An MSP has unveiled his party’s plan to save bus services in Renfrewshire and insisted: “We can’t go on like this”.
West Scotland Labour man Neil Bibby spoke out just days after McGill’s Buses announced they were cutting routes and making changes to services across the area.
Mr Bibby, his party’s transport spokesperson, unveiled a three-point plan to save Scotland’s buses from “decimation” as new figures reveal bus passenger numbers have more than halved under the SNP.
Annual Scottish transport statistics show bus passenger numbers struggling to recover from the covid pandemic.
Passenger numbers are 35 per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels and since 2007/08, the number of bus passenger journeys taken in Scotland has plummeted by 52 per cent – falling faster than the UK average.
The number of buses in service has fallen from 5,400 in 2007/08 to just 3,700 in 2021/22.
Labour has warned buses are “on the brink of collapse” and urged the three SNP leadership candidates – Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf – to back its plan.
It calls for strict conditions to be placed on public funds provided to private bus companies to maintain services and provide the necessary commercial information to bring buses back under public control; a cap on bus fares; and for the Scottish Government to give local transport authorities the franchising powers, guidance and resources to bring local buses back under local control.
Mr Bibby said: “Bus networks across Scotland are on the brink of collapse but the SNP are busy fighting among themselves.
“If we don’t act now we will see communities lose bus services, passengers left with no options and more cars on the road than ever. We can’t go on like this.
“Private bus companies should not be able to hold communities and the government to ransom over bus service cuts. Labour’s plan would lower fares, improve services and ensure local buses are under local control.
“Every SNP leadership candidate should pledge to back these plans to end years of decline and prevent Scotland’s bus networks being decimated.”
On Saturday, the Paisley Daily Express reported that McGill’s were cutting services in Renfrewshire from from Monday, May 1.
Ralph Roberts, CEO of McGill’s Group, said inflationary pressures – such as fuel, energy, materials and wage costs – had forced the company into the move.
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