Council-operated bus service to continue

COUNCILLORS have agreed to continue running a bus service between Elgin and the villages of Kingston, Garmouth and Urquhart.

After the route was dropped by Stagecoach North in April last year, Moray Council operated a replacement bus service, as it was said that a complete loss of the local bus service would have substantially increased the degree of social isolation around these communities.

The well-received service is provided within existing council resources and developer obligations, so it operates at no additional cost to Moray Council. It carries an average of 1,380 customers each month.

Councillor John Cowe, Chair of Moray Council’s Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee, said providing this lifeline service was making a real difference to the lives of those living in the villages of Kingston, Garmouth and Urquhart.

“Without this service, over a thousand customers each month would have to find their own method of transport between the villages and Elgin. They’d have to rely on getting a lift from family or friends, or face the expense of a taxi.

“We’re committing to providing this service – which we’ll review yearly - to reduce social isolation and ensure our residents retain their independence.”

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Famous for its colony of dolphins, fabulous beaches and more malt whisky distilleries than any where else in Scotland, Moray is a thriving area and a great place to live. Nestling between Aberdeenshire and the Highlands, Moray stretches from Tomintoul in the south to the shores of the Moray Firth, from Keith in the east to Brodie Castle in the west.