No15: Greer meets with Citybus

Scottish Green Party's Ross Greer during First Minister's Questions at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday January 31, 2019. See PA story SCOTLAND Questions. Photo credit should read: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Green MSP and local commuter Ross Greer has had “an open and constructive” meeting with a Glasgow Citybus ?official as anger grows over the scrapping of the No15 bus.

The 15, which runs between Milngavie and Glasgow city centre, via Bearsden, Anniesland and the West End, will cease operating at the end of June.

Ross met with the firm’s Commercial Manager Sharon Morrison to hear the reasons behind the decision and to present a 16-page summary of protest emails, letters and phone calls from local residents who rely on the service.

The MSP also handed over a petition from residents of Oakburn Gardens sheltered housing in Milngavie, calling for the service to remain.

He said Ms Morrison explained the issues which have prevented the route from becoming profitable in its six years of operation.

She told him primary challenges are congestion along many sections of the route, consistently but unpredictably delaying buses, as well as passenger data showing that most of those using the service do so from areas with other bus services, resulting in increased competition and insufficient usage.

Citybus told him they have instead decided to focus on investing in other areas of their service, including the local No17 route.