Local bus service provision is a matter of vital importance for many people living in the Eastwood constituency that I represent.
Delayed services, cancellations, the removal of stops on routes and the discontinuation of particular services represent issues that are all too frequently raised with me in correspondence, phone calls to my local office and when constituents stop me for a chat when out and about in Eastwood.
It was an issue of major concern when First Glasgow announced in July that the 11 weekend night bus services it operated – including the routes in Eastwood – would be discontinued within a matter of weeks.
I expressed my dismay over this situation directly with First Bus and as Eastwood’s MSP highlighted the importance of the services to local people.
Following the initial First Glasgow announcement, the permanent termination of the routes was postponed and an agreement subsequently reached with McGill’s to continue night bus provision with each operator taking on responsibility for different services.
I am grateful to both bus operators for the collaborative working, which has resulted in the maintenance of a network of night bus services for Eastwood and prevented the complete wipe-out of the routes.
The previous N38 First Glasgow timetable that included Eastwood has been replaced by the N4 McGill’s service.
The N4 includes the previous major N38 stops at Eastwood Toll, Mearns Cross and Greenfarm Road.
The N3 McGill’s service also covers Thornliebank with stops including Eastwood Crescent and Rouken Glen Road.
Whilst the continued presence of night bus services in Eastwood is clearly to be welcomed and a very positive piece of news, one glaring absence is the inclusion of Clarkston in any of the timetables.
Clarkston Toll formed part of the previous N6 (south) timetable and this is one night bus route not to be carried over into the new package of services either by First Glasgow or McGill’s.
It is disappointing that Clarkston has been omitted from the revised night bus services. The exclusion of the town has already been raised with me as a point of local concern.
As the new operator of Eastwood’s night bus routes, I contacted McGill’s to seek an explanation on why Clarkston has not been included in the revised programme of services and to ask for a reassessment of this situation in order to determine if the town can be added.
Sadly, the response I have received from McGills confirms there is no early prospect of Clarkston returning to the network of night bus services.
The reply sets out that the previous N6 (south) service operated two buses as opposed to just the one meaning there were significantly higher costs for running the route. A key characteristic of the new services is that they all only have one bus and as such, the Clarkston route has been excluded.
The retention of night bus routes for Eastwood when at one stage, it looked certain they would be discontinued is an overall positive outcome but the absence of Clarkston in the amended service provision ultimately takes the shine off an otherwise welcome development.
