SPT News
Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire, East Dunbartonshire and Glasgow residents to benefit.
SPT plugs gaps with new subsidised bus services
January 22, 2010 NewsLocal bus services are to be safeguarded by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) following the withdrawal of, or changes to, several commercially operated services.
Today (Friday, 22 January) SPT's Operations Committee approved the award of four new contracts worth a total of £260,000 to maintain public transport links in these areas.
A new contract for the 300 service between Paisley and Clydebank was awarded to Arriva at a cost of £57,662 a year. This will cover journeys on weekday and Saturday evenings, Saturday mornings and Sundays. The contract runs from 1 March 2010 until 13 July 2013.
Meanwhile temporary services 184/284 will be replaced with the reinstated 11 service to operate on an hourly timetable between South Knightswood and Gartnavel Hospital via Garscadden, South Knightswood, Annisland and Kelvindale from 7 February 2010 until 16 July 2011. The cost of this contract is £23,440 a year and has been awarded to First Glasgow.
In partnership with Stirling Council SPT has also agreed to fund the early morning service on the no. 8 bus from Stirling to Glasgow. This links the communities of Balfron, Drymen and Strathblane to Glasgow, arriving in the city at 8:30am daily. The contract was awarded to First Edinburgh, and SPT's share of the cost is £3,783 until 27 March 2010.
In Renfrewshire the new service X7A has been created for Bridge of Weir, to provide six daily return journeys between St Andrew's Drive and Houston. Some journeys will also extend to Braehead and Glasgow city centre. This contract was awarded to McGill's at a cost of £13,361 per annum between 1 Mach 2010 and 16 July 2011.
Chair of the Operations Committee, Councillor Davie McLachlan, said: "SPT continues to play a vital role in protecting and promoting the transport network. Like all other sections of local government we have limited funds but we work closely with the bus industry to find transport solutions where possible.
"Some people would be cut off from public transport altogether if it wasn't for SPT providing funding to bridge the gaps in bus service provision."
SPT currently subsidises dozens of local bus services across west central Scotland which are vital to communities, but not provided by private operators.
Timetable details for all bus services are available by telephoning Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 and at www.travelinescotland.com.
