MCC has been advised by the landowner that work is due to commence on timber operations, in the area of the SSSI at Blairhill, at the beginning of next week, depending on the weather at this time.

The felling operation should take about two weeks to complete and the subsequent timber transport operations are due to start early in November. All operations should be complete by the middle of the month. The operator has been advised about the school start and finish times and transport operations will take place out with these times.

Following the completion of these operations, the landowner will ensure the track is restored.

Mike Wilson

Secretary – Muckhart Community Council

[email protected]

Please find below a link to the latest information, from NHS Forth Valley, regarding this year’s Flu Vaccination Programme:

Flu Vaccination Programme Update

There is also some  further information on the Dollar Health Centre web-site:

https://www.dollarhealthcentre.org.uk/

Mike Wilson

Secretary – Muckhart Community Council

[email protected]

You will be aware that the First Bus X53 service from Kinross to Stirling has now started running.

The timetables are available via the following links:

First_South-East-and-Central-Scotland_route_X53_Monday-to-Friday

First_South-East-and-Central-Scotland_route_X53_Saturday

First Midland announce service improvements

• Revised timetable on service 51 that will see two buses an hour extend through to connect Clackmannan with Alloa & Stirling
• Resumption of Uni link service timetable to coincide with new Stirling University term for students
• Stirling University night service reinstated with journeys operating between 2330 and 0115 (approx). Buses will now operate to Alexander Court instead of University Bus Hub. In Stirling City Centre, buses will now start and finish at Goosecroft Road
• First Midland are offering customers some great savings on a wide range of fares for the new service X53 which connects Stirling, Dollar, Tillicoultry and Kinross
• Customers can plan their journey, buy their ticket, track their bus and check its capacity in real time using the innovative First Bus app
• Customers can also choose the best time of day to travel when planning their trip using the new Space Checker tool from First Bus

First Midland are delighted to announce a number of service improvements as they start to move back towards a pre-covid offering of services from Sunday, September 13^th.

The local bus operator has announced the return of a number of services that were suspended at the beginning of lockdown with popular services such as the Uni Link set to return and the brand new X53 Stirling to Kinross service set to launch, in preparation for the new student term time across the region.

The new X53 service will see links maintained along the Hillfoots between Stirling and Kinross, Monday to Saturday, connecting up popular destinations such as Stirling University, Dollar Academy, Tillicoultry and the Kinross park and ride facility at a two-hourly frequency. At peak times, there will be additional journey opportunities to support travel to Stirling University campus.

The new service offers some great value fares with all day tickets starting from £11.90 for Adults, £10.70 for Students and just £6 for children, which includes unlimited daily access to our entire First Midland network.

First Midland are also now extending the service 51 to serve Clackmannan with two buses an hour to fill the void left by the previous operator. This will see connections restored with Alloa and Stirling for residents of Clackmannan.

The Uni Link service will be restored for its semester timetable and the night buses will also be returning at the same time to support the return of students across the Forth Valley.

The Uni Link night service will resume with journeys operating between 2330 and 0115 (approx). Buses will now operate to Alexander Court instead of University Bus Hub. In Stirling City Centre, buses will now start and finish at Goosecroft Road.

Services 7 & 8 will also be reinstated in full for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, which will be welcome news for residents in Falkirk and the surrounding areas.

Customers can now plan their journey, buy their ticket, track their bus to their local stop and see how much capacity is available on their service in real time all from the First Bus App available on mobile and tablet from the Apple and Android stores.

First Bus are leading the way on innovation in bus travel and now passengers can also choose the best time of day to travel when planning their trip with the new Space Checker tool, which predicts how busy the bus will be in advance using the latest passenger trend data.

Graeme Macfarlan, Commercial Director at First Midland: “We are delighted to be ramping up services as we start to get back to a pre-covid level now. We are looking forward to welcoming back more customers to bus across the Forth Valley and we have made some key service improvements to offer more journey opportunities than before across the region.

“We look forward to serving customers along the new X53 route and with some great value fares on offer we hope that more people will consider using the bus more often as their mode of choice. We are especially keen to see more car users across the region to reconsider bus as an alternative option for travel as we look to do our part in a green recovery from the global pandemic that has affected us all.

“We are advising people to check their journey details in advance on our app or the website, avoid busier periods if they can, which are currently the afternoons and allow extra time for their journey. By using the innovative First Bus app or the Space Checker tool customers can now have the peace of mind of choosing the best time of day to travel that suits them.

