| Angina-sufferer Valerie and epileptic Robert Heath, of Kilravock Gardens, have blasted the bus company for changes to the timetable, saying they make it more difficult for them to get home and could bring on an angina attack or epileptic fit.
Another resident of Whitfield Rise has even gone to the trouble of printing nd distributing his own version of the timetable to keep residents informed, in the absence of official notification from the company.
Buses now take an anti-clockwise loop around the area, via Drumgeith Road and Berwick Drive, instead of heading straight up Whitfield Drive.
Mrs Heath (61) told the Tele their return journey from town takes 10 minutes longer and buses run along the route less frequently.
“We’re down the town every day to do the messages and we’re on the bus a lot longer coming home. You have to go away up the Drumgeith Road and we’re on the bus far too long.
“You used to go up Whitfield Drive, but now it means a longer journey. You’re on the bus for half an hour instead of twenty minutes.
“If the bus is warm, then it can trigger my angina and it can set off an attack of my husband’s epilepsy.
“The buses used to be every ten minutes and now they are more like every 15 or 20.
“If you miss the 17 then from Commercial Street, then you’ve 20 minutes to wait or you have to get over to Crichton Street for the 15 that goes along the Seagate.
“We’re disabled and we just can’t rush around like that.”
She said that she had not received a leaflet advising them of the changes, and that the electronic display at their bus stop had been broken for a month.
She added that Mr Heath (58) regularly needed to travel to a clinic at Ninewells Hospital, but could end up on the wrong service due to a lack of timetable information.
Around half the 15 and 17 buses go on to Ninewells, with the other half terminating in the city centre.
“There are lots of pensioners on our avenue and it’s making it difficult for everyone,” she added.
“If they would put the buses back the way they were, then people would be satisfied.”
The 17 is now routed via Dura Street, while the 15 serves King Street, Princes Street, Albert Street, ASDA Milton and Peebles Drive every 20 minutes.
Local resident Jimmy Smith, who also edits community newsletter The Whitfield Riser, has blasted the company, saying he has “never seen such a mess as our new 15/17 service timetable”.
He’s so upset about the changes that he’s produced and distributed his own timetable to householders in Whitfield Rise in the latest edition of the newsletter.
A spokesperson for Travel Dundee insisted today they would take customer complaints on board.
“Travel Dundee has initiated these changes to better serve customers,” she said.
“We have previously stated there will be a monitoring period and a review of the changes will take place throughout this period.
“We have also said we are happy to receive feedback from customers.
“Comment cards are available on buses and we would encourage passengers to contact us via our customer relations department in Dundee.
“We apologise for the delay in customers receiving information and are working to rectify this.
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