Dundee City Council has been reported to Transport Scotland amid concerns its alternative to a doomed bus service is not accessible.
The authority’s West End Blether Bus will be scrutinised after the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) claimed it would “deny access to many people”.
SNP councillors together with the Lord Provost voted in June to continue with scrapping the subsidised 204 service to save £40,000 a year.
© DC Thomson
The creation of the Blether Bus has since been fast-tracked – but is not being touted as a direct replacement by council transport bosses.
And unlike the Stagecoach vehicle used for the 204, the Blether Bus is not wheelchair accessible.
Xplore Dundee has stepped in to cover part of the route – but administration councillors were criticised for praising the firm for, in effect, absolving them of responsibility.
The issue was raised with MACS by West End Liberal Democrat councillor Fraser Macpherson.
Mr Macpherson said: “The so-called ‘Blether Bus’ is not an accessible or proper bus service and the council is in clear breach of its obligations to disabled and elderly passengers by axing the 204 and failing to provide a proper alternative.
Read more about the Blether Bus here
“MACS has now reported the council to Transport Scotland – good for it for doing so.
“Now is the time for the council to act to ensure no elderly or disabled passenger suffers the social exclusion that the actions of the SNP administration has caused.”
In its response to Mr Macpherson, MACS said it had asked Transport Scotland’s bus chiefs to intervene, adding: “The suggested alternative is not accessible and will deny access to many people who currently use the low floor bus.”
MACS has also recommended that West End residents raise the issue with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, whose latest strategy includes the promotion of transport that “supports…disabled people and older people”.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “We are aware of this issue which has been raised by MACS.
“While this is a decision that has been taken at a local level, for our part we rightly take mobility issues very seriously and seek to place vulnerable passengers at the heart of our own approach and national strategies wherever possible.”
Dundee City Council did not respond to a request for comment as the Tele went to press.
