BUS service changes which got on the road in West Fife this week have seen concerns raised over alterations made to routes serving Dunfermline's East Baldridge Drive area.

Stagecoach East Scotland introduced several changes to their timetable on Monday.

The alterations have seen the 1 and 1A service now terminating at James Street and the revision of the 84 route so it will now cover Parkneuk, East Baldridge Drive, Wellwood, Dunfermline bus station and Izatt Avenue.

Two residents living near East Baldridge Drive have contacted the Press to express their concern about the changes.

Joan Reid, who lives in Spowart Drive, said the withdrawal of a service at 8.50am will be felt by locals as well as the lack of buses in the afternoon.

"My daughter used the 8.50am bus and now she has to get one at half eight or half nine," she explained. "It is going to affect a lot of people and people don't know it is changing.

"I can see why they are making it hourly instead of half hourly after 9am but then you have got nothing bringing you back from 1.55pm until 4.55pm. I know it is because of the schools contract but even so.

"This is whole new development at the top of East Baldridge. We had quite an acceptable service and here we go again, we are being left. I know Bay Travel, through the council, run a bus to Parkneuk which is one side of us and I believe Wellwood. We are like a donkey in the middle, we get absolutely nothing.

"Folk might want to get the bus to Dunfermline on a Sunday but we have got nothing on Sundays either."

Irene Gardiner, who uses buses daily to get to her parents' house as she is a full time carer for them, had feared that as well as her having to get two buses and not being able to get back in the afternoon, she would also have to pay double as she needs to use a Stagecoach and Bay travel bus.

Fife Council have since confirmed her weekly ticket would be accepted on the Bay Travel service too.

"The fact that i can now use my weekly stagecoach ticket on Bay Travel is fantastic news," she said. "However the problem for me and many of my neighbours is that we cannot get home in an afternoon!

"Its an hourly service that stops for three hours between 1.55pm until 4:55pm. Also there is no bus in the evenings after 5.55pm or on a Sunday, which I believe Parkneuk and Wellwood have.

Hopefully this will change in the near future although I very much doubt it."

A Stagecoach East Scotland spokesperson said: "The service change to the 1/1A, which operates via East Baldridge Drive, currently is a commercial route operated by Stagecoach and is being removed from this area due to low usage. Service 84 will offer an alternative, albeit a reduced frequency which better matches customer numbers. This restores the hourly service which was in place until 7th November last year.

"The removal of service 1/1A from Wellwood is due to access issues for our vehicles, however, services 83 (operated by Bay Travel), 84 and the 28 will offer alternatives. These changes will take place on Monday, August 14."

Derek Beveridge, Fife Council's Lead Consultant for passenger transport, said: "Local bus services play an important part in local communities, for those who don't have a car or who prefer to leave their car at home.

"I'm pleased that Stagecoach and Bay Travel have agreed that anyone with a valid multi-ride Stagecoach ticket can use it on Bay Travel buses on routes 83 and 87 in Dunfermline.

"When Stagecoach advised us of changes to their commercial network within the East Baldrige area, we agreed with them to divert service 84 which runs from Parkneuk via East Baldridge and Wellwood to maintain a service in the area. "This includes an arrival at the bus station for around 8.30am, for those working in the city centre or for onward travel.

"We understand that the changes might not be as convenient for everyone as before. We'll continue to collate feedback from customers and liaise with the bus companies about the services being provided."