Findhorn and Kinloss residents celebrate return of Stagecoach North bus service to Forres

A 90-year-old woman who has had to rely on lifts from friends was thrilled to board a reinstated bus service that allows her to get to town independently again.

Jean Allan, who lives on Cromarty Court in Findhorn, was part of a group of 10 villagers boarding the first reinstated service on its way to Forres via Kinloss at 11am on Monday, October 27.

Jean confirmed she was greatly affected when the connection via Kinloss to Forres was cancelled by Stagecoach North last August due to “dwindling passenger numbers”.

She said: “The bus is my lifeline and I have missed it greatly, not least the social interaction. I'm looking forward to reclaiming my independence!"

She added: “I used the bus two or three times-a-week for everything including shopping and going to Elgin as I’ve no car or family here.

“I was devastated when the service was removed - I’ve been relying on good friends to give me lifts.”

The group, plus one additional passenger from Forres, cheered as the bus rounded the corner in the centre of the village and approached the stop as scheduled, with two passengers already on board.

With the driver’s permission, a group spokeswoman - who wished to remain unnamed - quickly pinned a ribbon across the open door for Jean to pass through to more cheers.

After proclaiming the service open, the spokeswoman told the Gazette: “Anyone I talk to here has been just like me, forced to rely on friends or taxis to get to town when the service was removed.

“The reinstatement will make a big difference to our finances and our wellbeing.”

The other group members also wished to remain nameless.

One said: “The authorities talked about preventing loneliness then allowed our public bus service to be taken away! Amongst other benefits, it stops folk in our rural community from becoming lonely.”

Another woman said she took the bus a few times-a-month to Forres and Elgin for shopping and the cinema, as well as onward train services.

She added: “When the service was removed, life became incredibly difficult for many villagers.”

Finally, another woman in the group claimed the reintroduction after 14 months was “long overdue”.

She said: “We use the bus to pick up prescriptions and for visits to the dentist. Our grandchildren in Forres use it to visit us so they’ve missed it too.

“My neighbour is in her eighties - she moved to Findhorn just before the service was stopped. It completely took away her independence and she was very upset.”

She added: “It’s strange that Stagecoach are reintroducing the service now, after the summer!”

Stagecoach North Scotland confirmed the 11am service from Findhorn to Forres yesterday morning marked the return of the route.

A spokesperson said: “We are very pleased to see local passengers back on board.

“We will continue to closely monitor customer demand over the coming weeks as part of our regular review process, working with partners to ensure services reflect local travel needs.

“We’re committed to supporting sustainable public transport links for the community and, where there is clear and consistent demand, we will look at opportunities to further enhance the timetable in future."

For more information visit https://www.stagecoachbus.com/regional-service-updates/north-scotland/moray