A bus firm is to create 20 jobs at a new St Boswells base after winning contracts worth £10.4million with Scottish Borders Council.
But Perryman’s gain is Munro’s loss, with the Jedburgh company retaining just one of 10 services it currently runs following the retendering process at Newtown.
The root-and-branch review means the Berwick business will hold five key routes from August 12, including the Jedburgh/Kelso to Edinburgh and Jedburgh to Galashiels services presently provided by Munro’s.
Roddy Perryman, operations manager of Perryman’s, said: “We are recruiting in preparation for the opening of a central Borders depot in late July. We are in the process of securing a site in the St Boswells area.
“Around 20 jobs will be created, most of which will be involved in the running of our recently-awarded SBC local bus services contracts.”
Colin Douglas, the council’s passenger transport manager, added that Perryman’s recruitment process would “take on local drivers who may be displaced from companies who currently hold the contracts”, with First also losing a Galashiels to Berwick service to the Northumberland firm.
In January, Munro’s was stripped of its operating licence by Scotland’s Deputy Traffic Commissioner following a public inquiry, which found it guilty of loaning vehicle discs to a Dalkeith bus company in 2011.
The company unsuccessfully appealed the decision, but were awarded a new licence in a separate hearing.
SBC’s renewal of the contracts follows a consultation exercise with bus users that led to recommendations on what services are needed for the future.
New providers of Scottish Borders Council bus contracts from Monday, August 12
Jedburgh-Hawick (Monday to Friday 5.05pm) - Peter Hogg
Jedburgh-Hawick (Monday to Friday 6.20am) - First
Jedburgh-Hawick (Saturday 1.45pm) - Peter Hogg
Hawick-Jedburgh (Saturday 5.29pm) - Peter Hogg
Kelso-Hawick (Sundays) - Perryman’s
Jedburgh Town Service - tbc
Berwick-Hutton-Swinton - Travelsure
Berwick-Eyemouth-Reston-Duns - Travelsure
Chirnside-Eyemouth - Travelsure
Hawick Town Service - First
Hawick, Burnfoot-Longcroft Crescent - in-house fleet
Jedburgh/Kelso-Edinburgh - Perryman’s
Galashiels-Duns-Berwick - Perryman’s
Galashiels-Earlston-Lauder - Buskers
Earlston-Kelso - Peter Hogg
Galashiels-Kelso-Berwick - Perryman’s
Jedburgh-Galashiels - Perryman’s
Hawick-BGH - The Bridge
Selkirk Bannerfield-Melrose - First
Galashiels Netherdale - Munro’s
Kelso-Leitholm-Greenlaw-Berwick - Buskers
Peebles-Broughton-Biggar - Barc
Peebles-West Linton - Barc
Hawick-Carlisle (Monday to Friday evenings) - First
Hawick-Carlisle (Sunday) - First
Newcastleton-Carlisle- Telfords
Newcastleton-Hawick - Telfords
Berwick-Ayton-Eyemouth (Monday to Saturday) - Travelsure
Berwick-Duns - Travelsure
Maxton-Newtown-Galashiels - in-house fleet
Kelso-Coldstream - Buskers
Westruther-Hume-Kelso - in-house fleet
Coldstream-Duns - in-house fleet
Kelso-Sprouston - in-house fleet