Bus companies cut their cuts

It would appear that both Stagecoach & First bus have partly backed down from withdrawing some of the routes that they had planned from next month. First Midland Bluebird will partially replace service X86 with a new Service 4B linking Kilsyth, Banton, Banknock, Bonnybridge and Falkirk. This service will also offer a new link to Croy Railway station and extend across Falkirk to Falkirk Stadium and Grangemouth. The 4B Service will operate every hour Monday to Saturday daytime. Passengers for Forth Valley Royal Hospital will be able to change at Camelon to service 38/38A. Passengers travelling to Kirkintilloch, Bisopbriggs and Glasgow will be able to change to First Glasgow service 89 at Kilsyth.
Service 60 will operate half hourly between Clackmannan and Alloa to connect with the improved 62/63 Services (previously ran to Stirling, and hourly to Forth Valley Royal Hospital and Stenhousemuir).
First  will also implement proposals to run an hourly Service 7 linking Falkirk with Stenhousemuir Asda via Antonshill on Monday to Saturday. 　
Further changes have still be be announced in the Stirling area, where First have registered a number of variations to service 54.
Stagecoach have revised proposals for service 8 to operate every 30 minutes from Dunfermline bus station to Culross, with one journey per hour extending to Kincardine, Clackmannan and Alloa. (Previously ran to Stirling)
Saline & Steelend Service 6 is also reprieved, and will be revised to operate as an Oakley – Saline – Steelend – Wellwood – Dunfermline – Limekilns – Crombie service operating every hour during the majority of the day, with an additional early morning journey in to Dunfermline to enable better connections to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Kirkcaldy.
Further information may be available at public meetings being held next week with council and bus company offoicials  , as detailed below  :
Tuesday 19 July 10:00 - 14:00 at Clackmannan Town Hall
Wednesday 20 July 18:00 - 20:00 at Clackmannan Town Hall
Thursday 21 July 14:00 - 19:00 at Stirling Bus Station

Public Meetings to discus bus cuts in Clackmannanshire

From the council website :

Withdrawal and Reduction in First and Stagecoach Services
Bus users should be aware that from 15th August 2016 First and Stagecoach intent to withdraw or reduce a number of services in the Clackmannanshire area. These services include the 8, 23, 60, 62 and 63. Bus users are urged to attend the public meetings being held in Clackmannan and Stirling as follows:
Tuesday 19 July 10:00 - 14:00 at Clackmannan Town Hall
Wednesday 20 July 18:00 - 20:00 at Clackmannan Town Hall
Thursday 21 July 14:00 - 19:00 at Stirling Bus Station

Scotrail dispute cancels Alloa trains

The RMT union have announced a series of train guard strikes in their long running dispute with Scotrail over Driver Only Operations.  The strike has been festering for some months, leading to unofficial action by crews leading to widespread cancellations of services, especially on Sundays.
In the Forth Valley no Alloa to Glasgow services have run on the past three Sundays, and Scotrail have already withdrawn all Alloa services this coming Sunday again.
Then official industrial action will afffect journeys on Tuesday 21st,Thursday 23rd and Saturday 25th June, and the following four Sundays (including the last day of The Open Golf at Troon). Whilst Scotrail hope to run some services, notably Glasgow-Aberdeen, Glasgow -Edinburgh & Dunblane-Edinburgh, there will be no local Glasgow-Stirling/Alloa/Dunblane services, or Falkirk Grahamston- Anniesland services.
On top of all that, engineering work will mean no Alloa-Stirling trains for 8 days btween July 17th-24th.

Now Stagecoach weild the axe

Following on from First's high profile proposed cuts in Bus services across the Forth Valley, East Lothian and The Borders, Stagecoach have also released details of plans to cut services across Fife and Clackmannanshire.
It is proposed that the current Service 8 (Dunfermline-Stirling) will only operate between Dunfermline- Culross. This will leave no links between Kincardine & Valleyfield, Alloa or Stirling.
They also intend to cancel Service 6, the main service service Saline & Steelend.
Service 23 (Stirling-St Andrews) wil be reduced to just 4 return journeys a day, from the current 6.
On a more positive note, Stagecoach want to extend the X24 Glasgow Express to Glasgow Airport, giving an hourly service from Dunfermline & KIncardine.
They are just proposals at present, and the bus operator is talking with Fife Council regarding ways to cover some of the gaps.
Full details here 

Forth Valley hit hard by Scotrail staff crisis

Alloa-Glasgow were wiped out today as Scotrail cancelled in the region of 100 services due to staff shortages. A number of Dunblane/Stirling to Edinburgh and Dundee-Glasgow services were also cancelled. Scotrail had similar issues last year, and has since recruited 100 new drivers, yet are still having to cancel services on a widespread scale.

First slash services across East Central Scotland

First have announced plans to slash services across their South East & Central Scotland division.
The group were recently released from undertakings placed on the company 14 years ago when they aquired Stathclyde Buses following an investigation by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
Amongst the cuts announced this week are a complete withdrawel from East Lothian, and cuts to services across the Forth Valley and Borders areas, although no cuts are planned for West Lothian.
Midland Bluebird cuts include complete withdrawel of Service 60 (Clackmannan-Stirling-Stenhousemuir), and Services 24 & X86 from Stirling and Falkirk to Kilsyth, and reduced timetables & rerouting of other services  in the Alloa & Hillfoots (62/63) and West Stirlingshire (C11/12) areas.
First stress that their plans are purely consultative at present, hoping that local authorities will step in to subsidise the routes,  But the changes will be effected from August 15th.
Falkirk Council are also undertaking a retendering of their services, so further changes will be forthcoming there.

New One way system shifts buses

A new one way system in Stirling Town Centre is effective from Sunday, affecting Station Road and Murray Place. As a result bus services will serve new stops on Gooscroft Road instead of Murray Place after leaving the bus station. Journeys toward Stirling Bus Station will use new Murray Place stops.