Buses on the Western Isles

The Isles of Lewis and Harris are unique in that they are made up of a number of small private bus and coach operations tendered for by the local council.

During 2019, Western Isles Council devised a number of options to cut costs. There were public concerns that timetables could be restricted just to commuter buses between rural villages and Stornoway, which could result in no transport for town workers on early shifts or reductions to shopping, health care, social and leisure services, or see evening services abolished.

Richard Walter looks back at the years leading up to these big changes and what has happened as a result. Through a series of fascinating photographs, he shows how bus services and coach provision on the Western Isles have had to adapt to survive – from the arrival of the Cruise Liners to the modern technology expected of local operators.