LOCHABER Chamber of Commerce are calling on the Scottish and UK Governments and Highland Council, to come together with community leaders to take decisive action to improve the lives of the community, businesses and visitors, and relieve the huge pressures placed on the area’s public transport system with essential investment in infrastructure
Lochaber Chamber has launched a campaign video that draws attention to the unsustainable pressures on Lochaber’s vital public transport system that has been neglected for years.
Lochaber Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive, Frazer Coupland, said: “Our video being launched today focuses on the unsustainable public transport infrastructure, highlighting the reality behind the hollow words we’ve heard time and again about the government’s commitment to an integrated transport policy for Fort William and Lochaber. After years of campaigning, we still don’t have a policy in place, and we desperately need one. Our community deserves so much better.”
As a local bus operator, Shiel Buses witness the daily impact of the growing challenges affecting their services first hand.
Frustrated by the lack of investment in the public transport infrastructure, David Phillips, Managing Director of Shiel Buses, said: “Lochaber’s out-of-date infrastructure needs to be put right. Historic challenges remain without ever being resolved and have only worsened over time.
“Congestion and infrastructure issues have made for a challenging environment to operate buses. A recent change to a local town service saw it impossible to run the previous 30-minute bus service in the area without an extra bus. We operate this on behalf of Highland Council and as there was no additional funding available, sections of the route were removed throughout the day to best utilise the available resources”.
“We very much regret any impact to our customers, but we have a responsibility to meet our commitments to our regulator. Positive changes to the infrastructure in Fort William could provide faster and consistent journey times and ultimately provide improved access to bus services for the population of the town, making it a real alternative to the car, reducing congestion and emissions. Change is desperately needed that requires action at both a national and regional level.”
Sarah Riddle, President of Lochaber Chamber of Commerce, is concerned about the impacts of infrastructure problems on the community and businesses of Lochaber. She commented: “Our traffic infrastructure feels like it’s going backwards. Congestion can mean delays of well over an hour, and it is resulting in missed work, missed appointments and significant loss of earnings.
“We believe that innovative, collaborative solutions are possible. Successful transport models exist worldwide, and with teamwork, we can create a system that works for everyone.”
A Lochaber Chamber of Commerce member commented: “People in Lochaber pay the same Council Tax as people in Inverness, and the same taxes as everyone else, but we do not get an equal share of the public services, especially essential investment in transport infrastructure.”
Some of Lochaber’s popular tourism ‘hotspots’ are struggling to cope with a lack of alternative travel options for visitors. John Currie, Visitor Services Manager at the National Trust Visitor Centre in Glenfinnan, sees transport problems negatively affecting visitors’ experiences every day.
John Currie said: “Glenfinnan is the busiest visitor attraction outside of the central belt, and it’s been the busiest year ever for us, with visitor numbers continuing to increase year-on-year. There is often no parking available after early morning, and most visitors arriving in the afternoon are leaving disappointed, unable to stop in Glenfinnan.
“An effective integrated transport plan could alleviate pressure by allowing people to travel by train or bus instead, but the provision is nowhere near up to the challenge. We work hard to encourage people to visit Glenfinnan without a car, but we need the right trains at the right times, so that people can visit the sites and leave at a reasonable time. The buses that pass through are often full so it’s especially hard for people to effectively plan their journey.”
View Lochaber’s Public Transport Crisis 2024 video: https://youtu.be/s_C_8CeLMJM.
