RESTORING evening bus services on the Kintyre peninsula would carry a budget implication for Argyll and Bute Council, an official has said.
A councillor raised the issue at a meeting after being contacted by hospitality and leisure outlets who asked for services to be increased.
But while a council officer said that the matter was being investigated, he added that any increase would mean more spending for the authority.
The issue of a review of traffic management in Campbeltown was also raised at the meeting of the council’s Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands area committee on Wednesday, September 2.
Councillor Tommy MacPherson (Independent, South Kintyre) asked: “Has the review considered the risk of social exclusion and the impact of limited evening and weekend transport?
“I have had representation from hospitality and leisure outlets for the evening service to be reinstated on weekdays and weekends, and consideration given to a Sunday service.”
Council project manager Mark Calder responded: “Historically, evening and weekend rural subsidised bus services have not proven to be commercially viable.
“We are making a request for information where we can ask potential suppliers how they would deliver services and provide a price back to the council for that.
“We can potentially do an assessment around that, but if we want to increase the subsidised bus service beyond what it currently is, there would be a budget implication for that.”
Councillor MacPherson then referenced the review and asked: “When will members see officers’ considerations and proposals that will address the impact of parking and general traffic flow through Campbeltown?”
Mr Calder said: “We have successfully recruited two new traffic service officers, but we lost an experienced member of staff.
“There will also be two assistant posts, and we would expect that to provide the opportunity to address the issues you have raised.”
