SPT has awarded a number of new subsidised service contracts in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde following the disappointing decision by McGill’s to withdraw some commercial services in these areas.

Recognising the importance of some of these services for the communities they serve, SPT has now been able to find resources within its budgets to cover some of the recently withdrawn services. While the new contracted services do not all offer “like for like” services, the new contracts supplement current services and offer connections to other services operating in the area.

These include:

Service X22: Port Glasgow to Clydebank

SPT has awarded a temporary contract operating from Port Glasgow to Clydebank, offering other wider service connections from Port Glasgow including to / from Greenock. The X22 will additionally now serve Clydebank Health Centre Monday to Friday.

Service 543: Greenock (Nicolson Street to Renton Road)

SPT has awarded a temporary contract for two late evening return journeys Monday to Saturday, and four return journeys on Sundays.

Service 507: Trumpethill to Greenock

SPT has awarded a temporary contract for a Saturday morning journey from Trumpethill at 08:16                    

Service 30/38: Johnstone to Spateston

SPT has awarded a temporary contract to include an extra journey at 18:08 Johnstone to Spateston (Monday to Friday) and an extra journey at 18:23 on Saturday.

In addition, SPT has varied contracts to cover the withdrawn evening services between Johnstone to Kilbarchan and Spateston.  A later evening service will be offered on the X6B return Johnstone – Kilbarchan – Bridge of Weir / Linwood.

A later service will also be available on the 307A Johnstone – Spateston – Lochwinnoch.

Service 20: Cochrane Castle to Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH)

SPT revised contract will cover the withdrawn Saturday service to introduce a new Saturday service (20A) operating hourly from 08:30 to 18:55 via Elderslie.

Chair of SPT Operations Committee David Wilson said:

“Once again, SPT has stepped in to provide services when commercial operators have decided to withdraw without any thought to those communities across Renfrewshire and Inverclyde who rely on those services most. 

“Where they have been able, SPT has managed to amend and adapt current contracted services to help provide some solutions to ensure that people will be able to travel when and where they need to.  However, make no mistake, this is not sustainable for the long-term future of bus services in our area.  SPT cannot continue to step in as operators continue to withdraw services.

“There needs to be a long-term plan to tackle some of the deep routed issues and problems facing the bus market.  We call upon Transport Scotland to urgently look at these issues and to work with SPT to try and tackle these.  We need appropriate funding from Government to support the new powers offered in the 2019 Transport Act and work to get our bus network on the road to recovery.”