Budget cuts hit NE passengers

North-east bus passengers have been hit by cuts to services as councils curb their budgets.

Stagecoach announced last week that a number of services will be cut including a number in Banff and Buchan.

The number 66 bus, Mintlaw to Peterhead, which runs Monday to Friday will no longer run at 8pm and 8.36pm due to withdrawal of council funding support.

The 272 Banff to Fraserburgh bus will also no longer operate, nor will the Fraserburgh to New Pitsligo 270 service on Saturdays.

​Stagecoach has announced a raft of service changes due to cuts in local authority budgets.

Monday to Friday morning services on the 61A (Ellon to Peterhead have also been removed, while the Saturday evening service after 7pm from Fraserburgh to Rosehearty has also been dropped from the schedule.

The number 81 service (Peterhead to Boddam) Monday to Friday early morning and late night journeys have been removed and there will be changes to some journeys on the 69 and 60B Fraserburgh to Peterhead route.

Stagecoach says it has worked closely with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils to mitigate the impact of losing this funding, protecting key journeys where possible.

In a statement, it said: “Regrettably, significant reductions to Aberdeenshire Council supported bus service funding has resulted in the change or withdrawal of journeys on a number of services.

"Whilst every effort has been made to ensure communities remain connected, it is not financially sustainable to continue operating these journeys without funding support.”

However, on a more positive note, Stagecoach has announced that Sunday services to Braemar on the popular service 201 corridor will be maintained through the summer period.

Recognising the importance of maintaining links to Deeside communities and the growth in tourism to the region, Stagecoach has committed to continue the operation of these journeys until late October, to allow a more in-depth review to take place.

The new timetables will be in place from Monday, June 12 and are now available to download at https://www.stagecoachbus.com/serviceupdates/serviceupdatesarticle?SituationId=ID-15/05/2023-17:02:41:012