Politicians and unions have hit back at the managing director of First Bus Scotland after he told The Herald a solution to driver shortages could be for pub staff to drive night buses.
Duncan Cameron said he appreciated the notion was "whacky" but used it as an example of how flexible First Glasgow was willing to be in resolving driver recruitment issues.
In an exclusive interview with The Herald he said that First could train pub staff as drivers who could then do a hybrid shift in the bar before driving the night bus.
However, politicians and union bosses reacted with anger to the suggestion.
Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy said: "This response from the First Bus boss beggars belief.
READ MORE: First bus boss tells pub staff to drive night buses themselves
"People in Glasgow will be rightly raging about it.
"It shows a complete lack of understanding of what it’s like to work in hospitality and a staggering lack of self awareness to believe that the people who caused the problem - the profiteering bus company - aren’t the ones to fix it.
"The Government must immediately use the power, secured by a Labour amendment, in the 2019 Transport Act to re-regulate buses and get them back in public hands."
First Glasgow announced on Monday that it would be cutting 11 night time routes across Greater Glasgow in response to low passenger numbers.
Outcry at the proposals was immediate but First said it had tried to engage in consultation with the local authority and politicians but had received little feedback until it was too late.
The services are set to end on July 31 and drivers will be deployed to new, increased services that begin on August 20 on a day time route.
In response to the issue of driver shortages, Mr Cameron said: "This was by no means put forward as the solution - it was simply an example of the type of creative thinking that might be required by all stakeholders to overcome the labour challenges we and other sectors are continuing to face."
But Bryan Simpson, Lead Organiser - Unite Hospitality, said the comments were "disrespectful".
READ MORE: Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon intervene in night bus row
He added: "For the boss of First Bus in Glasgow to even suggest that exhausted bar workers should be driving themselves home late at night is probably one of the most disrespectful comments we’ve heard.
"If the people of Glasgow needed anymore reason to collectively demand the end of the First Bus monopoly to be replaced by a publicly-owned and operated bus company, he’s just given them one."
Pauline McNeill, Labour MSP, said it was now important to find out why passenger numbers are so low and work to increase them so the routes can be saved.
She said: "That is an utterly ridiculous response to a serious issue for the city of Glasgow, the safety issue alone would rule this out, not to mention that it does not solve the problem for many other users who rely on this service.
"I have represented the city of Glasgow for 18 years. "I know the city has changed a lot so we do need to understand more about why passenger numbers are low, some of the reasons are obvious.
"However, he does make other valid points on the challenges for the industry "In my view the problem cannot be solved by First Bus alone.
"This service cannot be allowed to die and there should be an urgent collective response from the city council, SPT and bus operators.
"We cannot let this service die because of these challenges."
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