Campaign launched to bring back x76 direct bus service from Cumnock to Glasgow

The Bring Back Our Bus initiative wants to stop the town feeling so cut off by returning the X76 to help create better links to the central belt.

It comes after the route was axed by Stagecoach last year leaving residents feeling isolated and stranded.

The Cumnock Chronicle asked online what residents thought about the service being thrown out and were overwhelmed with responses from furious residents who want it back.

In December 2016 the X76 was introduced with a fleet of new coaches operating between Cumnock and Glasgow.

But the direct route was scrapped after the bus company claimed within the first year of the X76 less than 5.8 per cent of customer journeys on the started at any point before Kilmarnock towards Glasgow and ended at any point after Kilmarnock from Glasgow.

Now residents feel at a disadvantage as without a bus service or train station it makes it very difficult to work and travel to the city centre.

It means they have to catch connections which means long waiting times and if one service is delayed throwing off their whole journey.

Local residents have tr ied campaigning in the past with the Bring Back the X76 Facebook page trying to return the service since it was axed.

A petition has also been launched by a concerned mum which has been raking up the signatures of people who feel lost without the bus.

The campaign will write about the impact the axe of the service has had on the community.

If you have been affected by the service being cancelled get in touch with the Chronicle on 01294 447546.

A spokesperson for Stagecoach West Scotland advised "We monitor passenger journey patterns on all of our services. Having looked at passenger numbers from the A76 corridor to Glasgow on the X76 over a period of 18 months to August 2018 the demand was low with most passengers travelling only to and from points South of Kilmarnock or to and from Kilmarnock Bus Station.

"For these shorter local trips on the A76 corridor our passengers required local service buses and not coaches. We have continued to monitor passenger journeys since the initial change in August 2018 and travel patterns have remained in line with the 18 months prior. We have made a number of minor timing changes to improve punctuality, however the low level of demand for through travel from Cumnock and the A76 corridor to Glasgow would not allow us to re introduce the previous journey pattern and operate this sustainably with appropriate vehicles.

"As such a change of buses at Kilmarnock Bus Station, for the small proportion of through passengers, remains the most appropriate service. Operating unsustainable services would impact on the wider network of services and would be disproportionate to the long term pattern of passenger demand." 

The Chronicle has asked Stagecoach to supply these findings and surveys.