MSP In Bid To Boost Bus Regulation

Proposed legislation aimed at strengthening regulation in the bus industry is to be launched at Holyrood.

Labour MSP Iain Gray is launching the Bus Regulation (Scotland) Bill in response to widespread concern'' about the issue.

His Members' Bill would allow local authorities to bundle together profitable and loss-making routes into one franchise that operators could bid for, and give authorities a greater say over details such as frequency and fares.

It would also allow the Traffic Commissioner - responsible for licensing - the ability to penalise operators who break franchise agreements.

Mr Gray said: I speak with many constituents who are rightly angry when local bus services are cut, but feel powerless when councils tell them it's down to a commercial decision by the operator.

My Bill aims to give more power to local transport authorities, by giving them a greater say in how services are delivered in their area beyond the most basic terms.''

He added: Following recent bad experiences with bus services in my own East Lothian constituency, and several other areas across Scotland, I believe the time is right for this proposal.

The current market-driven set up is letting too many people down and this needs to change.''

Trade union Unite has backed Mr Gray's Bill.

Scottish Secretary Pat Rafferty, said: The Thatcherite deregulation agenda has undeniably failed the Scottish travelling public with the most profitable routes being cherry-picked and the least profitable being cut, annual fare hikes imposed on the travelling public and real-terms cuts forced on the terms and conditions of workers.''

He added: Scotland's buses need to be tailored to meet the needs of the travelling public who use them day-in, day-out and not as a means for bus operators to solely maximise profit.''

Mr Gray is now seeking the necessary support for his proposals from across Parliament.