Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) has extended Docherty’s Midland Coaches’ contract to operate a two-hourly X56 service between Perth and Halbeath Park and Ride in Fife until March 31, 2027. As a gesture of goodwill, passengers can travel free of charge on the service until Friday, September 4.
Interim service after Stagecoach withdrawal
The Auchterarder-based company began an interim less frequent service on Monday, August 24, following Stagecoach’s controversial withdrawal of its X56 Perth to Edinburgh service. At a private meeting on Wednesday, August 26, PKC’s Finance and Resources Committee unanimously agreed to support the continuation of Docherty’s X56 service between Perth and Halbeath until March 31, 2027.
Discussions were held privately due to the commercially sensitive information being shared. Following the meeting, PKC revealed the three options discussed were to not offer any replacement for the withdrawn service; implement a full replacement of the X56 between Perth and Halbeath at the hourly frequency previously operated by the commercial services, until March 31, 2027; or implement a lower frequency replacement service covering the same stops as the previous commercial service but at two-hourly intervals, until March 31, 2027.
Council and political reaction
Perth and Kinross councillors unanimously opted for the lower frequency replacement service. Fife Council has agreed to partly fund the service. A statement issued by PKC said: “The decision gives passengers and communities certainty in the months ahead while further work is carried out to understand demand and inform longer-term plans for public transport across Perth and Kinross through the Public Transport Transformation Review.”
Council leader Eric Drysdale stressed the need for public transport which is “sustainable, resilient and able to meet the needs of communities across Perth and Kinross”. The SNP leader said: “This is not a situation of the council’s making. Stagecoach took a commercial decision to withdraw the X56 but what is commercially viable for a bus company is not the same as what is important for our communities.
“For many people, this route provides an important link to employment, education, healthcare and other essential services. Councillors recognised both the importance of the route and the wider pressures facing the council. This decision provides an interim, proportionate response which gives passengers and communities some certainty while we gather more evidence about future demand and consider longer-term options.
“The withdrawal of the X56 also highlights why our Public Transport Transformation Review is so important. We need to consider how we create a public transport network that is sustainable, resilient and able to meet the needs of communities across Perth and Kinross.”
Operator and local representatives respond
Docherty’s Midland Coaches was “delighted”. A statement issued by the company added: “We are pleased to continue providing this important service to the communities along the route and look forward to welcoming both new and existing customers on board over the extended contract period.
“We will continue to offer a free service until Friday, September 4 as a gesture of good will. Securing this extension is a significant achievement and reflects our continued commitment to providing reliable, high-quality transport services while further developing and strengthening our operations and service network. We would also like to thank our team for their continued hard work, commitment and support, which have contributed to this positive outcome.”
The new two-hourly service includes early morning services, which PKC has said is designed to support commuters travelling for work and education, particularly Perth UHI. The council will continue to monitor passenger usage of the service to help inform future decisions about public transport provision. Provision of the service beyond the end of March 2027 will be considered as part of PKC’s 2027/28 budget-setting process next year.
Following the meeting, Lib Dem group leader Claire McLaren, who seconded Cllr Drysdale’s motion, said: “While I recognise that a reduced-frequency service is not ideal, it provides an important and pragmatic means of preserving the Perth to Halbeath connection at a time of significant budget pressures. It ensures that residents, commuters, students, communities and those without access to a car continue to have a viable public transport option, while also allowing detailed analysis of passenger demand and travel patterns to inform future service provision.”
The news was also welcomed by Pete Wishart MP and Jim Fairlie MSP, who hosted a public meeting at Loch Leven Community Campus on August 17, attended by more than 100 local residents. The meeting brought together stakeholders and elected representatives, and gave residents the opportunity to set out the impact of the withdrawal on their lives.
The meeting highlighted the importance of the route for people travelling to work, education, healthcare appointments and other essential services, while demonstrating a strong willingness among stakeholders to work together to find both immediate and longer-term solutions. Commenting, Mr Wishart said: “This is fantastic news for communities across Kinross-shire and Fife, and I want to thank everyone who has worked tirelessly to make sure these communities are not left without this vital connection.
“Jim and I have worked hard to build a united response, bringing together councils, elected representatives, transport operators and community organisations to find a solution. Our public meeting showed just how important the X56 is, with more than 100 residents making their voices heard. The extension to March is a major step forward, but our focus must now turn to the longer term. We need a sustainable local transport model that gives communities and public bodies a greater say, rather than leaving them vulnerable to commercial decisions.”
Also commenting, Mr Fairlie said: “This is a really positive result for Kinross-shire residents and means nobody is being cut off from the vital connections they rely on for work, education and healthcare. Nobody asked for the X56 to be withdrawn, and Stagecoach still have questions to answer about how they handled the process. But it has been fantastic to see such a unified approach across Kinross-shire and Fife in finding a solution.
“There are many people who deserve thanks, particularly Councillors Eric Drysdale and Richard Watters, Perth and Kinross Council, and the community organisations who stepped up under significant time and financial pressures. We now have certainty through March 2027, but we must use that time to develop a sustainable transport model that delivers the connections local people need for the long term.”
