Auchterarder Community Bus Service

That the Parliament commends the community-led Auchterarder Community Bus Group (ACBuG) for doubling its service provision from two days per week to four days per week; understands that ACBuG is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) that was formed to address the gap in public transport provision in the residential areas of Auchterarder; notes that ACBuG has been operating the Town Bus service (service 49) since August 2019, with the aim of offering the local community the opportunity to participate in community life, access local services, and tackle social isolation; recognises what it sees as the impact the Town Bus service has already had on the local community, with a reported growth in the daily average usage in 2022 compared with the previous year; acknowledges that the increase in service provision was made possible through funding awards from Friends of St Margaret’s and Perth and Kinross Council’s Warm Welcome Fund; understands that the increased days of operation were decided upon following a survey of users and through feedback received from local community groups; further understands that the bus service is available for use by everyone, and that holders of National Entitlement Cards travel for free, while others travel at a cost of £1.20 per trip; thanks all involved for providing a community-led transport solution in Auchterarder, and wishes them every success with the project.