STAGECOACH are inviting community groups, local authorities and customers from across South and East Ayrshire to provide feedback on new bus timetable proposals.

The changes are planned to commence on Sunday, August 13.

The timetable changes are being proposed due to a significant change in the pattern of demand for bus services.  

A summary of the service changes are as follows: 

Changes to services 1, 8 and 9 in South Ayr - these services, whilst providing a vital link for some, are lightly used. 

It is proposed to operate a combined hourly service 1 from Hillfoot/Masonhill to Ayr with the bus serving Glencairn Road rather than Caledonia Road. 

Doonfoot would be served from Ayr on an hourly basis by the 9. 

The service 8 which currently serves The Loaning from Ayr would be withdrawn and replaced by diverting the 58/60 via The Loaning on a half hourly basis providing The Loaning with twice as many journeys compared to the current service 8.

Service 14 - due to traffic congestion in Prestwick, an additional bus will be be introduced on the service 14 from June 5, at a cost of £120,000 per year. 

This should improve the punctuality of this service in the short term but will also undermine its longer term viability. 

Therefore, from August, the number 14 service will operate on a half hourly basis between Ayr,Troon and Barassie but will not serve Monkton or Irvine. 

A separate hourly service will be launched between Troon and Irvine. 

There will also be considerable changes to Stagecoach services 2 and 3, services 42, 43 and 43A and the X77 service.

There will be meetings held for residents to attend for any concerns or questions they may have.

They are:

Dumfries Arms Hotel, Cumnock, Tuesday, June 6 from 1pm – 7pm, 
Ayr Town Hall, Ayr, Friday, June 9 from 1pm – 6pm, 
Henrietta Street Hall, Girvan, Tuesday, June 13 from 11am – 1pm 
and the Carrick Centre, Maybole, Tuesday, June 13 from 2.30pm – 6.30pm.

Tom Bridge, managing director for Stagecoach West Scotland said: “We have seen some big changes in our customers travel patterns in the last two years because of things like internet shopping, working from home and traffic congestion in our towns and cities.  

“We have to adapt to these changes and that is why we are consulting on these proposals. 

“We want our customers and other local stakeholders to help us shape a network of services in South and East Ayrshire that best serves the current and future needs of local workers, students, job seekers, retired people and visitors.”