The South West of Scotland Transport Partnership (SWestrans) met on Friday 13 January in Lochmaben, and agreed to the purchase of up to 3 low-floor 16 seater buses as well as the continued upgrade of bus shelters across Dumfries and Galloway.
One bus will be purchased, with the potential of another 2 to follow later in the year. The 16-seater option is being purchased as a direct result of taking into account the views of those who completed recent public consultation on bus provision. Each bus is expected to cost around £90,000 each, and the purchases will be progressed through a mini-tender process.
The Board heard that ten bus shelters within the region have been replaced or will be replaced in the upcoming weeks. This work will fall within the £167k set aside by the Board last year, and is vital in SWestrans’ commitment to making public transport as accessible and attractive as possible.
The Board were also informed that another 11 bus shelters have been earmarked for replacement region-wide.
One shelter that has been replaced in the one in Ruthwell Village. By working with the community council of Ruthwell and Clarancefield, a new shelter has been made and is in place. SWestrans contributed £3k towards the new shelter, with the remainder of funds coming from within the community itself.
Councillor Tom McAughtrie, who chairs the SWestrans Board commented;
“Providing accessible transport is a key priority for this Board. I am pleased to receive this report today detailing that we’re going to be purchasing low-floor vehicles. I am equally pleased that we’re replacing bus shelters throughout Dumfries and Galloway, and that work is well underway to replace another batch of shelters on top of the ones that have been done in recent weeks. Keeping people dry and out of inclement weather is just as important to the public transport journey as the timings and comfort of the vehicle they are travelling in, so it is pleasing that we’re tackling this.
The shelter in Ruthwell looks tremendous and is a good example of what working with local communities can achieve. Hopefully it’ll keep the folks of Ruthwell dry for years to come whilst they wait for the bus!”
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