As you’ve probably noticed, the short-lived M11 bus is already no more, replaced by a service between Clydebank and Gartnavel Hospital via Kelvindale. Obviously, this means that the bus service from Kelvindale into the city centre is gone.

Despite First Glasgow’s contention that they would have continued the old evening service at the same cost of £29,000 had it not been cancelled by SPT, the lowest tender for the new contract came in at the ridiculous sum of £73k, more than twice the offered rate of £36k, which suggests that the company was simply not interested in running the service.

This from Alex Scott, Bus Services Manager at SPT, via Councillor Martin Rhodes:

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Once again, it is the unfettered nature of the commercial bus market that has given rise to the problem, a problem, incidentally, that is mirrored in many other communities throughout the SPT area in the west of Scotland. As is sadly too often the case, the focus of public frustration is now being channelled towards SPT when, in fact, the loss of the number 11 bus service resulted from a conscious decision by First Glasgow to withdraw it on purely commercial grounds and leave it to the council taxpayer to subsidise.

The proposals SPT has made to the Scottish Government for changes to the regulations surrounding local bus services aim to moderate this free-for-all in which passengers and council taxpayers are the only losers. You are probably aware that, amongst other measures, we seek a legal duty for bus companies to engage in meaningful consultation in advance of any changes which would disadvantage a community by, for example, the withdrawal of a bus service. Although at the public meeting I heard some dismiss the changes we seek as being for the future and not as important as the here-and-now, the simple truth is that until and unless we collectively do change the regulatory framework, we will continue to have similar discussions to this one ad infinitum.

Whilst I am conscious the revised service probably does not offer you the outcome you might have wished for, I hope this at least helps in providing background.

Once again, it is the unfettered nature of the commercial bus market that has given rise to the problem, a problem, incidentally, that is mirrored in many other communities throughout the SPT area in the west of Scotland. As is sadly too often the case, the focus of public frustration is now being channelled towards SPT when, in fact, the loss of the number 11 bus service resulted from a conscious decision by First Glasgow to withdraw it on purely commercial grounds and leave it to the council taxpayer to subsidise.

The proposals SPT has made to the Scottish Government for changes to the regulations surrounding local bus services aim to moderate this free-for-all in which passengers and council taxpayers are the only losers. You are probably aware that, amongst other measures, we seek a legal duty for bus companies to engage in meaningful consultation in advance of any changes which would disadvantage a community by, for example, the withdrawal of a bus service. Although at the public meeting I heard some dismiss the changes we seek as being for the future and not as important as the here-and-now, the simple truth is that until and unless we collectively do change the regulatory framework, we will continue to have similar discussions to this one ad infinitum.

Whilst I am conscious the revised service probably does not offer you the outcome you might have wished for, I hope this at least helps in providing background.