I understand that passengers may be frustrated with last minute disruptions to the service, but I would ask folks to have a little bit of patience whilst the issues are resolved and remind people not to take it out on Stagecoach drivers, who are just trying to get on with their job.
“I welcome that Stagecoach have a number of drivers currently in training and I fully appreciate that it takes time to ensure that new drivers are fully and safely trained. I am hopeful that new drivers will continue to come forward and that we can put the current service disruptions behind us.
Pete Wishart MP added: “It has been very evident in recent weeks that a lack of drivers has caused problems for bus users across Perth and Kinross. You only need to look at the number of cancellations to appreciate the impact that this is having across the region.
“Given our drive to Net Zero, it is absolutely vital that we have a public transport system that makes things as easy as possible for people to actually make use of it. If people are to be encouraged to leave the car at home, they need to know that the public transport system is reliable.
“Stagecoach are currently recruiting more drivers, but obviously training up new drivers isn’t a quick process, so the current issues with the labour market are impacting them more than many sectors. Douglas Robertson took on board the points that we raised regarding incorrect information on bus stop displays and with the Stagecoach app, and I am hopeful that these will be resolved.
