VILLAGERS in Charlestown are in despair at proposals to cut the number 6 Stagecoach bus to Dunfermline.

The bus travels from Crombie through Charlestown and Limekilns and residents in the villages say they are distraught at the thought of the service being removed.

Stagecoach East Scotland has stated it intends to withdraw the service by September but will continue to run school bus services on the route.

SNP politicians Douglas Chapman MP and councillor for Rosyth Sharon Green-Wilson visited Charlestown residents Edwin and Sarah Glennie, who rely on the bus for dental appointments among other things.

Edwin, who is a carer to Sarah, who has MS, said: "We need this service to get to and from the town centre to get Sarah out to her appointments.

“It is so important that we get there and without the no.6 bus we will have no other option but to take a taxi out, which will be very expensive for us.

“Stagecoach need to listen to people like us who rely on the service for vital medical treatment in the town centre and without it we could be forced to fork out hundreds of pounds a month to get into Dunfermline and home again.

“They should put people ahead of profit and keep the service in place.”

Cllr Green-Wilson said: "Sara and Edwin's plight is typical of a huge number of calls I have received.

"Cutting the bus service will primarily affect vulnerable and socially-isolated residents. This is unacceptable.

“We have a duty of care to people, and transport links cannot be judged on profit alone.

"I urge Stagecoach and Fife Council to work together to find a solution."

Douglas Chapman, MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, added: “I have already written to Stagecoach about this matter and to highlight situations like Sara and Edwin’s, people need this service to access vital care and it will be a travesty for them if it were to come to an end.

“I hope Stagecoach will continue to engage with the community as a consultation process continues and we can find a solution for the no.6 bus.”

Stagecoach have stated online that they're proposing to withdraw the service as it was under-performing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and, despite interventions to make the service more attractive, it remains unpopular.

A spokesperson for Stagecoach East Scotland said: “We understand the concern from those who rely on this service and it is never an easy decision to make when looking to close a route.

"However, service 6 continues to operate at a significant loss, resulting in us no longer being able to commercially run this service.

"We have trialled initiatives with the local community in recent years such as using smaller buses and revising the route but unfortunately this did not achieve any growth in passenger numbers.”