A LOCAL bus firm will cease operating a vital hospital transport link to and from Helensburgh this weekend.

Wilson’s of Rhu has operated the 340 bus between Helensburgh, the Vale of Leven Hospital and the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley since 2006.

But the company’s current contract ends after the last journey of the day this Saturday, July 14 – and a rival firm, McColl’s Travel of Dumbarton, takes over on Sunday.

The Dumbarton company will operate the route for three years with a subsidy of £143,640 from the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).

In a statement posted on the Wilson’s of Rhu Facebook page this week, the company said: “Sadly, this Saturday sees the last day of operation on the 340 service for us.

“The contract was out to tender from SPT and has been awarded to another operator at a cost which we could not compete with.

“Thank you to all the customers we have carried and who have supported the service over the past 12 years.”

SPT announced in May that the contract would pass to McColl’s at an ‘annualised price’ of £47,880 – compared to the current annual subsidy of £59,369.

Fares will remain the same, and the timetable from Sunday onwards is also unchanged – with the exception of the last journey of the day from the RAH to Helensburgh, which will operate up to 10 minutes later than at present.