A consultation on a much-maligned replacement bus service is being under-advertised, residents have claimed, leading to fears that it won’t properly serve the local area.
The West End Blether Bus will replace the 204 Stagecoach service from next month after administration councillors voted to revoke its subsidised funding.
Consultation sessions on the route the Blether Bus will take are being held this month – almost five months on from the original decision to scrap the 204 being made.
The first meeting took place on Tuesday, while the next takes place next Tuesday at Blackness Library from 10am-12pm.
A third session will be held on Wednesday at the Corso Street sheltered housing complex – but local resident Doris McLaren, behind a campaign to save the 204, believes these have been under-advertised.
She said: “I’m amazed at the number of people not notified about this meeting. I only found out about it second-hand from someone who got an email about it. I don’t use email.
“If the council is going to have these meetings there should clearly be public notices about them.
“Otherwise it’s too easy for them to take advantage of the fact nobody turns up.”
Last week, Doris issued a challenge to the SNP councillors and Lord Provost Ian Borthwick to ride the 204, after they voted to press ahead with plans to scrap it. To date, she claims no councillors have yet risen to her challenge.
“It’s shocking what the council are doing – it smacks of West End snobbery, that they all assume we have cars and can drive about,” Doris added.
“These consultation sessions should have been taking place in February, when they first made the decision – not a month before we’re set to lose the 204.
“Everyone around here is putting a brave face on it but we don’t all expect to get on that Blether Bus.”
The vehicle set to be used for the West End Blether Bus is a minibus rather than a fully-fledged passenger bus, making it unsuitable for those with disabilities.
The council-run service – which the local authority says will save £40,000 a year compared with subsidising the 204 – will also only run short distances, requiring locals to transfer between services to get to destinations such as Ninewells Hospital.
