Council confirms new in-house bus routes

Photo caption – Pictured with some of the new buses ready to start the routes in January is the Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Ken Gowans and Project Manager Ali MacDonald

The Highland Council can confirm details of the first of their new in-house bus services which will start early in January.

Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Ken Gowans said: “We are set to make savings of around £1.4 million a year by setting up our in-house bus company and it is great to now be able to confirm details of the initial routes our buses will be covering.

“As well as achieving significant savings, we will be able to provide reliable and sustainable routes to communities.

He added: “I’m also pleased to announce that our recruitment campaign for drivers has been successful, and they will be undertaking their induction shortly. We will be closely monitoring how these initial routes operate with a view to being able to expand our in-house services in the future.”

A few public bus services will begin on Wednesday 4 January, with further school services beginning on Monday 9 January.

The services are:

• Foyers - Inverness (available to school and public)
• Whitebridge - Inverness (school and public)
• Fort Augustus – Glen Urquhart High School (school)
• Tomich – Strathglass – Dingwall/Inverness (public)
• Cawdor – Nairn Academy – Cawdor Primary School (school)
• Nairn Town Service (public)
• Culbokie - Dingwall Academy (Public and school)
• Milton of Leys - Millburn Academy (school)

Details of timetables for each of these routes will be published on the Council’s website shortly.

Members of the public and school pupils are reminded that national concessionary schemes for bus transport will apply to all of these services. This includes the Under 22 free bus travel scheme, allowing pupils who are non-entitled to school transport to use their free Under 22 concession cards on all services. Full details on this scheme, including how to get your concession card and all other applicable discount schemes can be found by visiting the Council’s website.