Cancelled rural bus service to relaunch next month after residents' campaign to maintain route

A new council-run trial of a popular rural Stirling service is set to be launched next month as residents admit their relief.

The future of the C60 service which operates between Callander and Killin was placed in jeopardy after being axed in March following previous operator Kingshouse Travel’s decision to pull out citing staffing issues.

But a major community campaign designed to save the bus led council chiefs to put forward options designed at preserving the route - with councillors then giving the green light for a two-year trial of an in-house replacement.

That service has now been formally confirmed as the new C60 timetable has now been published and the first buses will depart on July 1.

The C60 will run between Station Road in Killin and the health centre in Callander, with stop-offs in Lochearnhead, Strathyre and Kilmahog set out for the route. It will operate four times a day Monday to Friday in both directions, with the first service of the day leaving Callander at 5.56am and the final bus leaving Killin at 6.45pm.

On Saturdays, there will also be four buses running per day in both directions.

The first service will leave from Callander at 8.50am and the final bus will set off from Killin at 6.42pm.

A group of Killin residents involved with the ‘Keep the Bus’ campaign told the Observer: “After a successful campaign, village residents are eagerly awaiting July 1 to see connectivity restored from Killin to Callander, Stirling, Tyndrum and beyond.

“Our relatively small community consists of many who rely on the bus service for both personal and professional reasons, and, alongside increased seasonal demands, we must thank Stirling Council for recognising this and pursuing options that have led to this reinstatement.

“While levels of support remain difficult to predict from Killin alone, it must be noted that this key service also provides connectivity for local communities and tourists between Tyndrum, Crianlarich, Luib, Lochearnhead, Kingshouse and Strathyre.”

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The move to introduce the pilot was “welcomed” by local councillors Gene Maxwell and Martin Earl - with Stirling Council leader Chris Kane also hailing the importance of the move in connecting the region’s rural communities.

Mid Scotland and Fife Green MSP Mark Ruskell said following the publication of the timetable: “It’s brilliant news to see the new timetable for the C60 service, proof in print that our bus will be back up and running from July 1.

“Communities fought hard to save this lifeline bus service, persuading Stirling Council to run the route for a two-year pilot.

“Now, the council must now work with passengers to design a bus service that meets the needs of the communities it serves.

“All across Scotland, rural councils are working with communities to invest in and deliver sustainable bus services using all the tools available to them.

“Unfortunately, that work has barely even begun in Stirling, leaving services like the C60 at risk of cuts.

“It’s time for a radical rethink of how we run our buses across the whole Stirling area.

“I urge the council to get on the front foot, pioneer new ways of bringing better buses to communities, and deliver the high quality public transport network folks across Stirling desperately need.”