Disruption to Highland Council School Transport - Update
23rd August 2017
Highland Council is reassuring all pupils, parents and carers this morning (23 August) that all school transport routes have been covered in Caithness and East Ross following the loss of the contractor Andrew's (Shetland) Ltd. who ceased trading last night (22 August).
Bill Alexander, Highland Council's Director of Care and Learning said: "This is wonderful work by our Transport colleagues and partners who swiftly managed to get replacement services up and running for this morning."
The Council warns however, that there may still be some gaps on public service routes.
In addition to the following routes being provided by Stagecoach:
• Lairg/Ardgay - Dornoch
• Delny, Newmore to Invergordon Academy, then Newmore Primary
• Tain Royal Academy Scotsburn, Lamington, Logiehill, Heathmount
• Golspie High Lairg, Rogart
• Thurso High School Bower, Bowermadden, Castletown, Murkle Bus
• Wick High School Gills, Huna, Canisbay (A836) to John o'Groats, Freswick, Keiss to Wick High.
Stagecoach is also covering the Achnairn - Lairg feeder route for Golspie High.
W D Mackay (Dornoch) will cover the following routes:
• Braelangwell, Culeave to Ardgay to meet Tain Royal Academy bus
• Migdale to meet Tain and Dornoch buses at Bonar Bridge, then Migdale to Bonar Bridge Primary, then Culrain, Syall to Gledfield Primary
• Achnairn to Lairg Primary
More information on replacement school bus timetables is on the council's website at: https://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/file/18280/andrews_coaches_replacement_timetable
Highland Council again apologises for any inconvenience caused and gives assurance that we are doing everything we can to resolve this situation as swiftly as possible.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Environmental schemes on the agenda of Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee Members of Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee will have the opportunity to discuss compensatory planting schemes and biodiversity enhancement when they meet on Thursday 29 May. Economy and Infrastructure Committee Chair, Cllr Ken Gowans said: "Environmental schemes are important for our communities as they ensure that biodiversity is improved when new infrastructure projects are developed.
The Highland Council has launched phase 2 of a public consultation on how Community Councils across the Highlands are created and governed. The Community Council Scheme Review was on the agenda of the Highland Council meeting held on the 15 May 2025, Members agreed to the phase 2 review of the Scheme and that the proposals informed by the phase 1 review be subject to further public consultation.
At the meeting Economy and Infrastructure Committee next week (Thursday 28 May) members will decide how over £3 million of funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will be used over the next 12 months to deliver a positive impact across communities. The proposed 2025/26 Highland UKSPF Delivery Plan is made up of a range of projects geared to delivering positive impacts.
Members of Highland Council's Communities and Place Committee have today welcomed progress against the Council’s Equality Mainstreaming and Outcomes Report. They also agreed a revised set of equality outcomes for 2025- 2029.
Highland Council has updated members of the Communities and Place Committee on its Fleet Action Plan supplied to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland. The action plan was developed following an independent audit of the Council's fleet operations and addresses a number of improvements being made in relation to compliance and control processes and monitoring of heavy goods vehicles.
The work underway to ensure that Highland communities can benefit from profits being generated by renewable developments will be under the spotlight at next week's meeting of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee. At the meeting on Thursday 29 May, Members will receive an update on progress with the Highland Social Value Charter, which aims to ensure that if developments get the go ahead there is a clear community benefit.
Mounting pressures from inflation, increasing costs and demand are exceeding the Scottish Government's additional investment in Scotland's councils. In 2025/26 councils received over £15 billion in government funding, with more money set to be raised from council tax and charges for some services.
At the meeting of the Highland Council's Climate Change Committee, Members were given an update on the Council's Net Zero Programme. Members welcomed the development of projects that will deliver carbon reductions, operational efficiencies and financial savings.
Highland Council's Climate Change Committee has today reaffirmed its commitment to climate adaptation by supporting the continued work of Highland Adapts - a regional initiative focused on building climate resilience through partnership and community-led action. Chair of the Climate Change Committee, Councillor Sarah Fanet, said: "The Highland region is already experiencing the effects of climate change from increased flooding to changes in biodiversity and these impacts are only expected to intensify.
The Highland Council is pleased to announce new waste and recycling figures for the region, following the introduction of the new waste and recycling services over the last year. The roll out of the new waste and recycling services to householders and businesses began in April 2024 and has been funded by the Scottish Government's Recycling Improvement Fund.