Transport / New bus contracts will include more evening and Sunday runs
THERE will be additions to Shetland’s public bus service – including evening runs to the West and North Mainland – once new contracts begin later this year.
The new services incorporate changes as a result of community feedback on the future of the bus network.
Contracts now have been awarded to local bus operators to deliver the new network from 17 August.
This follows the recent approval of business cases for the new contracts by both Shetland Islands Council and the board of ZetTrans, Shetland’s regional transport partnership.
The council said there had been “extensive stakeholder engagement”, with almost 1,000 responses received from individuals, community councils, businesses, voluntary groups and the Youth Voice organisation.
The additions include the introduction of evening services to the West and North Mainland, departing Lerwick shortly after 7pm.
There will also be the introduction of Sunday services for these areas and the North Isles.
Shetland Islands Council said these new services will “enable travel to and from Lerwick, to attend events, sporting opportunities and to visit family and friends”.
The corresponding journeys will be timed to enable travel for NorthLink Ferries arrivals and departures.
The council said it will also be possible to access some of the existing Sunday services which provide access to Sumburgh Airport.
There will also be some alterations to existing services, addressing some of the issues raised through feedback, including an afternoon service through Mossbank and the introduction of a bookable service from Nesting and Vidlin areas to the Brae Health Centre.
The new service contracts and timetables across the overall network are expected to yield future financial savings to Shetland Islands Council.
Detailed public information of the new journeys and service alterations will be available soon, both electronically and in paper formats, before their introduction in August.
Councillor Moraig Lyall, who chairs the council’s environment and transport committee, and ZetTrans, said: “I am delighted to see new services being added to the public network.
“This follows extensive work undertaken to look at the overall bus network, and the quantity of feedback received demonstrates the continued need for a widespread and sustainable network, capable of enabling access to services and opportunities.
“This enhanced network delivers on those identified needs, and within the available budget, making bus travel a more feasible option for travellers across Shetland.”
The local Greens meanwhile have hailed the expansion of services.
Shetland’s Green councillor Alex Armitage previously successfully proposed a pilot of 7pm runs to the South Mainland, which has informed the addition of new evening services.
“I’m pleased to see this expansion of bus services which is being delivered despite the difficult financial climate that we find ourselves in,” he said.
“I hugely appreciate the young people who campaigned so effectively for this improvement, particularly the Shetland Youth Voice and the Shetland Youth Bus Campaign.
“Thanks also to the SIC transport planning officers Michael Craigie and Elaine Park, as well as councillor Moraig Lyall who worked hard to deliver this.
“As a Green, I support the principles of private sufficiency and public luxury; from a transport perspective, that means making it easier and cheaper to get around by bus and ferry.
“Better public transport is good for the climate, good for the economy, and good for folk that are hard up and struggling with the cost of living. These are absolutely the right things for the council to be investing its resources into”.
Talitha Lee, who is a Shetland Young Green member and Lerwick community councillor, said: “Buses are a lifeline for so may of us in Shetland and I’m so pleased to see this expansion of bus services; it has demonstrated the value of young people’s voices, as well as having Greens in the council chamber.
“We’re not going to stop here, we’ll keep campaigning for more accessible and frequent public transport everywhere in Shetland.”
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