Scots bus passengers ‘face worst deals’

BUS passengers in Scotland face a worse deal and poorer travelling experience than the public in England unless councils are given power to take control of routes, timetables and fares, a major union has claimed.

Unite will tell MSPs that Scotland could save up to £76 million a year if every bus company in the country was owned by local councils, following the model of Lothian Buses.

The union will go before the Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee today calling for re-regulation of the bus industry, claiming passengers north of the Border “risk being left behind those in England” if the Scottish Parliament and government do not act.

Unite Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty said that “£76m of savings could transform bus services in Scotland and it is in urgent need of transformation.

“Across the country, routes are being slashed, passenger numbers are falling, and fares are rocketing. Lothian Buses stands out as a clear exception to that rule.

“Deregulation is bad for passengers, but it’s also bad news for our members. Many have lost their jobs as the private bus companies scramble for profits. Their pay has also been squeezed hard, with the wages of a bus driver now about 36 per cent lower today in real terms, than they were at the time of deregulation.”

Mr Rafferty highlight the case of London, saying that regulation has created a franchising system under the power of Transport for London and the London Mayor.

He said: “They have managed to increase passenger numbers and create a bus system that works for passengers. Private bus companies still provide the service, but they are under public control.

“A Bus Services Bill going through Westminster could make that model available to councils across England. If the Scottish Parliament doesn’t act soon, then Scottish passengers could be left behind, with much of the country suffering from a second-class bus service run for profit, not people.”