Councillor Martin Rhodes has received the following e-mail from First Bus.
” Hello. Further to my note of 20th January regarding the M4 trial service. At that time we noted a minimum weekly customer expectation of 2000 trips per week, at which point the costs of the service would largely be covered and a break even position would exist. This would allow us to continue to seek additional patronage going forward. At that time we continued to sustain significant losses, with only around 50% of costs being covered.
I have set out below the current position below and have to report that this poor performance continues, with the service now covering only around 52% of costs. The effect of this is that this service requires to be subsidised to the tune of over £1,100 per week.
Our commitment given in December was that we would retain the service for a period of 6 months after which, based upon performance, we would decide on our actions with regard to its future. As we are now only five weeks away from that date, and given the continued significant low use of the service, it seems very likely that the service will be deregistered and discontinued following the deregistration period (10 weeks).
I will also notify SPT of this situation. The service, though clearly not commercial, could be considered under ‘social’ guidelines for tender support.
Please let me know if you have any queries.
Councillor Rhodes has assured us that, in his eyes, this situation is unacceptable and that he will be pursuing all possible solutions to maintain a bus service for Kelvindale. We are also sure that all our other elected representatives feel the same.
However, as residents of the area you are of course entitled to write directly to Mr Coupar expressing your concerns. We know that one of the major points raised with us over the past few months was the “possible distortion of passenger number figures caused by the fact that the M4 and 94 services through Kelvindale have been timed to leave from Anniesland at exactly the same time each hour”.
As a Community Council we will, once again, be formulating our own response to First Bus.
Kelvindale Community Council 