Falkirk Council: Petition launched over bus timetable changes

A change in timetable came into force on Monday this week which sees services to and from the town reduced during the week with limited evening services and on some routes no service on a Sunday.

The move has left people angry at what they describe as the removal of a lifeline for many.

The changes mean there will be no service from Bo’ness to Linlithgow in the evenings from Monday to Saturday with buses during the day reduced to two hourly and no buses on a Sunday.

The last bus from Falkirk to the town will be 9.05pm during the week and there will be no Sunday bus.

Residents say the change to the Linlithgow service has a wider impact as the neighbouring town is where the nearest train station is.

The petition, which was created this week by Clair Spence, raises concerns over the changes which it says will “affect a large group of people from working, children, elderly and disabled, who depend on public transport”.

It says: “Working people are now forced to leave earlier for shifts and have a large wait time until their shift starts and worst case they can’t get a bus home from their work forcing them to walk unsafe, unlit roads or forcing them to get taxis, and with this cost of living being so high this is an expense workers do not need.

"Then elderly and disabled where public transport is a lifeline to them for shopping and socialising, having to cut time short with family and friends and isolating people even more.

"There is also an issue with this no Sunday service, again cutting entire communities off.

"This is just a few of the worst case scenarios people of Falkirk will face with the new timetable that is being imposed in Falkirk.”

More than 400 people have already signed the petition.

Residents have been voicing their concerns on social media, and the town’s three local councillors have been contacted by constituents in relation to the matter.

One reader commenting on our Facebook page said: “They are cutting off lifelines for some of the most vulnerable, lonely, people with no other means of transport for work, the list goes on. Very poorly thought out..... Local authorities and governments want us to use public transport and go green but they take away the very lifelines that are required......”

While another said: "This is one area they should be improving not cutting - those making this decision are those who do not rely on the service and have no idea the actual non monetary cost.”

The timetable changes do not just affect the Bo’ness community, those living in the Braes have also previously expressed concerns over the reduced services in their area.

The changes to the First Bus timetable come following a Falkirk Council review which has seen £100,000 shaved off the local authority’s funding to subsidise bus services.