McKindless collapse throws bus service into chaos

With just hours of prior warning on Friday, the company withdrew its buses from the area's two busiest routes, the Lanark-Carluke, and the Lanark-Clyde Valley-Hamilton services, hitting many commuters and workers.

Rumours that the McKindless half hourly Lanark-Carluke No 41 and Lanark-ClydeValley-Hamilton No 31 were under threat started to circulate on Friday morning with some of the company's drivers confiding in passengers that the company was in difficulties.

No-one, however, expected the total and sudden withdrawl of these services just hours later, leaving many dependent on them for getting home from work confused and worried.

However, First Glasgow stepped in to provide a replacement half hourly service free of charge between Lanark and Hamilton until Monday night.

But this service was quickly pulled so that, by Tuesday morning First was only running its hourly 231 service from Lanark Bus Stance. And First will only be offering this restricted service to Clydesdale commuters until the middle of April.

Until then, Lanark – Carluke - Motherwell commuters will get an hourly service from First Glasgow while travellers on the Clyde Valley route will have to wait until April 16 for a total No 31 service replacement.

Another Lanark-Hamilton replacement service is being provided by Irvine's Coaches, which will run half hourly buses from Motherwell to Law and Carluke to Lanark.

McKindless has failed to respond to Gazette calls, seeking information on the firm's current status. The company is thought to employ around 150 people and has 45 buses based at depots in Glasgow and Wishaw.

For more information on this article, see this week's Carluke and Lanark Gazette, which is in the shops now.