Current local public transport services overview

For the majority of the residents of Dumfries and Galloway the preferred mode of transport is the private cars. However some 25 % of regions residents do not have access to a car at all, and a further 35 % do not have access during the main part of the day. Public transport services are therefore vitally important in providing accessibility to jobs, education, heath provision and other basic services. A comprehensive network of local bus services operated by SWestrans involving some 158 contracts with an annual value of some 3,5 million pounds.

Dumfries and Galloway: Whithorn in the South Machars

Notwithstanding recent improvements, by national standards there is relatively poor access to frequent bus services in Dumfries and Galloway. Only 8% of people living in the area have access to more than three buses per hour, compared to the national average of 47 %, and 55 % have at least an hourly service compared to 71% across Scotland as a whole. Again, this appears to reflect the largely rural nature of the region. There are also very low levels of bus use in the area with only 12% of people frequent users of the bus (people using bus services more than twice a week) compared to 24% nationally. 72 % of residents in the area never use a bus service compares to 56% nationally.

12% of people in Dumfries and Galloway perceive public transport to be inconvenient in comparison to 9% nationally, while 7% perceive the quality of public transport to be good, compared to 19% in Scotland as a whole. This is an improvement in perception from previous years, both regionally and nationally and may reflect recent improvements including investment in public transport, such as innovative Demand Responsive Services.

Current challenges

The current transport situation in Dumfries and Galloway is typical of a largely rural area. Car ownership and use is higher than the national average, whilst the modal share for public transport, walking and cycling is correspondingly low. Should car dependency in the region become any more entrenched, the viability of rural bus and train services could be threatened and localised problems of congestion and pollution, especially around and within the principal towns, will worsen.

---

There are community transport initiatives ongoing in the region. Further on Dumfries and Galloway Council will consider Community Transport provision to meet the needs of regions residents in instances where conventional bus service provision is not viable, necessary or affordable, and the need has been demonstrated. There are currently trialling an arrangement whereby a local school contract is being operated by a community transport group, bringing it a regular income stream.

---

Dumfries and Galloway Council together with SWestrans have been trialing Demand Responsive Bus services for 5 years now, and currently they have five DRT busses in total. DRT services are cost-effective means of assisting accessibility and inclusion in some of regions remote or outlying areas. In future greater focus is needed to health and day care transport services. There are ongoing discussions concerning changes in patient transport arrangements. Another priority area in Dumfries and Galloway is work commuting. There are also a number of initiatives ongoing with bus operators. One example of broad viewed experiments is car/cycling/walking initiative.

---

The work done in Dumfries and Galloway has been recognised nationally, through two recent awards: Scottish Transport Awards - Rural Transport Authority (2004), Nationally Transport Awards - Best Bus Service (2006)

---

Lead Officer John Nelson +44 1387 260 141 firstname.surname@dumgal.gov.uk

---