Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch has reacted with disbelief to Citylink’s recent proposal to discontinue their express bus visiting Badenoch towns. Instead they propose that a single decker service run through the towns and then on to a rendezvous point with the South bound express service over thirty miles south at House of Bruar.

Mr Thompson agrees with Badenoch opinion that the proposal is nonsensical. He has called on Citylink to re-think a workable solution that does not severely disadvantage folk in Badenoch.

Citylink argue that the numbers of users have forced them into this “saving”, but their passenger statistics have proved unreliable in the past.

Members of the “Save Our Buses” (SOB) campaign, which Mr Thompson supports, say a separate bus service down to Bruar would be fraught with potential difficulties, with fears over the late running of the connecting service leaving people stranded and where the service is limited, this could mean customers being stuck for some considerable time.

Mr Thompson said,

“This Citylink proposal to use a replacement service running through Badenoch to House of Bruar would seriously disadvantage folk in the Badenoch area.

“There are practical issues to be dealt with when buses are delayed or cancelled, which have the potential to leave people waiting inordinate amounts of time, or in the worst case scenario, stranded for the day at the House of Bruar.

“It creates the farcical situation where Citylink are running two buses, at the same time, possibly even nose to tail, for over thirty miles on the same road (A9) and over the treacherous Drumochter Pass.

“I appreciate the financial viability argument put forward by Citylink but this isn’t the solution. We must do what we can to keep our rural communities connected, which is why I hope a workable half-way house solution between Citylink and the local community can be found.

“The proposal in its current nonsensical form does not pass the test of public opinion or of commercial logic, therefore I urge a re-think from Citylink, and in the meantime, I will continue to support the Save Our Buses Campaign”.