To: SPT, Strathclyde’s 12 Council leaders & Transport Scotland

Take Strathclyde’s Buses back into Public Control

Please sign this petition to support the Better Buses for Strathclyde campaign and make sure you tick ‘Yes, keep me informed via email’ to receive our updates.

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Bus services across Strathclyde are in crisis.

Private bus companies receive millions in public subsidies every year,[1] yet they continue to cut our vital services and hike up fares.

This has left many people across our region locked out of jobs and opportunities, unable to visit friends or family, or forced to buy cars.

We’ve seen a vicious circle of decline ever since our buses were deregulated in 1986.

Now finally we have the chance to turn this around.

New powers in the Transport Act 2019 mean our transport authority – SPT – can take our buses back into public control.

Re-regulating the private bus companies (through ‘franchising’) will mean SPT can plan bus routes to serve our communities’ needs and to connect seamlessly with trains, ferries and Glasgow’s Subway.

They can cut fares and deliver one simple, affordable ticket across all transport modes – like Greater Manchester is now doing.[2]

And SPT can also set up a new publicly-owned bus company for Strathclyde – like Edinburgh’s Lothian Buses – which can reinvest profits in improving our network.[3]

The next two years are crucial.

SPT is currently developing the new Strathclyde Regional Bus Strategy (SRBS) which will set the direction of bus policy for the next 15 years.[4]

This offers us a once-in-generation opportunity to end the chaos caused by bus deregulation and ensure that public money is used to provide the services that we need.

We call on SPT’s Board to ensure that this Strategy sets out clear plans to use both these new powers in tandem (for ‘franchising’ and to set up a new public operator for Strathclyde).

It’s vital that SPT’s Board also rejects the idea of entering into a so-called ‘Bus Service Improvement Partnership’ with the private operators which would simply maintain the status quo.

We call on the leaders on Strathclyde’s 12 Councils to support SPT to take our region’s buses back into public control.

We call on the Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop and her staff at Transport Scotland to provide the funding and support that SPT need to deliver a world-class, fully-integrated, accessible and affordable public transport system fit for the 21st century.

Why is this important?

Strathclyde is by far the most populous part of Scotland – home to 2.2 million people, with the largest number of bus users.

Our expensive, unreliable and uncoordinated public transport network is holding us back – it’s a disaster for our economy, society and our environment.

Transport is by far the biggest contributor to carbon emissions: mostly from private cars.

The Scottish Government has set the target of reducing car miles by 20% by 2030.[5] Glasgow City Council also aims to have net-zero emissions by this date.[6]

These pressing climate targets will be impossible to meet without a total transformation of our public transport network so that – no matter where you live in our region – you can get around easily without needing to own a car.[7]

As Greater Manchester has clearly shown, this transformation can only be delivered by taking our buses back into public control.

Better Buses for Strathclyde is supported by:

https://betterbuses.bringbackbritishrail.org/strathclyde/petitionsupporters.png

Govan Community Council
Maryhill & Summerston Community Council
Clydebank Trades Council
Irvine Trades Council
Shawlands & Strathbungo Community Council
Anderston Community Council

If you’re part of an organisation, group or Community Council that would like to support the campaign, please get in touch using the ‘Contact Campaign Creator’ link at the top of this petition.

References:

[1] March 2023, Scottish Transport Statistics, Transport Scotland
https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/scottish-transport-statistics-2022/chapter-02-bus-and-coach-travel
[2] The Bee Network, Transport for Greater Manchester
https://tfgm.com/the-bee-network
[3] About Us, Lothian Buses
https://www.lothianbuses.com/about-us
[4] June 2023, Strathclyde Regional Bus Strategy & Delivery Plan – Award of Contract, SPT
https://www.spt.co.uk/media/gr3hd3gj/sp090623_agenda7.pdf
[5] January 2022, 20% reduction in car km by 2030, Transport Scotland
https://www.transport.gov.scot/our-approach/environment/20-reduction-in-car-km-by-2030
[6] June 2021, Glasgow’s Climate Plan passed unanimously at committee, Glasgow City Council
https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=27218
[7] March 2021, Every Village, Every Hour, CPRE: The Countryside Charity
https://www.cpre.org.uk/resources/every-village-every-hour-2021-buses-report-full-report

How it will be delivered

We submitted this petition to the SPT Board ahead of their meeting in March 2024 – when they announced plans to take forward the new powers.

This was just the first step.

We need to keep collecting signatures and lobbying SPT until the SRBS is complete in summer 2025.