“The wellbeing of customers and our team is my number one priority, and I would like to thank customers for their ongoing patience and co-operation in these difficult times. I would also like to pay tribute to all my colleagues at First Midland who have been superb throughout the last 6 months and have helped keep the key workers of the region moving. As the lockdown continues to ease, we all have a crucial role to play in getting the wider population moving again safely.”

Full details of the new service including timetables and fare information is available on the First Midland website:  www.firstscotlandeast.com

Robert Burns

Stakeholder Engagement Officer (Scotland)

Mob: 07976 695556

Email: [email protected]

Post: c/o First Glasgow, 100 Cathcart Road, Glasgow, G42 7BH

Further to the announcement made at last night’s MCC Meeting, recent MCC communications and efforts to engage with the Council’s Public Transport Team, our Councillors, our local and regional MSPs and MP, together with all of the representations made by our community, and others across the Clackmannanshire and P&K Council areas, have resulted in a very positive outcome.

MCC is extremely pleased to announce that, following an appeal by the Council’s Public Transport Team to local bus operators to consider taking on the Stagecoach 23 route, on a commercial basis, it was confirmed to MCC, yesterday, that First are planning to start a new bus service – the X53 – on Saturday 12th September which will run, regularly, from Monday to Saturday, between Kinross and Stirling. It has also been confirmed that the new X53 service has, importantly, received approval from the national Traffic Commissioner.

MCC would take this opportunity to thank everyone, across both local Council areas, for all of their support regrading this matter. In particular, MCC would like to thank Lesley Deans, Principal Transportation Planner, at Clackmannanshire Council; Councillor Martin; Keith Brown, MSP; Mark Ruskell, MSP; and local resident Marion Robertson, for all of their time and effort spent securing this most welcome outcome.

The Council will be displaying the new bus service timetables, at bus stops, before the 12th September service start date.

Mike Wilson

Secretary – Muckhart Community Council

[email protected]

capuk.org

facebook.com/capuk

This is a reminder that the Stagecoach consultation on the number 23 bus service closes tomorrow – Friday 23rd August.

Once again, on behalf of those members of our community who regularly use and rely upon this service, MCC would encourage you please to respond to this consultation via the following link:

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/east-scotland/service-change-consultation#

Also, MCC has been made aware of the launch, today, of a Save the 23 Bus campaign by the Scottish Greens – see the following link:

https://greens.scot/SaveTheNo23Bus

Simply by adding your name and email address, a letter will be generated that goes straight to the chief executive of Stagecoach East Scotland, so it’s a great opportunity to let management know how important this rural bus service is.

Mike Wilson

Secretary – MCC

Further to our recent meeting, on behalf of our school, MCC is reaching out to our community to request your help.

Following the long period of closure, and with the school re-opening on 11^th August, the school gardens are in need of some care and attention. The gardens, other than the greenhouse and vegetable patch, need weeding and strimming and, generally, tidied up, as they are very overgrown.

Mrs McGlinchie will be opening the school for volunteer gardeners to help tidy up the gardens on Tuesday (4^th August) and Thursday (6^th August) next week. The toilets will also be available and please take along your own tools.

On behalf of the school, the Parent Council and MCC, many thanks, in advance, for those who can assist.

Mike Wilson

Secretary – MCC

Further to discussions at the last MCC Meeting, regarding the number 23 bus service, MCC has been advised of a consultation being run by Stagecoach re its proposal to withdraw this bus service, and others, completely from Monday 28th September.

According to the Stagecoach web-site: “We’re proposing to withdraw this service as it was under-performing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and increasing costs mean that this service operates at a significant loss, resulting in us no longer being able to commercially run the service.”

On behalf of those members of our community, who regularly use and rely upon this service, MCC would encourage you please to take some time to respond to this consultation (close date: 7th August) which is available via the link below:

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/east-scotland/service-change-consultation#

(Note: should you wish to be added to the MCC mailing list to be kept appraised of this, and other matters, then please contact MCC, via the details below)

Mike Wilson

Secretary – MCC

Email: [email protected]

Please find below a link to the latest Muckhart Lend a Hand flyer which contains information for those residents who may be shielding due to Covid-19. This flyer was distributed earlier by the Council to all residents within the Muckhart area who are currently listed as shielding.

Please forward this link to anyone whom you believe would benefit from the support offered:

Community Shield flyers_muckhart