Council bosses are stepping in to try and find a solution to the transport chaos that will ensue after several bus services are axed next month.
McGill’s Eastern said they would be stopping early morning and Sunday bus services, while completely axing some routes, leaving some small West Lothian villages isolated.
West Lothian Council this afternoon pledged to find a solution, particularly to help people living in the Greenrigg and Blackridge areas where bus services will be cut.
Due to the reduction in the number of subsided services that McGill’s provides, council officers are recommending that the subsidised funding that would have been used for these services, is spent on bus services that provide a transport option for people that would otherwise have no travel choices at all – specifically within the Blackridge and Greenrigg areas.
Council officers have considered contract options which would reinstate a service for these areas. It is proposed that the Council Executive awards contract LBS 10 to McGill’s Eastern Scottish to extend the 21 service to provide a connection between Blackridge and Bathgate via Armadale. The Council Executive is also being asked to agree a contribution to Strathclyde Partnership for Transport to reinstate a bus service linking Whitburn with the Shotts area, which will provide a connection for residents in Greenrigg.
The council is also exploring the use of developer funding to re-establish any lost connection from Winchburgh to areas such as Livingston. A tender exercise is underway and an update will be brought back to Council Executive next month. This is necessary as the 600 service will be cancelled following McGill’s network change. The change removes the 600 service from Winchburgh.
Executive councillor for the environment and sustainability Tom Conn said: “The situation is very difficult for everyone, and this is not an issue that is limited to West Lothian. McGill’s network changes are in direct response to the ongoing challenges being experienced across Scotland’s commercial bus industry.
“I am pleased that our team are looking at finding a solution within existing financial resources to address the issues being felt by residents in the Greenrigg and Blackridge areas. The council’s strategy is to prioritise the limited funding that we do have for people that would otherwise have no travel choices. The council will also work to ensure that new contracts are progressed to ensure that the subsides public funding is amended to reflect the new commercial routes effectively.”
He added: “We will do what we can to alter our subsidised routes to better meet the revisions within the commercial routes, but that cannot not solve all the issues. McGill’s changes come at a time when the council is facing significant financial pressures due to a budget gap of over £39 million over the next five years. It would be unrealistic to suggest that the council could use public money to fund direct replacements for the cancelled commercial services.
“The work carried out by our team also confirms that even if additional funding were available, which it is not, there is simply not enough drivers to solve the issues being experienced within the commercial bus market overall.
“The council receives no Scottish Government funding to provide a local bus service. However, the council does use its own limited funding to support around 20% of local bus services, to fill the gaps in the commercial bus network as best it can. Despite huge budget pressures, the council will continue to protect this funding and has not cut any bus services or funding to support bus services.
“It is clear that commercial operators simply cannot make some of their routes financially viable with current patronage numbers as they are.”
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