BUS passengers in Scotland face a worse deal and poorer travelling experience than the public in England unless local authorities are given power to take control over routes, timetables and fares, a major union has claimed.
Unite will tell MSPs Scotland could save up to £76 million a year if every bus company in the country was owned by local councils, following the model of Lothian Buses.
The union will go before the Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee today calling for re-regulation of the bus industry, claiming Scottish passengers "risk being left behind those in England" if the Scottish Parliament and Government do not act.
But the body which represents the UK bus and coach industry has described Unite's proposals as "flawed and misleading".
The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) said it dispute the presentation of the industry as a "failing commercial market", citing passenger satisfaction ratings of over 90 per cent.
CPT also said bus fares in Scotland were lower than the UK average and were rising at a slower rate, adding that operators have invested over £200m in the past five years on new vehicles and smart ticketing.
Unite Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty said: “That £76 million of savings could transform bus services in Scotland and it is in urgent need of transformation.
"Across the country, routes are being slashed, passenger numbers are falling, and fares are rocketing. Lothian Buses stands out as a clear exception to that rule.
“Deregulation is bad for passengers, but it’s also bad news for our members. Many have lost their jobs as the private bus companies scramble for profits. Their pay has also been squeezed hard, with the wages of a bus driver now about 36 per cent lower today in real terms, than they were at the time of deregulation.
“In London, regulation has created a franchising system under the power of Transport for London and the London Mayor. They have managed to increase passenger numbers and create a bus system that works for passengers. Private bus companies still provide the service, but they are under public control.
“A Bus Services Bill going through Westminster could make that model available to councils across England. If the Scottish Parliament doesn’t act soon, then Scottish passengers could be left behind, with much of the country suffering from a second-class bus service run for profit, not people.”
But George Mair, director of CPT Scotland, said: "Bus patronage is dropping but this should be viewed in the context that deregulation actually stemmed the decline. More bus passengers were lost in the 15 years prior to deregulation than in the 30 years since.
"Additionally, the ‘London model’, which is held up as the panacea for public transport, is currently suffering a rate of patronage loss which is twice that of Scotland.
"Unite wrongly cite the Lothian Buses model as an example of public ownership. In fact, bus services in Edinburgh are deregulated and Lothian Buses is an arms length trading company. If Edinburgh does enjoy any advantage it is perhaps that the local authority engages with the major bus operator in the city."
The petitions committee will also hear from Ian Taylor, from Transport for Quality of Life, which has carried out independent research for the union on how to create a world-class bus service.
Ellie Harrison of the Get Glasgow Moving campaign said: “In Glasgow more than half of our households don't have access to cars. Get Glasgow Moving is supporting the campaign to re-regulate Scotland's buses, as the first step to re-building a world-class, fully integrated public transport network to serve everyone in our city.”
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