Timetabled buses return to Insch

This week saw the return of a timetabled bus service between Insch and Inverurie, as a replacement to the Ready2Go pilot which ended on Saturday, April 1.

The service, operated by Watermill Coaches connects Insch, Oyne and Inverurie with 11 services daily in each direction Monday to Friday, and nine in each direction on a Saturday.

The service will run from Inverurie Town Hall along West High Street and Burghmuir Drive before joining the A96 and turning off at the Oyne Fork towards Oyne and Insch.

On the return, the service will take a different route through Inverurie, stopping on North Street, Harlaw Road and Tesco Car Park.

The timetabled service replaces the Ready2Go Around Inverurie on demand pilot project, which came under scrutiny last year as it was revealed Insch residents were not able to reliably use the service.

Timetables for the replacement services are available on the Watermill Coaches website (www.watermillcoaches.co.uk/services/), Traveline Scotland and paper copies are in Bennachie Leisure Centre, Insch Library and Insch Post Office.

Aberdeenshire Council have also reinstated timetabled bus routes between Turriff/Rothienorman and Inverurie, and are continuing the Inverurie Town Service.

The 240 Service between Inverurie and Kemnay also begins a new timetable, under new operators Watermill Coaches.

West Garioch Councillor, Sam Payne, said: “I am delighted that a timetabled service has been brought back, connecting Insch, Oyne, and Inverurie – something I have been campaigning for since being elected in May 2022.”

“With 11 services in each direction every week day, running between 7am and 7pm, this is a huge step forward in improving rural public transport.”

“It was clear from speaking to residents that there was a desire for a timetabled service, backed up by both my own survey and an Aberdeenshire Council survey.”

“It is vital that residents across our rural communities are able to reliably access larger towns such as Inverurie, whether for medical appointments, shopping or seeing friends and family.

"Reliability and regularity is something the new timetabled service should provide.”