Public transport in Newburgh
The shapeshifting local bus service
In 2025, citing commercial reasons, Stagecoach cancelled the Newburgh bus to Cupar. They have form abandoning essential rural services across Fife and Scotland. Just how can you develop trust in the bus when profit comes before public good?
We've been saying it's bad for years.
The public bus has a pretty dire reputation in Newburgh. Services are irregular, late, often cancelled and do not route to key destinations including the nearest train station!
It is odd that set against the Governments commitment to reducing car mileage, rural bus transport continues to decline. A 2024* report shows bus miles in Scottish rural settings has decreased by 27 per cent since 2019, The total distance travelled by passengers is down by 44 per cent!
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"Buses aren’t very often and take a very long time for a simple journey".
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"Buses run late or don’t turn up with no explanation".
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"Buses are shocking. Newburgh with big cities so close but takes an age to get to".
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"Bus to Perth takes ages as it detours around Bridge of Earn. Takes 1 and a half hours out of my day with commuting. Inconvenient with a three year old daughter to look after"
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"There is no bus from Perth to Newburgh after 19.05!'
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"No public transport that goes directly to Dundee. Buses to and from Perth stop far to early at night".
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Newburgh Residents (from the survey)​
10 years ago Newburgh-wide transport survey asked people about what they thought of transport in the town. Around a third of the 2200 population responded. Their views when it came to describing bus services were somewhat robust.
A survey done today would almost certainly show the same results with bus services, judged by frequency and destination probably being worse than before. The survey clearly showed the car is the means to get about. With no train service and a poor bus service of course it is! ​​ In 2018, the bus was being used by only 12% of Newburgh residents. In 2026, this figure is unlikely to have changed much.​​
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Efforts to change things
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6 years after the survey, the Bus companies, Fife Council and Transport Scotland ambled into action. Changes were made to the timetable, introducing later buses and a new route to Newburgh
How did that go?
Finally, timetable changes. but wait, it has gotten worse!
​In 2024, in response to years of complaints about the poor Newburgh bus, a new timetable was introduced. It included a new, direct service to St Andrews and late evening buses from Perth. It didn't fill all the all the gaps(there were issues getting to work and college). But, on balance, it was an improvement.
It did not last. In late 2025 Stagecoach withdrew the St Andrews service and cancelled later buses to Perth. Profit again trumped public need.​​
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A better service for some, but others found themselves struggling to get to and from work and education in anything like a timely fashion.
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What one hand takes...
The new 65 bus timetable now included two later buses from Perth, in answer to complaints that there was no way to have a night out in the city without having to driver your car.
Later this amended timetable was amended again with one of the late bus service dropped. Stagecoach cited Commercial considerations - again trumped what might h decent service,
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Closing on the end of 2025 and the last bus from Perth leaves at 5.50pm - there are now NO late buses at all!!
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Faint connections to train stations
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Moffat and Williamson, the local bus company, now operates 4 late-evening buses to and from St Andrews via rail stations at Ladybank and Leuchars. This is certainly an improvement.
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This is useful if you are looking to catch the train north to Dundee and Aberdeen or South to Kirkcaldy and Edinburgh. But if you want to travel onwards to Inverness or Glasgow in the evening via Perth then trust your train does not run too late.
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Up until early 2025 there was a hourly 30 minute ride to Ladybank station. This was stopped as the M36 Newburgh to Glenrothes service was routed away from Ladybank. ​
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However, it feels like a concession. It departs too early to allow for a decent night out.
​​Work
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There are improvements for those heading east from Newburgh for work, with Cupar close by and the new evening service to St Andrews. Likewise, there is now two additional early morning buses to Perth.
But there are only THREE buses to Perth that will get people to work before 9.00am.
Overall, despite these changes, buses are all too often late or cancelled. For these reasons, it is not trusted as a service and only those who have no other option use the bus.
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"I could get the bus even if I had heavy shopping. but can I rely on the bus? I'm not sure if it's going to turn up. If it's going to be late. I would rather use my car".
Newburgh resident
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Taxis
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Taxi are rare and often expensive. A journey to Ladybank station, just 7 miles away, can cost £25. Few taxi companies operate in the area and it is not untypical to have to wait a considerable time for a taxi to arrive.​​​
As things stand, car drivers, particularly commuters, will not be stepping away from their cars anytime soon. ​​​​​​​​
Unfair anti-bus bias?​
Evidence suggests that, even if bus services were improved, car drivers would be reluctant to switch to buses. ​​​​Research by the Scottish Government Social Research unit in 2014 examined why many people are not drawn to using buses. Reasons given included: - Comfort : Convenience/Unreliability/Perception/Safety Concerns/Lack of Amenities/Social Factors/Accessibility
Hardly an endorsement of the Scottish Government's sustainable transport ambitions!
A 2024 IPPR* report: Revealed neglect of rural areas in transport planning increases the risk of missing climate targets, Declining bus provision in Scotland will make it hard for the Scottish government to meet its commitment to reduce car miles by 20 per cent by 2030.
Bus miles have decreased by 27 per cent since 2019 and the total distance travelled by passengers has dropped precipitously by 44 per cent.
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*IPPR is an independent charity working towards a fairer, greener and more prosperous society​
Who is responsible?
There are three players in this tragedy, Fife Council, The bus companies and Transport Scotland and by extension, the Scottish Government.
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Fife Council declined to subsidise replacement services paying only for an hourly service to Cupar (not run by Stagecoach). The service to St Andrews and the three evening services to Perth disappeared. ​Today, it is fair to say the bus service to and from Newburgh is worse than before the changes - and worse than before the 2018 Newburgh transport survey!
A station offers the best chance to get people back on to public transport
