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Fresh hope for Findhorn and Kinloss amid controversial bus cuts – as council draws up rescue plans

Elected members will see whether an alternative can be put in place amid drastic cuts to services between Elgin and Forres.

By Hazel Lawson, Local Democracy Reporter

August 7 2024, 4:29 pm

Moray Council's m.connect bus service will offer a lifeline to passengers in Findhorn and Kinloss who are facing cuts to Stagecoach routs to Forres, but not until April. Image Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

There is a glimmer hope for bus users in Findhorn and Kinloss as they face drastic cuts to services.

Stagecoach is axing its route connecting the communities with Forres, with the last bus running on Saturday, August 17.

And there will only be a morning and evening peak time service between Findhorn and Kinloss (with Elgin), instead of an hourly bus between 7am and 5.30pm.

However councillors are poised to see whether an alternative can be put in place…

What could be done to save Findhorn and Kinloss bus services?

Options up for discussion include extending the council’s m.connect service as part of a “bus revolution” project.

There are already plans to introduce a coastal bus from Lossiemouth to Findhorn, passing through Hopeman, Burghead, Roseisle and Kinloss.

And the new proposal is to extend that to include Forres as the final destination, making up for the Stagecoach blow.

But there is a catch.

That would not come into force until spring next year.

The second phase of Moray Growth Deal bus revolution using m.connect vehicles could be extended to run from Lossiemouth to Forres. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

Is there a quicker solution?

Another option is to extend m.connect’s “demand response” in the area, meaning passengers can contact the council to arrange door-to-door transport when they need it.

However that would depend on vehicle availability, and would mean recruiting more drivers.

That option would cost £29,500 annually for a weekday service, and could be in place by October.

Also up for consideration is a partial replacement service between Findhorn, Kinloss and Forres from Monday to Friday.

While it could be up and running in October it would cost over £45,000 a year.

What if the council can’t afford to help?

Moray Council needs to make £13 million in savings over the next two years, so spending plans are coming under increasing scrutiny.

Another, cheaper, option is to look at establishing a community-led bus service or tapping into an existing one.

But that is expected to take six to nine months to set up.

In their report, transport officer Donald MacRae said running rural bus services is challenging.

More dispersed communities means there are greater distances between people’s homes and the shops and services they need to access.

Stagecoach says the route between Findhorn and Forres is not commercially viable. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson

This then leads to higher costs for operators compared to urban areas.

Mr MacRae said: “Despite a clear desire across national and local policy-makers to see public transport use increase, the aspiration is challenging to meet – most especially in rural areas.”

Stagecoach is still running buses from Elgin via Duffus and Hopeman to Burghead.

But they say the section from Burghead to Forres, that goes through Kinloss and Findhorn, is being cut because it is not commercially viable.