On 27 March 2009, bus services in the Western Isles will undergo a number of changes. This is the result of a tendering exercise. Like the schools debacle, this process has been conducted in a way which has left many people less than happy. So much so, that the tendering has had to be extended for a number of routes, and arrangements having to be put in place to ensure continuity of service on the Point route - a renewed tender has had to be issued for this route. More on this shambles on Hebrides News. That site is also the source for the following information on changes on routes and operators in Lewis.
West Side Circular (Stornoway - Callanish - Carloway - Shawbost - Barvas - Stornoway and vice versa) will be taken over by Maclennan's Coaches
North Lochs (Ranish) will be tied into the out-of-town route to Newvalley, with buses going via the Cearns, Laxdale and Newvalley to Marybank, from where the Lochs road (A859) will be rejoined. Operator: Grahams
Melbost and the airport will be served by the Point buses, whoever these are operated by.
South Lochs will be taken over by Peter Maclennan
Town Circular will be abolished.
Last week, the Scottish Government threw out the Comhairle's school closure plan as incompetent.
I'll go so far as to say that this bus tendering exercise can be described in similar terms.
Oh dear Arnish ...
ReplyDelete*surely* you're not calling the Comhairle 'incompetent' ...!
You'll be stricken down by a bolt of lightning if you're not careful ... :- )
A confusing state of affairs :shock:
ReplyDeleteStress free - I think not - and that is just studying the timetable :(
Bus timetables always induce stress, but this looks like a fine example of drinks party, organising of, couldn't, brewery, in a!
ReplyDeleteI vote for a fleet of rickshaws, manned by a born and bred local workforce (others may be cheaper, less fit and much less motivated, but that's a Eurovision song, verboten on the local airwaves).
ReplyDeleteSomething for Donald to get organised, Mjc? With Chrissie Mary doing the bookings.
ReplyDeleteWhat is going to happen to the Fank this year? Will there be busses? Will there be a Fank??? Will Arnish take umbrage???
I think trying to work out what bus to get would be a complete nightmare!
ReplyDeleteYou can't have a fank without Calum. The Fank is dead, long live...
ReplyDeletelong live ... Calum, I guess. I think Calum has put a jinx on this new iblogging site, making it crawl slower than any crab I have seen doing the breast stroke.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the previous comment referred to the old site before the recent and very successful migration. Good job, Les. # If this site does not get Calum. to transfer himself, lock-stock-barrel, well, he is more hide-bound than I ever dreamt. Perhaps we should send e.grannye over to roust him.
ReplyDelete