McGill’s Group warns of costly, unjust takeover of bus industry

McGill’s Group, the UK’s largest independent bus operator, has condemned Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT)’s proposed bus franchising plans, calling them an outright seizure of privately-run businesses.

Ahead of a meeting in Glasgow this Friday (February 21), SPT has said its draft Strathclyde Regional Bus Strategy (SRBS) will be published for public consultation if it is approved by its Strategy and Programmes Committee.

The strategy acknowledges many of the issues buses and passengers are facing – congestion, problems with road infrastructure and escalating operating costs – but continues to claim that greater control by politicians over bus companies is the answer to those problems.

This is despite McGill’s Group obtaining figures from industry experts that confirm SPT’s franchising wishlist as it stands would cost £400million to taxpayers each and every year to implement – far in excess of SPT’s claimed figure of £45 – 80million per annum.

Ralph Roberts, chairman of McGill’s Group, said:

“Many taxpayers will find it staggering that councillors at SPT are continuing their costly and politically motivated quest for franchising when public services and spending, particularly by local councils, is being slashed across Scotland.

“Even by starting yet another consultation run by expensive external consultants, SPT is racking up a bill for the public purse all in pursuit of what amounts to business seizure of private bus companies.

“Many scoffed when we said it would take an additional £400million per year to meet SPT’s franchising wishlist but we only need to look at Scotrail, which has cost nearly £600 million more in the first two years of nationalisation than it did under the previous private operator, to see the reality of greater political control.”

A survey of bus users was published in the autumn by TransportFocus, an independent watchdog for transport users. Across Scotland, overall bus journey satisfaction was highest in Strathclyde at 89% where most services operate via private companies – higher than other regions including SESTrans where Lothian Buses are based.

In terms of overall satisfaction with value for money, Strathclyde again came top on 76% – eight per cent higher than Edinburgh and surrounding regions.

Read more about this story at The Greenock Telegraph and Bus&CoachBuyer.

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