The elderly and disabled will be marooned in Kilbarchan unless “savage cuts” to bus services in the village are abandoned, councillors have said.
McGill’s Buses confirmed a swath of cuts to services across Renfrewshire last month, with the 32 bus amongst a number to be harshly impacted.
The route, which ferries people to the village centre and Johnstone - will see its frequency drop from every 20 minutes to hourly.
The cut coincides with the complete removal of the number 38 bus which connects the Renfrewshire village to Glasgow Monday to Saturday,
But councillors Gillian Graham and Chris Gilmour who represent the area have urged the bus company to rethink its plans.
“McGill’s cuts to the bus service in Kilbarchan are particularly savage,” councillor Graham said.
“For many who live in villages the bus service is a vital lifeline.
“The proposed 66 per cent reduction in bus frequency will create major problems, particularly for those with mobility issues. “Kilbarchan has one the highest percentages of older people (over 65 )in the west of Scotland.
“This group in particular - although not exclusively - is reliant on the current service to use village facilities such as the post office and pharmacy which, for many in the village, constitutes a 20 to 25 minute walk from where they live.”
The cuts to services were revealed as part of McGill’s revised timetable to come into effect from Monday, May 1.
They come as a Scottish Government subsidy to support public transport following the pandemic draws to a close on March 31.
A particular blow for McGill’s, the company says its operating costs have soared by 25 per cent since before the pandemic, making some provision simply “unaffordable”.
Councillor Chris Gilmour who also represents the Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch ward has also raised significant concerns about the withdrawal of services.
The fellow Labour councillor said: “The withdrawal of the 38 service between Kilbarchan and Glasgow Monday to Saturday will have a significant impact on workers travelling beyond Johnstone and also young people attending college in Glasgow and Paisley, both groups who particularly rely on evening services.
“While the hourly 38 service will continue to service on a Sunday it will cease operation at 8pm.
“The decision to dramatically reduce services is purely based on money and shows complete disregard for passengers and for the demographic factors within the villages.
“We ask that McGill’s meet with us to discuss how these cuts can be reduced.”
The cuts come as passengers have been demanded increased provision in Kilbarchan, with strong demand to connect the village with Johnstone train station via the number 32.
But McGill’s says the harsh financial environment means it is having to make tough decisions on services.
A spokesman for the company said: “We recognise the impact that network changes will have upon some services, including those serving areas such as Kilbarchan.
“Bus companies - much like local authorities - are not immune from the cost pressures of recent years.
“To retain a good quality service overall, we have had to make difficult decisions in some areas but we have tried to adjust other services to mitigate the impact wherever we can.
“We have had extensive dialogue with local authority representatives around Renfrewshire and Inverclyde in recent months and we remain willing to converse with councillors about these matters.”
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