‘Totally outrageous’ plan to scrap service

‘Firstbus must rethink’

Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse MSP Christina Mckelvie (right) added her opposition to the move.

She said:“the way First Bus and SPT have attempted to impose these route changes without any significant consultation with the local community or elected members has been totally outrageous.

“I have been in touch with First last week demanding a meeting to discuss the X1 and push for its continued operation.

“So many people in Hamilton will be impacted by a loss of the X1 link between Hamilton and Glasgow.

“This service is absolutely packed at peak times as students, workers and countless others make their way into and back from the city.

“On top of this, the people of High Earnock are extremely concerned that they will lose out from the replacement local service, which bypasses some of the X1 route.

“I pushed for a meeting with First Bus on Monday to raise my concerns. At the subsequent meeting, I let them know how unhappy I was with the decision they have taken and urged them to reconsider.”

She added:“this change will have a disproportionate impact on my most vulnerable constituents, as First themselves acknowledged, there is a large number of concessionary tickets used on the service. I will be continuing to push for First to change this decision.

“I am also in the process of arranging a meeting with SPT to see how they came to sign-off on this decision, given the user profile, without consultation and to see what action they can take to help reverse the cancellation of the X1.

“The people of Hamilton and the surrounding area can be assured that I will fight tooth and nail to save the X1 service.”