Tiree residents "isolated" without public transport

The call comes as one islander claims some young people now have no way to get to work or socialise, unless they walk long distances, and others who are disabled or ill have been left isolated.

She said: "How many people are going to lose their life because they can’t get the bus to go and see the doctor?

"Not being able to use the bus, it feels like our rights are being taken away."

Ring ’n’ Ride, operated by John Kennedy Transport, closed as a result of financial pressures in October 2023. 

Argyll and Bute Council had subsidised the service but, amid cutbacks, the council was unable to increase funding which meant the service ended after 20 years.

Tiree Community Council (TCC) has been working on a solution since the Ring ’n’ ride service stopped.

TCC secretary John Holliday said: "Quite a lot of people [on Tiree] don’t have their own transport. We really miss the Ring ’n’ Ride. Everyone is doing their best to fill in, but it’s not easy.

"Tiree Community Development Trust bought an electric bus two years ago but it doesn’t have the means to employ a driver to provide a service."

The trust’s community mini-bus, which can carry eight passengers, can be booked out by community groups on a non profit basis. However, it does not run any regular routes to pick up passengers. 

The trust’s general manager Phyl Meyer explained: "Our vehicle is not licensed or insured to be used for paid transport services, so we couldn’t currently use it to replace Ring’n’Ride services even if there was a financially viable way to do so.

"The expectation in previous discussion with the council was that we should rely on people working as volunteers to do the driving. That’s a heck of an ask in a community where most folk are pretty busy.

"The key thing for us is: is there another way to make a service financially viable? Clearly there is a need, as there are otherwise no public transport options on Tiree other than the school bus runs – but it will need funding from the council or elsewhere."

Turning to the third sector has been discussed as an option to plug the funding gap between what the council can provide and what is needed to run a public transport service.

TCC and the trust plan to meet to discuss their options.

TCC would prefer to not step on the toes of John Kennedy Transport, which still runs the island’s school bus and a taxi. "One does not want to jeopardise island businesses," said Dr Holliday.