X53 Stirling–Kinross Explained

Number:X53
Operator:First Scotland East
Start:Stirling
End:Kinross

The X53 was a bus service between Stirling and Kinross, Scotland.

History

The route was introduced on 14 September 2020 as a partial replacement of the withdrawn 23 Stirling–St Andrews route operated by Stagecoach.[1]

In November 2021, First announced that the route would be suspended in January unless more drivers became available to operate it.[2] [3] In early December, a local MSP Mark Ruskell met with First to discuss the withdrawal of the route. First continued to cite a lack of drivers as the reason for withdrawal.[4] On 15 December 2021, the planned withdrawal of the route was discussed during a debate in the Scottish Parliament.[5] However, on 20 December, First Bus confirmed that the route would be withdrawn as planned.[6] [7] The route was suspended on 10 January 2022 during a timetable change that also saw the frequency of other routes reduced from half-hourly to hourly.[8] [9]

A temporary service, numbered 202, was introduced by Perth and Kinross Council and Bay Travel on 10 January.[10] It runs between Kinross and Tillicoultry, where passengers can change for the First Bus service 52 to Stirling. The route will operate until March, at which time Bay Travel will assess the viability of continuing the service.[11] [12]

Operation

The route was operated commercially by First. It had a frequency of approximately one bus every two hours.

References

  1. Web site: Bakonyi. Rajmund. 2020-08-24. First Bus to cover axed Hillfoots route with X53 new service. live. 2022-01-12. Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser. en. 14 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210614163237/https://www.alloaadvertiser.com/news/18671863.first-bus-cover-axed-hillfoots-route-x53-new-service/.
  2. Web site: Duncan. Emma. 2021-11-03. Driver shortages force suspension of buses in Perth and Kinross-shire. live. 2022-01-12. The Courier. en-GB. 11 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211111144741/https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/perth-kinross/2704065/kinross-bus-service-axe/.
  3. Web site: Duncan. Emma. 2021-11-29. X53: Suspension of Kinross-shire bus service 'will leave people isolated'. live. 2022-01-12. The Courier. en-GB. 7 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220107031748/https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/perth-kinross/2767557/x53-bus-suspension-kinross-shire-isolated/.
  4. Web site: Scott. Katy. 2021-12-08. X53: MSP meets First over plans to cut 'essential' Kinross-shire bus service. live. 2022-01-12. The Courier. en-GB. 6 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220106214943/https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/perth-kinross/2798994/msp-meets-first-plans-cut-x53-bus/.
  5. Web site: Vance. Ciaran. 2021-12-17. Debate over future of X53 bus service heard at Scottish Parliament. live. 2022-01-12. Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser. en. 18 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211218114923/https://www.alloaadvertiser.com/news/19792436.debate-future-x53-bus-service-heard-holyrood/.
  6. Web site: Bonn. Melanie. 2021-12-23. 'Lifeline' Kinross-shire bus service to be scrapped despite community backlash. 2022-01-12. Daily Record. en. 24 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211224153642/https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/lifeline-kinross-shire-bus-service-25775708. live.
  7. Web site: Flett. Amie. 2021-12-21. First Bus confirms cancellation of 'lifeline' Kinross X53 bus route. live. 2022-01-12. The Courier. en-GB. 22 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222192601/https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/perth-kinross/2843196/first-bus-x53-cancelled/.
  8. Web site: Borovská. Simi. 2022-01-09. First Bus will ruin Stirling and this planet. 2022-01-12. Brig Newspaper. en-US. 10 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220110100649/https://brignews.com/2022/01/09/first-bus-will-ruin-stirling-and-this-planet/. live.
  9. Web site: McFarlane. Stuart. 2021-11-26. Hundreds sign petition to save X53 service set for New Year withdrawal. 2022-01-12. Daily Record. en. 26 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211126120229/https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/hundreds-sign-petition-save-x53-25552537. live.
  10. Web site: Flett. Amie. 2022-01-11. New bus launched to replace axed 'lifeline' Kinross-shire X53 service. live. 2022-01-12. The Courier. en-GB. 11 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220111152841/https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/perth-kinross/2898054/new-bus-kinross-shire/.
  11. Web site: Vance. Ciaran. 2022-01-12. Bay Travel set up new Hillfoots bus route to replace X53. live. 2022-01-12. Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser. en. 10 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220110131622/https://www.alloaadvertiser.com/news/19829853.bay-travel-set-hillfoots-bus-route-replace-x53/.
  12. Web site: 2022-01-10. Perth & Kinross Council Twitter post. live. 2022-01-13. Twitter. en. 10 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220110083213/https://twitter.com/PerthandKinross/status/1480457382710824960.

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