Fresh calls have been made to reinstall the X76 bus between Cumnock and Glasgow.

The service was axed back in 2018, leading to a public outcry at the decision and a petition which racked up more than 670 signatures. 

The Chronicle even launched its Bring Back Our Bus campaign to return the service after its termination made the town feel cut off and isolated.

Stagecoach claimed at the time that the bus route was axed due to a ‘low demand’ and not enough interest in the bus.

College student Conol Healy, who lives in Auchinleck, is now fronting a new fight to bring the bus back into service. 

He said: "I'm a student at the City of Glasgow College and the train is expensive and does not run often. 

"The bus is free and there are maybe only six trains a day to Glasgow that run, so it's a big issue for people. 

"A lot of people in Auchinleck and the surrounding area want to go to further education but can't access it because Glasgow is so hard to get to.

"I have set up a new petition for people to sign, and hopefully we can generate some support and see if Stagecoach will listen."

Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, has also thrown her weight behind Conol's renewed campaign. 

She said: “The X76 bus provided a vital service in an area where affordable transport is severely lacking.

"Cumnock does not have a bus route to Glasgow nor a train station. In any other country of our size across Europe this would not be acceptable for such an important town.

“I fully back any campaign to bring back the X76 and many constituents have contacted me about this issue.”

You can sign the new petition at www.change.org/p/bring-back-the-x76-cumnock-to-glasgow.

Stagecoach has been approached for comment.