New bus services that will complement the return of the Levenmouth Rail Link will start on Monday 3rd June.
The Levenmouth Area Committee agreed to fund the delivery of the bus services for the next three years thanks to a £1.75 million grant from the Levenmouth Reconnected Programme.
The process to register the new bus services, which will be operated on behalf of the Council by Stagecoach and Moffat and Williamson, has been fast tracked to integrate with the start of the new rail services.
The new and enhanced services will improve connectivity within Levenmouth and help connect communities to the two new rail stations allowing better bus/rail interchange. The Council will also continue to work with the commercial operators to seek further timetable changes to their services to improve rail connections where possible.
Councillor Colin Davidson, Convener of the Levenmouth Area Committee, said: “We were delighted to approve the funding for the new bus services only last month, so it’s a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in this project to get the majority of them up and running for the first week of the rail link in operation.
“These services not only provide more direct links to the new rail stations at Leven and Cameron Bridge but will also better connect our coastal communities, so it’s a really positive step.”
Sarah Elliott, Commercial Director for Stagecoach East Scotland, added: “We’re delighted to work with Fife Council to improve bus links in Levenmouth and across Fife to create integrated public transport options.
"To coincide with the adjustments to our services in this area, we’re also extending the boundaries of several of our ticket zones to allow more people to take advantage of these improvements for less.
“Our North East Fife zone now includes Leven and Glenrothes and our Central Fife zone now includes Cowdenbeath. We’d encourage those who travel to/from the Leven area to plan their journey at Stagecoachbus.com to find the best value ticket for their travel."
And Fraser Pearse, director at Moffat and Williamson, said: “We’re also delighted to be working with Fife Council to run these new services to benefit people across the Levenmouth area.
“We really hope they will encourage people to leave their cars at home and take the bus whenever they can.”
The new services are as follows:
7: Coaltown of Wemyss - East Wemyss - Buckhaven - Methilhill - Leven
Service 7 will now have early morning journeys (Monday to Saturday, before 7am) which will provide connections with Leven Rail station from Coaltown of Wemyss, East Wemyss and Methilhill. There will also be late evening journeys, Monday to Saturday, which will connect with the last rail arrivals (after 11pm).
43: Leven - Kennoway - Windygates - Cameron Bridge Rail Station - Windygates - Markinch - Glenrothes - Tanshall
The route of Service 43 has been amended to operate via Cameron Bridge Rail Station and journeys have been retimed to meet with trains. Service 43 will provide the evening and
Sunday connections with Kennoway. The service will also operate the daytime route between Glenrothes bus station to Tanshall.
44A: Leven - Methilhill - Cameron Bridge Rail Station - Windygates - Milton of Balgonie - Markinch - Coaltown of Balgonie - Woodside - Glenrothes
Service 44A has been retimed and the route has been amended to operate via Cameron Bridge Rail Station and Windygates. Service 44A will now also operate via Coaltown of Balgonie, replacing Service 45.
47A: Leven - Scoonie - Mountfleurie - Cameron Bridge Rail Station (Muiredge)
Service 47A will provide evening and Sunday links between Leven, Mountfleurie and Cameron Bridge Rail Station. Service extends to Muiredge providing links between Leven and Cameron Rail Station.
48: Leven - Aberhill - Buckhaven - Methilhill - Cameron Hospital - Cameron Bridge Rail Station - Windygates - Kennoway - Bonnybank - Kennoway - Casan – Leven
49: Leven - Casan - Kennoway - Denhead - Kennoway - Windygates - Cameron Bridge Rail Station - Cameron Hospital - Methilhill - Buckhaven - Aberhill - Leven
Service 49 has been withdrawn and replaced with town circular service 48 and 49. The current Mountfleurie part of the route will now be now covered by evening and Sunday Service 47A. New early morning Monday to Saturday journeys have been added to connect with the early morning trains.
95: Leven - Lundin Links - Largo - Colinsburgh - Elie - St Monans - Pittenweem - Anstruther - Crail - Kingsbarns - St Andrews
From 9th June, Sunday daytime times amended to allow better connections with trains with the 23:20 Sunday journey extended from Largo to Anstruther. Further timetable changes are planned from Monday, July 29, which will see the Monday to Sunday evening journeys amended to reflect bus rail connections as well as new early morning journeys introduced.
M4: Buckhaven - Methil - Leven - Scoonie - Mountfleurie - Cameron Bridge Rail Station - Windygates - Kennoway - Denhead - Star of Markinch - Markinch - Coaltown of Balgonie - Woodside - Glenrothes - Balfarg - Collydean
Service M4 will incorporate the daytime bus rail link contract award for Service 47 between Kennoway and Cameron Bridge Rail Station extending to Buckhaven via Diageo, Mountfleurie and Leven. Travel in the evenings and Sundays, between Kennoway and Cameron Bridge Rail Station, will be provided by Services 43, 48 and 49. Current Service 41B journeys are included within the M4 timetable. Lower Methil and Fife Energy Park (Airlie Medical Practice) journeys are within the Service M3 timetable.
M3: Denhead - Kennoway - Casan - Mountfleurie - Leven - Methil
Service M3 timetable has been extended and will now operate on Saturdays. The route and Energy Park (Airlie Medical Practice) timetable have been amended to cover Kirkland Drive, Lower Methil and Fife Energy Park (Airlie Medical Practice) previously served by Service 41B.
More detailed timetables will be available in advance of June 3 on Fife Council’s Travel Fife site: Bus Service Changes – Monday 3rd June | Travel Fife. Customers can also plan their journey on Stagecoach services now at stagecoachbus.com/plan-a-journey.
Our photo above shows Cllr Eugene Clarke, Cllr Colin Davidson, James Mooney, General Manager Moffat & Williamson, David Frenz, Operations Director Stagecoach, Derek Beveridge, Lead Consultant Fife Council, Cllr David Alexander, Jamie Lawrie, Operations Manager Stagecoach, Gillian Smith, Transportation Officer Fife Council, Sarah Elliot, Commercial Director Stagecoach.
