Bid to save threatened community bus services
29 April 2024
A move to save vital community bus services facing the axe from comhairle budget
cuts will be made this week.
Councillors at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar voted 18-8 to cut £120,000 from the community
transport service with minibuses run by local groups - with Uist and Barra organisations
- where public service transport is most limited - taking the heaviest hit and may
mean potential redundancies it is feared.
SNP councillor Susan Thompson, who is standing as a candidate in the general election,
is now making a second attempt to save the service.
She lodged a motion on Tuesday, on behalf of the SNP Group, to allocate a minimum
of £120,000 from the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund to the community transport
service “in order to meet the vital needs for community transport in rural areas
throughout the Western Isles.” She urged councillors to support her move.
The Scottish Government scheme aims mitigate against some of the unique cost of living
challenges faced by people living on Scotland’s islands.
At council budget meetings in February, Ms Thompson argued against cutting the community
transport grant as well as other funding reductions including special education transport
but failed to gain sufficient support. A number of Uist and Barra councillors voted
to reduce funding to the service.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Barra councillors Kenneth J MacLean and Cllr Iain M MacLeod,
indicated they were also putting forward a motion to use £120,000 from the emergency
fund to continue community transport this year until a new proposed grant application-based
system for community transport is developed.
Tagsa Uibhist said its vital community transport service in Uist and Benbecula is
at risk with the comhairle cutting funding by more than 50% from this month.
The body slammed the “poor decision” which will deliver a negative impact on the
lives of vulnerable people in Uist.
Its service is a “lifeline” to people with mobility challenges, with health problems,
with low incomes, and who live far away from public transport routes.
Tagsa Uibhist provides a door-to-door service for people who do not have transport
and require assistance to medical appointments, to hospital, to education, shopping,
and social events, we collect medication and transport people to respite.
Voluntary Action Barra and Vatersay faces a 53% cut, reducing its grant funding by
a “significant drop” from £45,000 to £20,000.
The community Bus Bharraigh travels 50,000 miles annually, aiming to cover the gap
in the “very limited” public transport service assisting the “most vulnerable” people
including those with dementia, frail, or are elderly, as well as adults with learning
disabilities, physical impairment, and mental health problems to day care centres.
