Two-Year Council Pilot Proposed to Fund C60 Service – Connecting to Stirling for 9am

Local politicians have backed Stirling Council proposals for a subsidised bus service between Killin and Callander, connecting rural villages back into Stirling’s wider public transport network.

Kingshouse Travel concluded their contract on March 31, with the Council unable to find a replacement provider. Local residents and businesses have organised a grassroots campaign to lobby the Council to restore services – stating how vital the link is for commuting, tourism and accessing public services.

Proposals due before the Labour-led Stirling Council this Thursday include an option to resume four return services a day, with a goal to ensure onward connections which will allow passengers to travel from Killin to Stirling for a typical 9am start at their place of work.

Trossachs and Teith Ward Councillor Gene Maxwell said:

‘Transport connectivity is absolutely vital if we want to keep our rural communities alive, and I was disappointed we reached the point where no public transport service at all was available in a huge swathe of my ward. I’m heartened to see the fierce community campaign to right this wrong, and offer my full support to a proposal coming before full Council for a two-year pilot programme. 

‘We must get smarter about service delivery in our rural areas, which make up a large proportion of Stirling’s overall population and landmass. Too often we feel forgotten and left behind, and the restoration of this bus service must be the start of a much wider conversation about how Stirling Council services all residents and communities fairly. I urge Labour to get behind these plans.’

Forth and Endrick Councillor Rosemary Fraser said:

‘As a Councillor who also represents Stirling’s rural communities, I know first-hand the woeful public transport provision available across my ward. I wish this pilot the very best of luck, and hope lessons learned from it can enable more pilots and Council-services to benefit my residents too. If we’ve any hope of tackling the climate crisis, we can’t afford to leave behind our rural communities.’

Local MP Alyn Smith said:

‘Communities want to be heard, and the Save the Bus campaign has been a fantastic example of local activism and campaigning. The closures of banks and post offices in our rural communities over the years, along with the ongoing cost of living crisis, has only increased the importance of decent transport links. I’m pleased to see these proposals cross the desks of our Councillors, and trust they will do right by their constituents and the people of Stirling and act swiftly to restore this important service.’