The chair of Millport Elderly Forum has made a plea for improved public transport on the island to and from the hospital.

Jean Kerr was attending the new Locality Partnership forum which brings together community councils from Largs, Fairlie, Skelmorlie, West Kilbride and Millport.

She highlighted that the Isle of Cumbrae had no public transport, other than the bus going back and forward between Millport Pier and the ferry slip, and said she believed there was a clear need.

Jean told the new forum: "There is real difficulty on Cumbrae in terms of getting to and from hospital which is a major problem, given we have a very elderly population."

Councillor Alan Hill stated that public transport was a huge issue, and said that through the new locality partnership forum, issues such as this could be brought to the fore to try and find a resolution.

Skelmorlie community council chairman Helen Boyle also raised issued concerning frequency of buses at weekends in the village. And the new West Kilbride one way system was backed by the new Locality Partnership forum, although public fears that Stagecoach may stop coming through the village were eased by confirmation at the meeting that the bus company had accepted the new plans which would see the buses no longer using Yerton Brae.