Changes to one of the bus routes on Bute will come into force from Sunday 10 July 2011. The 488 service Rothesay, Guildford Square and Canada Hill will only run on schooldays at 0838 and 1455 from Rothesay’s Guildford Square. Three summer journeys at 1255, 1455 and 1655 which operate Monday to Saturday from Guildford Square between the end of March and the beginning of October have been stopped. The route was funded by Argyll and Bute Council and operated by West Coast Motors. Stopping the three summer journeys on the 488 service will save more than £5,000 a year.

The route serves the Roseland caravan park on Canada Hill and houses on Eastlands Road but has seen a decline in the number of passengers in recent years with the majority being school pupils. The caravan park is a short walk from The Bush where there is a twice hourly bus service to the town centre. Eastlands Road is a short walk from Mount Stuart Road where there is an hourly bus service to town.

Transport Spokesman, Councillor Duncan MacIntyre said “I’m sorry the service has been reduced. There were some difficult decisions to make on how to make savings on public transport in Argyll and Bute. I’m pleased there are alternative options for passengers and would encourage people to look at the council’s website to make a note of the changes.”

After the School and Public Transport Review and savings agreed by the Council in February 2011 the transport budgets were reduced from £726,035 to £275,000. The decision on which council supported bus services would no longer be funded was made by the Council’s Executive in April.

Timetables at bus stop information panels on the council’s website, www.argyll-bute.gov.uk , will be updated as soon as possible. Up to date information is also available from Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.