An interim bus service will operate on the threatened X56 route between Perth and Edinburgh while councillors look into a longer-term solution. Perth and Kinross Council has confirmed arrangements are being put in place to ensure a replacement service is available from Monday, ahead of a decision by the Finance and Resources Committee this week.
Interim service details
The replacement service will continue to serve communities along the existing route, operating a two-hourly timetable. Full timetable details will be published as soon as they are available. Council officers have been working with transport providers and partners to identify a potential replacement and avoid a gap in service for passengers who rely on the route to access employment, education, healthcare and other essential services.
The Finance and Resources Committee will consider proposals for supporting a replacement service when it meets on Wednesday, August 26. The cost of any replacement service is expected to be shared with Fife Council, with whom Perth and Kinross Council has been in regular contact.
Public meeting shows strong turnout
The announcement follows a public meeting held last Monday at Loch Leven Community Campus to discuss the withdrawal of the Stagecoach X56 service. Over 100 local residents attended, reflecting the significant impact the decision has had on communities across Kinross-shire and beyond. The meeting was hosted by Pete Wishart MP and Jim Fairlie MSP, with representatives from Perth and Kinross Council, Ember and Glenfarg Community Transport joining as panellists.
The majority of the session was given over to questions from the floor, where attendees shared first-hand accounts of the disruption caused by the withdrawal, including students struggling to get to college, employees unable to reach work, and elderly residents facing difficulties attending medical appointments. Elected representatives from Fife also contributed, explaining the similar difficulties being experienced by their constituents across the local authority boundary.
Cross-party cooperation and next steps
Ember confirmed they will look at the feasibility of adjusting their existing service from Kelty, so that students can continue to reach UHI Perth in time for the start of the college day. Perth and Kinross Council confirmed that its ongoing bus transformation programme has been given renewed urgency as a result of the X56 withdrawal, as partners work to put in place a more sustainable public transport model for the future.
Councillor Eric Drysdale, leader of Perth and Kinross Council, said: “We know how important the X56 is for many residents and communities, and we have heard clearly the concerns raised since Stagecoach announced their decision to withdraw it. A longer-term solution will be considered by the Finance and Resources Committee. However, ahead of that decision arrangements are being put in place to ensure a replacement bus service is available from Monday so that passengers can continue to travel on the route. I am delighted that we have been able to find a potential solution which provides reassurance and continuity for communities.”
Commenting, Mr Wishart said: “The public meeting made clear just how deeply Stagecoach’s decision has affected people across Kinross-shire. The stories we heard, from students worried about getting to college, to elderly residents unable to get to appointments, were a reminder of just how essential this service is to daily life here. What was also clear was the determination in that room, across parties and across organisations, to work together and find solutions. Stagecoach’s handling of this process has been reprehensible from the outset, but I was encouraged by the constructive and collaborative approach shown by everyone else involved, and we will keep pushing until we have a workable alternative in place.”
Mr Fairlie added: “It was brilliant to see so many people turn out at our meeting to discuss the X56, and it shows just how much this issue matters to our community. I’m pleased that Ember are actively looking at how they can help get students to UHI Perth on time, and that the Council’s Finance and Resource Committee will next week be considering options for a replacement Halbeath to Perth service. These are the short-term actions that can help to mitigate the immediate impact of the loss of the X56. But in the longer term, this has also sharpened our collective focus on the need for a sustainable transport model for Kinross-shire, and we are committed to working with the Council, transport operators and community groups to get there. We won’t let this issue drop until local people have the connections they need and deserve.”
Last month, a Stagecoach spokesperson said: “We recognise that the proposed withdrawal of service X56 has generated strong local feeling, and we understand the concerns raised by customers and communities who currently rely on the route. However, the service has been significantly loss-making for an extended period, with substantial annual losses. The decision to withdraw the service was therefore based on detailed customer data and financial evidence, and there is no commercially viable solution that would allow Stagecoach to continue operating the route.”
Stakeholders committed to continuing to work closely with Perth and Kinross Council, Fife Council, Ember, Glenfarg Community Transport and other partners in the coming weeks, and will provide further updates to constituents as solutions develop.
