Rural Stirlingshire bus upgrades

[CMBS]

It appears that rural Stirlingshire is getting much needed bus upgrades, with two new routes giving Kinlochard, Croftamie and Fintry a bus service and connecting Drymen to Balfron for connections onto Stirling and Glasgow.

C61 - Callander - Kinlochard

Stirling Council

bustimes.org

C62 - Croftamie - Kippen

Stirling Council

bustimes.org

I wouldn't believe that the C60 is being extended to Tyndrum at this point since the Tyndrum-Killin/Callander/Stirling corridor is now and has been for the past one or two years been decently well covered by both Scottish Citylink and Ember.

No Saturday services are being provided.

I would guess this be a reaction to the council unable to find operators to run the local DRT services in the area, which in itself the network is a mess. However, I don't know anything else at the moment.

 

[davp]

Sure, good to see connections, but 4 buses a day to Kinlochard (580 people) and six per day from Drymen (~ 800) seems generous. Drymen folks already have a connection to Glasgow via Balloch. The Callendar to Aberfoyle corridor is already well served and one of their journeys precedes the Midland bus by several minutes. I would imagine car ownership is high in this area.

As you say there is no great case to extend the C60 to Crianlarich and Tyndrum.

It's a shame DRT has failed in rural Stirlingshire. As someone who visits rather than lives there, DRT has a lot more to offer.

 

[Voyager lad]

As someone originally from the area, I really feel that the C62 doesn’t quite get the Fintry market right. I feel the better way to have served Fintry would be a route either Kippen - Fintry - Lennoxtown - Kirkintilloch - Lenzie Station, or Kippen - Fintry - Killearn - Strathblane - Milngavie Station. Either option would provide a link into the rail network (either Lenzie or Milngavie), as well as maintaining onward links to Stirling by bus at Kippen, and to Glasgow also by bus.

Although for me personally a Fintry - Kirkintilloch link would’ve been best, the Crow Road over the Campsies can be treacherous at times, in fact I’m not sure if there’s ever been a bus over that road.

 

[alphabravo43]

As someone originally from the area, I really feel that the C62 doesn’t quite get the Fintry market right. I feel the better way to have served Fintry would be a route either Kippen - Fintry - Lennoxtown - Kirkintilloch - Lenzie Station, or Kippen - Fintry - Killearn - Strathblane - Milngavie Station. Either option would provide a link into the rail network (either Lenzie or Milngavie), as well as maintaining onward links to Stirling by bus at Kippen, and to Glasgow also by bus.

Although for me personally a Fintry - Kirkintilloch link would’ve been best, the Crow Road over the Campsies can be treacherous at times, in fact I’m not sure if there’s ever been a bus over that road.

Though (as someone else also originally from the area) these would be more logical connections but they are outwith the Stirling Council area and couldn't be funded for those sections by Stirling Council. For too long the whole area has been neglected by public transport which has driven up car ownership and use. Even the basic sunday service on the 10 has had to be fought for this time around to be kept.

 

[matchmaker]

The C61 might be handy for staff at MacDonald Forest Hills.

 

[CMBS]

The C61, and presumably the C62 will be demand responsive, and confirms my prediction of replacing the DRT services.
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/5446854/new-callander-aberfoyle-bus/

The route between Aberfoyle and Kinlochard is on demand, so will only operate if pre-booked.