Greens say cut offers opportunity

Following First Glasgow’s decision to permanently axe the #31, a green campaigner is backing calls for the regulation of bus services.

Kirsten Robb has renewed calls for the local authority to step in and believes the part-dualling of Stewartfield Way should be binned.

Plans to dual the entire length of the road were scrapped after a public consultation.

The East Kilbride Green campaigner said: “The public transport system is broken and needs radical change.

“When the 31 bus service was threatened seven years ago, Greens called for bus regulation to reign in First Bus.

“Regulation is needed yes and we support these campaigns, but thanks to Green MSPs, we also have another tool in the box.

“Councils can now run their own bus services to serve the needs of local people better.

“Will South Lanarkshire Councillors support Green calls for a study to see how this could be run and serve East Kilbride with better transport?

“On top of tackling climate change and EK’s illegal air pollution, the post-COVID world will see more people working from home, virtual meetings and staggered work times.

“Councillors must now consign the Stewartfield Way dualling project to the history books where it came from and that money put into sustainable transport and other investment needed to build our communities back better in the post-covid world.”

A campiagn has already been mounted for transport to be brought back into public hands called‘Get Glasgow Moving’.