Alongside this, we need to lobby Fiona Hyslop to provide support so that SPT can deliver the Strategy. Please help by signing our new Scottish Parliament petition:
https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2116

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

Links

Campaign Facebook Page Campaign Website

Updates

2024-11-22 11:40:33 +0000

Our new Scottish Parliament petition to "Accelerate the implementation of bus franchising powers” will get its first hearing at the Petitions Committee next Wednesday 27 November 2024, 11am

Please help us reach 3,000 signatures before then, by signing & sharing the petition link👇
📝 https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2116

If you want to find out more about the issues with the Scottish legislation and how the Scottish Government can resolve them, then please read our evidence submitted to the Petitions Committee:

Written submission, 11 October 2024:
https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/citizen-participation-and-public-petitions-committee/correspondence/2024/pe2116/pe2116_b.pdf

Written submission, 12 November 2024:
https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/citizen-participation-and-public-petitions-committee/correspondence/2024/pe2116/pe2116_c.pdf

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2024-10-14 11:11:02 +0100

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We have succeeded in pushing SPT to take forward new powers to take our bus network back into public control and to set up a new publicly-owned operator for Strathclyde 👏👏

The next phase of the campaign is at the Scottish Parliament - to demand that the Scottish Government supports SPT to use these powers, and helps to simplify and accelerate their deployment.

Please help by signing and sharing our new Scottish Parliament petition:
https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2116

2024-09-05 17:38:22 +0100

Thanks to everyone who came to our public meeting last week!
If you missed it, there's now a recording available online here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dgehHrgtB8

There are two main follow up actions:

1. Come to our Rally at SPT Offices ahead of their Board meeting on Friday 20 September, 9:30am - we need to keep the pressure up to ensure they act on the public consultation results. Invite your friends here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1524299811504336

2. Sign & Share our new Scottish Parliament petition here: https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2116 - we need lots more signatures to ramp up the pressure on the Scottish Government to ensure they support SPT with their plans to take our buses back into public control!

2024-08-20 11:05:39 +0100

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The results of SPT's consultation showed huge public support for public ownership and control of the bus network.

We're organising a Public Meeting at Unite Offices in Glasgow on Wednesday 28 August, 6:30pm to discuss the next steps for the campaign. Please join us there to find out more:

Taking our buses back into public control: What's next for the campaign?
Wednesday 28 August 2024, 6:30-8pm
Unite Scotland, 145/165 West Regent Street, Glasgow, G2 4RZ
Register to attend at: https://takingbusesback.eventbrite.com

2024-04-15 21:40:30 +0100

Following our big campaign win on Friday 15 March, SPT are now running a public consultation on their proposals for bus reform, which closes at midnight on Monday 13 May 2024.

This gives us a great opportunity to make our voices heard.

Please use our online guide to help you complete the consultation 👇
📝https://betterbuses.bringbackbritishrail.org/strathclyde/index.html

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We are also organising two public meetings in collaboration with regional trades councils during the consultation period:

Public Meeting - Better Buses North Lanarkshire
Thursday 25 April 2024, 7.30pm
The Muirfield Centre, 1A South Muirhead Road, Cumbernauld, G67 1AX
https://www.facebook.com/events/737942401543136

Public Meeting - Better Buses North Ayrshire
Wednesday 1 May 2024, 7.30pm
Kilwinning Bowling Club, 12 Howgate, Kilwinning, KA13 6EJ
https://www.facebook.com/events/953154369509542

Please do come along to find out more!

2024-03-12 12:18:43 +0000

This Friday 15 March is Decision-Day for our buses!

The SPT Board is meeting to choose whether to use new powers to bring the bus network back into public control.

Please join our People's Rally for Public Control:
Friday 15 March 2024, 9am
SPT Offices, 131 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, G2 5JF

We need a really strong turn out to ensure SPT make the right decision

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2024-02-24 20:39:51 +0000

10,000 signatures reached

2024-02-22 11:29:42 +0000

This is a crucial point in our fight to take Strathclyde's buses back into public control.

We're ramping up the pressure on SPT Board members by delivering this petition to them this Friday 23 February, 9:30am ahead of their Board meeting - and by holding a big Rally on Friday 15 March, 9am when they plan to announce their decision.

Please come down and join us outside SPT Offices, 131 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, G2 5JF

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Better Buses for Strathclyde Petition Hand-in
Friday 23 February 2024, 9:30am
https://www.facebook.com/events/340213895670606

Better Buses for Strathclyde People’s Rally
Friday 15 March 2024, 9am
https://www.facebook.com/events/1044059693335572

2024-01-23 17:15:01 +0000

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On 15 March 2024, the SPT Board will announce whether they plan to use the new powers in the Transport Act 2019 to take our region’s buses back into public control.

Please help us ramp up the pressure before then by using our online tool to write to the decision makers on the SPT Board. Take action here 👇
📨 https://act.foe.scot/BetterBuses

2023-12-20 15:46:59 +0000

5,000 signatures reached

2023-09-29 19:10:20 +0100

1,000 signatures reached

2023-09-29 11:56:04 +0100

500 signatures reached

2023-09-29 09:42:45 +0100

100 signatures reached

2023-09-29 09:11:45 +0100

50 signatures reached

2023-09-29 08:10:24 +0100

25 signatures reached