A decision on providing subsidised bus contracts in a bid to stave off the worst effects of service cuts to some of West Lothian's most remote areas is set to be taken behind closed doors.
There have been calls for protests outside the Civic Centre in Livingston on Tuesday where councillors will debate what they can do to mitigate the worst cutbacks in years to commercial bus services in the county.
There has been an outcry on social media about the slashing of bus services, with much of the anger directed at the council despite the services being privately operated.
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Bus operator McGill’s decision to slash its timetable from next month mean many local areas are facing a future without services.
Two lifeline subsidies expected to be backed by councillors may restore a limited service to Blackridge and to Greenrigg, villages which face complete loss of service.
McGill’s network changes are in response to the ongoing challenges being experienced across the bus industry in Scotland. Some commercial operators have made recent changes to their services citing multiple reasons for the need for changes.
These include: continued shortage of drivers ; the increased cost in running services; passenger numbers not yet at pre-pandemic levels; and the ending of Scottish Government funding for the COVID-19 Support Grant, on 31 March.
The revised network will mainly result in a reduction in very early morning services, evening services and Sunday service removal. They will also result in Blackridge and Greenrigg no longer having access to any services.
In West Lothian 80% of bus services are commercial operations, and the council has no influence or authority over their operation. The Transport Act 1985 deregulated bus services in the UK, moving from council-run buses to an open commercial market.
The commercial network change will also impact on the relatively small number of council subsidised contracts held by McGill’s. The council uses limited funding to support around 20% of local bus services, to fill gaps in the commercial bus network.
To try to mitigate the impact of the McGill changes, officers from the council’s Passenger Transport team have carried out an appraisal of limited options available. It is these options that will be discussed by the council's Executive tomorrow, with the commercial elements to be discussed in private.
As driver issues are not unique to McGill’s, officers have liaised with other bus firms to understand their availability to respond to gaps in the early morning, evening and Sunday services.
This has confirmed that there are not currently sufficient resources within the commercial bus industry to respond to these gaps – even if commercial services were publicly funded.
Council officers have considered contract options which would reinstate a service for these areas. It is proposed that the Council Executive awards contract LBS 10 to McGill’s Eastern Scottish to extend the 21 service to provide a connection between Blackridge and Bathgate via Armadale.
The Council Executive is also being asked to agree a contribution to Strathclyde Partnership for Transport to reinstate a bus service linking Whitburn with the Shotts area, which will provide a connection for residents in Greenrigg.
Councillor Stuart Borrowman, an Independent councillor whose ward includes Blackridge said: “The council has indicated its aim to contract a (subsidised) extended bus service 21 to provide a link Blackridge-Armadale-Bathgate after McGill reduces their service after 8 May.
The details will remain commercially confidential for a little while. At core, it will enable a service between 7am and 7pm Monday to Saturday.”
The council is also exploring the use of developer funding to re-establish any lost connection from Winchburgh to areas such as Livingston. A tender exercise is underway and an update will be brought back to Council Executive next month. This is necessary as the 600 service will be cancelled following McGill’s network change. The change removes the 600 service from Winchburgh.
Executive councillor for the environment and sustainability Tom Conn said: “The situation is very difficult for everyone, and this is not an issue that is limited to West Lothian. McGill’s network changes are in response to the ongoing challenges being experienced across Scotland’s commercial bus industry.
“I am pleased that our team is looking at finding a solution within existing financial resources to address the issues being felt by residents in the Greenrigg and Blackridge areas.
“The council’s strategy is to prioritise the limited funding that we do have for people that would otherwise have no travel choices. The council will also work to ensure that new contracts are progressed to ensure that the subsidised public funding is amended to reflect the new commercial routes effectively.”
He added: “We will do what we can to alter our subsidised routes to better meet the revisions within the commercial routes, but that cannot not solve all the issues.
“McGill’s changes come at a time when the council is facing significant financial pressures due to a budget gap of over £39 million over the next five years. It would be unrealistic to suggest that the council could use public money to fund direct replacements for the cancelled commercial services.
“The work carried out by our team also confirms that even if additional funding were available, which it is not, there are simply not enough drivers to solve the issues being experienced within the commercial bus market overall.
“The council receives no Scottish Government funding to provide a local bus service. However, the council does use its own limited funding to support around 20% of local bus services, to fill the gaps in the commercial bus network as best it can. Despite huge budget pressures, the council will continue to protect this funding and has not cut any bus services or funding to support bus services.
“It is clear that commercial operators simply cannot make some of their routes financially viable with current patronage numbers as they are.”
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