Bus service cuts in Dundee

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In last night’s Evening Telegraph, mention was made of Dundee City Council trying to save £100K from the subsidised local bus service budget, by reducing it by around 20% to £403,000. The council do not retender services in the same way as other local authorities, but do increase costs paid each year by a small percentage. Thus, subsidy paid is comparatively low.

An important factor overlooked by many in the city is that bus services are almost all commercially operated – with no subsidy apart from repayment of concession pass trips (albeit at a discounted rate negotiated by the Government). 95% of mileage is so operated, and only a handful of less-busy routes (6A, 51, 70, 72) are fully subsidised (72 is subsidised within the city, then commercial to Tayport) plus the weeknight evening service on the 39A between the city centre and Technology Park. The remainder of this budget is spent on early morning and late-evening routes, which have operated in this manner since deregulation. Most are intended for early morning workers, such as school cleaners, who are (or were) largely employed by the council and predecessors.

While Services 6A and 72 are unscathed, a few changes are made to other routes, and some of the early/late journeys. The following is a list of the individual journeys that will not be subsidised after 1st April 2008. Travel Dundee have stated that their changes will take place on the following Sunday, i.e. 6th April. This is not necessarily a list of the cuts – some may operate commercially (looking unlikely) or some single journey withdrawals may also necessitate withdrawal of a bus in the opposite direction to balance things.

Travel Dundee Service 3 & 4 (Dryburgh Circular)
0650 4 City Centre Circular, Mon-Sat

Travel Dundee Service 9/10/11/12 (Outer Circle)
0530 9A Forthill – City Centre, Mon-Fri
0530 10A Kirkton – Ninewells Hospital, Mon-Sat
2305 10A Ninewells Hospital – Claypotts Sainsbury’s [extended past Forthill since 06/01/08], Mon-Sat
2308 9A Ninewells Hospital – Kirkton, Mon-Sat

Travel Dundee Service 15/17 (Whitfield – City/Ninewells)
0500 15 Whitfield – City Centre, Mon-Sat
0525 15 City Centre – Whitfield, Mon-Sat

Travel Dundee Service 36/37 (Northern Circular)
0600 36 Saturday Harris Academy – City Centre & full northern circular, Saturdays (so continuing weekdays? Not sure)

Travel Dundee Service 51 (Dundee City Centre – Fowlis)
1100 51 Dundee City Centre – Fowlis, Mon-Sat
1129 51 Fowlis – Dundee City Centre, Mon-Sat
2130 51 Dundee City Centre – Fowlis, Mon-Sat
2159 51 Fowlis – Dundee City Centre, Mon-Sat
1130 51 Dundee City Centre – Fowlis, Sunday
1159 51 Fowlis – Dundee City Centre, Sunday
This service operates outwith the city into Angus, and as such, is also partly funded by NHS Tayside (Liff Hospital) and Angus Council. The gap in the morning (Mon-Sat) will now open up to three hours.

Stagecoach Strathtay Service 70 (Dundee City Centre – Craigie, Huntly Road)
Service to be completely withdrawn.
1030 70 Dundee City Centre – Craigie, Mon-Fri
1045 70 Craigie – Dundee City Centre, Mon-Fri
1335 70 Dundee City Centre – Craigie, Mon-Fri
1350 70 Craigie – Dundee City Centre, Mon-Fri
This service was intended for the sheltered housing complex, although they are also served by the DATAG ‘Friendly Bus’ service. Usage of this route was very poor, so it is perhaps more surprising that it survived for as long as it did!

From the same date, cross-boundary support to Angus Council for services to/from Bridgefoot (Stagecoach Strathtay 6) to Dundee City Centre, and to Perth & Kinross Council for services to/from the Carse of Gowrie (Stagecoach Strathtay/Perth 16, 54), including the PRI-Ninewells link on the 54. It is not known whether or not these will continue, but as the other local authority chipped in most of the financial support, it will be expected. It would also be presumably expected that Angus continue to contribute to the Travel Dundee 51.