Do we have to standby and watch our bus service disappear?

[janeyj]

I find it very worrying to read in The Journal that buses north of Keiss may soon cease to run. Several questions come to mind:

1) Are the people making these decisions car owners, below retirement age, with good salaries? ....I guess that's probably a yes. Hmmmmm!

2) Where is the competition so that Stagecoach do not have a monopoly that can prevent young people getting to their work (eg Natural Retreats) older people getting into the hospital, or to the shops?

3) If Andrew Banks can run the Pentalina at a profit, without a subsidy, then surely someone could run a bus service locally even if it was non profit making?

4) Why should Stagecoach be allowed the ability to increase social isolation in our community?

5) Can Highland Council do anything? Are they subsidising this threatened service? In which case can the subsidy savings be used to fund an alternative, at least in part, or am I being naive here?

6) What is the point of giving pensioners free bus passes if there are no buses?

Just a few of my thoughts for now.

Janey