An appeal by local MSP Craig Hoy for urgent funding to support fragile bus services across Dumfriesshire has been turned down by the Scottish Government.
Following the withdrawal of some services and the scaling back of other bus services, Craig Hoy asked the SNP what additional financial support it can provide for supported bus services in the Dumfries and Galloway Council area.
Instead, SNP Minister Jim Fairlie passed the responsibility back to SNP-run Dumfries and Galloway Council. He told Mr Hoy: “It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available, including on support for bus services, on the basis of local needs and priorities.”
Craigs’s call for funds came amid widespread concern that some routes are no longer meeting the needs of residents who struggle to get to school, college, work or to hospital appointments.
Residents of Hightae, Lockerbie, Langholm, Closeburn, Sanquhar, Thornhill and Moffat have all raised concerns about bus services following the withdrawal of Stagecoach services in August.
Mr Hoy, who is also the candidate for Dumfriesshire, called for extra support for buses after a meeting with Swestrans and Dumfries and Galloway Council after recent changes were made to the timetable.
Speaking following the government’s response, Mr Hoy said: “Providing basic reliable buses for residents across Dumfriesshire should not be such a challenge. The central-belt focussed SNP has consistently underfunded councils, particularly those in rural areas, while it wastes millions on pet political projects.”
Mr Hoy believes that the SNP must step in and take responsibility for chronic underfunding of local authorities and rural bus routes and has called on ministers to provide the necessary support to reinstate key routes in Dumfriesshire.
He added: “Rural communities already feel forgotten and by refusing to provide more support for key bus routes the Scottish Government is simply reinforcing this point. Bus services are run locally by the SNP council and councils are funded nationally by the SNP Government. It is clear they have abandoned rural Scotland. Dumfriesshire urgently needs a dedicated rural bus fund to prevent the loss of further service.”
