The changes see a significant increase in the frequency of services between Rothesay and Kilchattan Bay and the summer service between Rothesay and Ettrick Bay.

Many local services within Rothesay are effectively doubled in frequency, while a regular service to Rothesay Joint Campus throughout the school day and in the evenings and weekends is introduced for the first time.

A new once-daily commuter service allowing island residents to travel by bus to and from work in Dunoon also began operating from Monday.

The changes follow Argyll and Bute Council's decision earlier this year to award West Coast Motors, which is based in Campbeltown, a five-year contract to provide subsidised local bus services in Bute and Cowal.

The decision earlier this year to end the Bute Dial-a-Bus service, replacing it with a 'demand responsive' service provided by Cowal firm Interloch Transport, gave the council and the bus company a further opportunity to consider how to make better use of existing resources.

Members of the council's Bute and Cowal area committee also decided to use their share of the authority's Rural Transport Grant to make improvements to the island's bus routes.

The detail of the changes to Monday-Saturday services is as follows (all times use 24-hour clock) - Sunday service changes are described at the foot of this story.

Service 490: Rothesay-Kilchattan Bay

Improved to operate every hour during the day. Most services to Kilchattan Bay leave Rothesay (Guildford Square) at 45 minutes past the hour; most buses from Kilchattan Bay leave the village at 11 minutes past the hour.

Evening services to Kerrycroy leave Rothesay every hour from 1910-2110. An additional late evening bus leave Rothesay at 2210, departing Kilchattan Bay at 2235.

Services also call at the Mount Stuart visitor centre in both directions during Mount Stuart opening dates, replacing the unsubsidized Mount Stuart Shuttle (service 93) which is withdrawn.

Click here to view the new timetable.

Service 90/490: Rothesay-Ettrick Bay (summer only)

Improved to operate every hour during the day. Services to Ettrick Bay depart Rothesay (Guildford Square) at 45 minutes past the hour; services from Ettrick Bay leave the terminus outside the Ettrick Bay Tearoom on the hour.

The first bus to Ettrick Bay leaves Rothesay at 0945; the last bus back to Rothesay leaves Ettrick Bay at 1800.

Click here to view the new timetable.

Service 90/490: Rothesay-Rhubodach

One additional return journey per day, operating Monday-Friday during school holidays, is introduced, leaving Rothesay at 0818 and departing Rhubodach at 0838.

Further improvements to Rhubodach services are introduced as a result of changes to services 477, 478 and 479 (see below).

Service 90/490: Rothesay-Port Bannatyne

Daytime frequency unchanged at 30 minutes. Most buses now operate either to/from Ettrick Bay (summer only) or Kilchattan Bay, as per improvements above.

Click here to view the new timetable.

Service 491/492: Rothesay Town Services

The existing separate services to Ballochgoy/Barone Road and to The Bush is combined into a single route, which additionally serves the Victoria Hospital Annexe and Rothesay Joint Campus.

Service 491 operates every hour in an anti-clockwise route from Guildford Square to Ballochgoy, Barone Road, The Bush, Victoria Annexe, Rothesay Joint Campus and back to Guildford Square.

Service 492 operates every hour in the opposite direction, i.e. from Guildford Square to Victoria Annexe, Rothesay Joint Campus, The Bush, Barone Road, Ballochgoy and back to Guildford Square.

Together, services 491 and 492 offer a 30-minute frequency to all destinations. Service 491 leaves Guildford Square at 15 minutes past the hour; service 492 leaves Guildford Square at 45 minutes past the hour.

Evening buses operate to an hourly frequency on Service 491 only.

Click here to view the new timetable.

Service 89: Rothesay-Victoria Hospital Annexe

Service withdrawn, but replaced by improved services 491 and 492.

Service 488/488A: Rothesay-Canada Hill-Rothesay (summer only)

Service frequency unchanged, but departure times revised to provide better connections with other routes.

The schooldays only journey operating westbound over Canada Hill is revised to begin at Guildford Square instead of Ascog.

Click here to view the new timetable.

Service 93: Rothesay-Mount Stuart (summer only)

Service withdrawn, but Mount Stuart visitor centre is still served by the improvements on Service 490 to/from Kilchattan Bay described above.

Service 478/479: Rothesay-Colintraive-Dunoon

Timetable revised to offer a regular daily frequency Monday-Friday, with three journeys each way on Saturday and, in summer only, on Sunday.

A new Monday-Friday commuter service leaves Rothesay at 0718, arriving in Dunoon at 0851. The evening return trip leaves Dunoon at 1734, arriving in Rothesay at 1855. A change of bus is required at Auchenbreck (A886/B836 junction) in each direction.

On other Monday-Friday journeys, passengers are either required to change bus at Auchenbreck or to make their own way via the Rhubodach-Colintraive ferry. All advertised connections are guaranteed.

On Saturday and Sunday, all services operate as through journeys, with no changes required.

Click here to view the new timetable.

Service 477: Rothesay-Colintraive-Portavadie

Timetable improved to offer a regular daily frequency, Monday to Saturday, with three journeys available in each direction.

On most journeys, passengers will either be required to change bus at Auchenbreck or to make their own way via the Rhubodach-Colintraive ferry. All advertised connections are guaranteed.

Click here to view the new timetable.

Bute Sunday Services

All Sunday journeys operate as service 493.

Services between Rothesay and Port Bannatyne run approximately every hour during the afternoon and evening.

Services between Rothesay and Kilchattan Bay run every two hours.

Summer services between Rothesay and Ettrick Bay run approximately every two hours during the afternoon and early evening.

Rothesay town services operate every two hours during the afternoon and evening to the following route: Guildford Square-Ballochgoy-Barone Road-The Bush-High Kirk-Guildford Square.

The additional service from Port Bannatyne to the High Kirk on Sunday mornings continues to operate. The return journey to Port Bannatyne leaves the High Kirk 30 minutes later at 1235.

Click here to view the new timetable.