This funding bid to the Green Living Fund, if successful, will materially help Auchterarder Community Bus Group (ACBuG) maintain at least a three-day a week timetable on the Auchterarder Town Bus Service from April 2024 for the subsequent 12 months. If sufficient funds can be generated a fourth day will be added.
Auchterarder Community Bus Group (ACBuG) was formed to address community concerns about a lack of public transport provision within the residential areas of Auchterarder. For a not insignificant proportion of the local community carrying out relatively straight forward daily activities, such as shopping or going to a medical appointment, was difficult or even impossible. Social isolation was clearly seen to be a real issue for some residents.
Since its launch the Town Bus Service has successfully helped an increasing number of residents to participate more fully in their community.
In early 2023 the ACBuG faced some significant financial challenges, and the Town Bus was only able to operate for two days a week from June 2023. Fortunately, with crucial funding support received from Friends of St Margaret’s, The National Lottery Community Fund and through the Perth & Kinross Warm Welcome Fund, amongst others, a four-day a week timetable was implemented from 06 November 2023 and will continue up to the end of March 2024.
The two-day operation saw the average number of daily journeys increase significantly, with an overall average of 56 passengers per day. Initial figures for the four-day timetable look encouraging and the usage target(s) will be reassessed to better reflect the enhanced timetable.
ACBuG believes that a three-day timetable offers a reasonable degree of accessibility for local residents to the shops and community facilities in central Auchterarder, as well as to the health and social care facilities at St Margaret’s; whilst this would be materially enhanced with the operation of a fourth day.
How the Town Bus helps improve quality of life in our community
Clearly the overarching aim of ACBuG has been to make our community more accessible, so that individuals do not find it as difficult to participate in community life.
Through on-going survey work, ACBuG has received numerous positive statements with accessibility to shops and other community facilities for those with no car or limited mobility an important benefit highlighted. Complementing accessibility, bus users also mentioned the bus providing them with independence to get out, including reducing isolation.
Whilst the Town Bus service is open to the whole community, our focus has been on assisting people in need by reason of age, ill-health, disability, or residential isolation.
The timetable and routing of the bus service, which operates hourly during the day, is intended to make it attractive and easy to use. ACBuG also offers one-to-one support to potential new users through Travel Assistance for Independent Mobility. An increasing number of residents with wheelchairs and other mobility aids regularly use the bus. With the bus operating on a ‘hail and ride’ basis, the driver can also be particularly sensitive to the mobility needs of passengers.
How does the bus help people in our community with the cost of living
The Town Bus is a registered local bus service and, as a result, most passengers travel free if they have a valid National Entitlement Card. For the elderly, people with a disability and young people under 22 years of age, this is important because it avoids any fiscal barrier to using the service. For those that must pay to use the Town Bus, a low flat fare of just £1.20 single applies to all journeys.
Location: The Town Bus links the housing areas to the south of the High Street/Townhead and to the north of Hunter Street, as well as Glenorchil, to the Town Centre and St Margaret's Health Centre/Hospital.
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