'Bittersweet' new plans for Glasgow’s bus services

Crowds gathered outside Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) offices this morning while board members decided if they would use new powers to regulate buses across the region.

Councillors on SPT approved recommendations after it was decided the status quo was not leading to improved services.

Ellie Harrison, chair of Get Glasgow Moving, speaking to campaigners (Image: Colin Mearns)

However, as the cost of undertaking the franchising process to the point of implementation is estimated at up to £15m and could take between five to seven years to establish, it was decided that SPT should also progress with Bus Service Improvements Partnership (BSIP) arrangements for a limited time.

Franchising means that SPT would be able to determine fares, frequency and routes to private operators who would run the service.

Ellie Harrison, chair of Get Glasgow Moving, told fellow campaigners: “Today is bittersweet. We have won that SPT going down that path but the fight continues.”

Campaigners stood in the rain demanding better services (Image: Colin Mearns)

Speaking to the Glasgow Times she explained: “They are moving forward with franchising that is huge as it is the first time they have said that.

“What we are worried about is the plans to sign up to a bus service improvement partnership in the interim before we get to franchising.

“If they sign up to that the operators will have a voice at the table and do everything they can to sabotage franchising, because it would cap their profits.

“Overall the meeting was a huge step in the right direction, but we want them to forget about the partnership and put all their energy into making the franchising process happen as quickly as possible. That is what will make change.”#

SPT will now consult widely on the recommendations over the following months.

Franchising is a model widely used across Europe and beyond and advocates say it provides the greatest certainty of making significant improvement to the network to achieve passenger growth, better accessibility for all, and deliver wider public policy outcomes.

Campaigners want better bus services (Image: Colin Mearns)

SPT chair Councillor Stephen Dornan (SNP) said: “This is a bold and ambitious plan from SPT which sets a strong approach to tackle a declining bus market.

“It gives us opportunities to build for growth, and deliver a network that is attractive, accessible, and affordable to both passengers in our communities who rely on the bus to get around and those who we need to get ‘onboard’ by offering an attractive alternative to the private car.

“However, any franchising option will take time and investment to establish so we need to look at doing something now to halt the declining bus market.

"BSIPs, which also require suitable investment, offer the best opportunity for a significant, interim improvement while we work to establish the world-class local bus franchise model the people of the West of Scotland deserve.

“In order to progress any of these options, we need investment from the Scottish Government which now has to step up with real funding and a commitment to support public transport, particularly buses which for too long have been forgotten and now require urgent action.”

To have your say on the preferred options for the future of bus services in the west of Scotland, you are encouraged to take part in SPT’s upcoming consultation which will launch at the beginning of April.