NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had announced plans to axe the service 340 and replace it with an in-house transport service for patients and staff only.
But after crunch talks with Dumbarton MSP Jackie, the board will now permit visitors to use their replacement service.
The previous 340 bus service, operated by McColl’s, was axed by the board on Saturday.
It had earlier been announced that the service, which called at Helensburgh, Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven Hospital on the way to Paisley’s Royal Alexandra, would end.
Instead, a new free service has been created, departing from the Vale of Leven Hospital and travelling directly to the RAH for patients and staff only.
Despite appeals from community organisations and MSP Jackie, also Scottish Labour’s Health & Social Care spokesperson, the health board refused to back down.
However, at crunch talks
, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Chief Executive, Professor Jann Gardner, agreed that visitors would now be permitted to travel on the bus.
The board had been citing costs and lack of passenger numbers as their reasons for axing the 340 service, however, their move to short term contract extensions had pushed up costs.
The service, which was part of a health board commitment to communities when services at the Vale of Leven Hospital were downgraded, will also be upped from 12 to 18 seater transport, to ensure there is sufficient capacity and this will be reviewed on a regular basis.
Delighted MSP Jackie said: “I am over the moon that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have made changes to their plans.
“I am clear that it is essential that everyone in our community has easy access to the Royal Alexandra Hospital and this cannot be achieved by existing public transport links.
“Albeit an eleventh hour decision, I am overjoyed that the health board has listened to reason.”
Patients from Helensburgh and Lomond, who meet patient transport criteria on clinical grounds, can request transport to the Vale Hospital to meet the bus link.