A BUSINESSMAN is heading Down Under to "have a better life for the kids" after he lost his parents.

Scott Gilfillan ran coach firm Star Travel, which provided a shuttle service between Rosyth and Dunfermline for arriving cruise ship guests for 12 years.

But he has decided to park the Cowdenbeath-based firm after the trauma of his parents' death.

He told the Press: "Just as my father passed, we found out that my wife was due our second child and then another one followed straight after that. Then with my mum passing, we just thought, running a coach company takes a lot of your time up and I just wasn't willing to give that time.

"I want to see my kids grow up now so we just took the decision to finish up and we're hoping to emigrate to have a better life for my kids. There's nothing really around here for kids around here to grow up, that's our plan and that's the reasoning that we've done what we've done."

His parents started the business 39 years ago and he took over around 15 years ago when his dad retired due to health problems.

He continued: "Our first child, she's 18, and with being in the business I never saw her grow up because I was always working, but with having the two young kids, it's like I'm getting a second chance to see them grow up.

"I want to make sure that I do. We saw what my father did for us, he was constantly out working all of the hours to give us a better life but we never got to see him, then when he retired he never had a life. It just went downhill. I don't want that for me and my family, I want to enjoy the rest of my time, we're not here for that long.

"It brings into perspective when your mother and father die, that we're not here forever and we need to enjoy our lives as much as we can."

Scott, wife Zoe and his three girls, Chloe, Ezie and Maisie, are hoping to move to Australia when they have everything in order here. While he is sad to be leaving behind a family business that's been going for nearly four decades, Scott knows this is what's best for him and his family.

He added: "I know my mum and dad would be over the moon, my mum was never one for having the buses. She always looked for a reason to get out of them, she realised it wasn't a family life either so I know she will be pleased at my decision.

"I said to her while she was lying in her bed that they would go so I made a wee promise to her and that's what I've done. As sad as it is, I'm happy at the same time.

"It's the end of an era for a company that's been going for a long time."

Scott provided the last shuttle for CruiseForth volunteers last week and Peter Wilson, project manager, said: "Star Travel has been our transport provider since our first 'Shoppers Shuttle' in 2011. The whole project has grown since then, in part due to the success of the courtesy bus service for passengers.

"We wish Scott well in his next adventure."