SCOTLAND'S Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn has reportedly turned down meetings with Glasgow bus campaigners fighting to overhaul "completely mad" franchising legislation.
Ellie Harrison, of Get Glasgow Moving, told The National podcast she had twice contacted Flynn since he came into post but has been rejected both times.
A report on Glasgow bus services in June showed nearly nine in 10 feel they aren't good enough, with campaigners calling for the creation of a publicly-owned bus company.
Among its recommendations, the report urged the Scottish Government to introduce legislation to simplify bus franchising powers and provide an additional £100 million a year for five years to support the transition.
Harrison claimed what needs to be done in Glasgow "is not rocket science" and called on Flynn to support changes to legislation.
"I've written to him twice to ask for a meeting since he became Transport Secretary, both have been declined because he's too busy, so that's not a good start," she said.
"He [Flynn] has announced he would be bringing forward better buses legislation during this parliament, but it's really not rocket science what needs to be done."
Harrison said Get Glasgow Moving is planning a rally at the Scottish Parliament on September 2 specifically focusing on overhauling buses.
In recent months, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) approved its Strathclyde Regional Bus Strategy and accompanying action plan, including the development of bus franchising.
But Harrison highlighted how Scotland has a "mad" extra step it has to take before it can implement franchising involving an unelected UK Government official.
"If this legislation does anything, it needs to simplify the powers in the 2019 Transport Act," she said.
"Our bus franchising powers in Scotland are the most complicated in the UK, so we've got an extra step in the Scottish legislation that SPT will have to go through before they can finally start rolling out bus franchising and that is a completely mad and unnecessary step.
"In the English legislation the mayor would get to decide whether to progress franchising once they've done an independent audit, a business case, and a public consultation.
"In Scotland, after the independent audit and the consultation, the proposals then have to go to an independent panel that is convened by the traffic commissioner, who is an unelected official appointed by the UK Government. The Scottish Government has created that step."
She went on: "If the panel don't like the look of it, SPT would've spent £6 million and it would all go in the bin. So, if Stephen Flynn thinks that's a good idea that's mad."
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “Better, more affordable bus services are important to us. That’s why we are committed to policies such as introducing a £2 bus cap and why we are supporting Local Transport Authorities to take forward plans for local bus improvements through franchising.”
