Put passengers before profits
It’s official – passenger numbers are plummeting on Scotland’s bus services.
The latest transport statistics show that the total number of bus journeys in Scotland is dwindling – falling by 19 per cent from its 2007 peak.
The overall distance covered by bus services is down too.
As Express readers will know, despite being the most popular form of public transport in Renfrewshire, bus services are in decline and people who need public transport are massively losing out.
Over the past few weeks, I have met with workers, students and other passengers from Paisley and Renfrewshire villages who worry that another round of bus cuts will leave them totally isolated. Scotland’s deregulated, free-for-all bus market clearly isn’t working for them.
Fares are also up while nearly half of bus operators’ income comes from the public purse, whether from councils, the Scottish Government or reimbursement for journeys made using the free bus pass.
Passengers are paying more for tickets and almost half of a bus company’s revenue comes from taxpayer support – yet services are still diminishing. That can’t possibly represent value for money. The whole system needs to be overhauled. The SNP for too long have simply thought the solution is to appeal to the better nature of the private bus companies – and if that doesn’t work, to offer them more and more subsidies to try and cling on to diminishing and disappearing services. That’s short-term thinking and it’s not good enough anymore.
The bus market is broken. We need to take back control of bus services. Just look at the excellent service provided by the council-owned Lothian Buses in Edinburgh where you can get reliable and regular buses from one side of the capital to the other for just £1.70.
After a decade of decline in bus services and no real government intervention to stop it, it’s time for stronger bus laws.
The Scottish Government must give councils and communities in places such as Renfrewshire democratic control of bus services. It’s time to put passengers before profit.