New operator found for Dumfries to Edinburgh bus service

A new operator has been found for a bus service it was feared could cease running between Dumfries and Edinburgh.

Lockerbie-based Houston's Coaches is being recommended to take over operating the 101/102 service.

The move will be considered at Strathclyde Passenger Transport's operations committee on Friday.

If agreed, it would see a three-year contract awarded - with an optional two-year extension - at a cost of £385,000-a-year.

The Dumfries to Edinburgh service - which was run by Stagecoach - looked set to be removed in August last year before funding was found to run until the end of March this year.

However, none of the tenders initially submitted to operate it longer term was considered best value and a new effort to find a "sustainable and affordable solution" was started.

It now appears to have been successful.

The service - which runs between south west Scotland and the capital - serves a large number of towns and villages including West Linton, Biggar and Moffat.

Fears of its removal prompted protests along the length of the route.

The new deal will need the approval of SPT and its partners SWestrans and Scottish Borders Council.

The current temporary contract is equivalent to £508,000-a-year which they all agreed was not sustainable in the long term.

SPT head of bus strategy and delivery Gordon Dickson said: "All funding partners of the 101/102 service are delighted to have found a solution to hopefully satisfy the users of this service, subject to all the required approvals from partners."

It will see some "small changes" to the service with a reduction in the number of services to "space journeys out better".

If approved the new provider would begin operations on 1 April.