Fate of "lifeline" rural Stirlingshire bus raised in Holyrood as locals look for solution

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Rural communities face being “abandoned” after the end of a popular bus service, according to a Lochearnhead based MSP.Green representative Mark Ruskell, who represents the Mid Scotland and Fife region at Holyrood, has raised the topic of the C60 bus at the Scottish Parliament after the Callander-Killin service was withdrawn last week.The lack of a viable alternative has led to anger from villagers scattered all over the C60 route, with concerns that it may lead to difficulties in attracting people to both live and work in spots including Killin.Previous operator Kingshouse Travel announced its intention to give up the six bus per day route by the end of March due to challenges in recruiting drivers.Since then, the council has been working to find an alternative - with the C60 route going up for tender twice in September and January.But those discussions haven’t been fruitful and the convener of the council’s transport committee, Councillor Jen Preston, told members it was now looking into various options - including operating the route itself or withdrawing the service completely.Mr Ruskell is supporting efforts to save the service, questioning the Scottish Government’s Agriculture and Connectivity Minister, Jim Fairlie, last week about the levers in place for councils to step in and take control of services such as the C60.The Green MSP said: “I’m bitterly disappointed that communities from Tyndrum to Strathyre have been abandoned like this.

The young and older generations are going to really suffer.“When the school bus stops during the holidays young people will be unable to see their friends and there will be no service for anyone else to use either.“The council saw this coming months ago and instead of setting up