Glasgow soup kitchen seeking exemption from council bus lane charges
The charity says it needs to use the lanes to collect food supplies
Last updated 28th Nov 2022
A Glasgow soup kitchen providing thousands of meals a week to the city’s most vulnerable says it should be exempt from bus lane restrictions on routes it uses for collection.
Homeless Project Scotland received six fines between August and September whilst visiting food suppliers.
The contraventions took place at Maryhill Road/Bilsland Drive, Glassford Street, Dumbarton Road/Burnham Road and Nelson Mandela Place.
Colin McInnes, the charity’s chairman said: “Using bus lanes saves a good ten to fifteen minutes for the drivers to get round the shops.
“Not being able to use the bus lanes means we might have to reconsider what we can collect and what we can’t collect.
“If Homeless Project Scotland can’t use them, then Glasgow City Council are snatching food from homeless and vulnerable people’s mouths.”
A gesture of goodwill
Glasgow City Council has reduced the fines to £30 as a “gesture of goodwill” and has offered advice on how the charity can complete their pick-ups without travelling in bus lanes.
The local authority has also confirmed that the project is already exempt from the bus gate and parking restrictions on Argyle Street to help them operate their soup kitchen.
A spokesperson said: “No other dispensation is in place and no information has ever been provided by them that attempts to show an exemption is needed for the whole city, or for any other specific bus gates, to collect or deliver food.
“Bus lanes are a crucial measure for the efficiency of the city’s public transport system.”
It follows a recent dispute between Homeless Project Scotland and Glasgow City Council over the availability of premises to operate its soup kitchen over the winter.
The council said the charity has rejected two offers and has now changed its requirements to ask for somewhere to accommodate more people and allow it to open 24 hours a day.
Homeless Project Scotland has been providing hot meals to those most in need since 2019.
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