Fares row hits SBG
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, ROW has broken out over ?marks made by the Scottish 'raffic Commissioners in their ?port on an application from cottish Bus Group to increase s fares.
The Commissioners slamled SBG, saying it was "uneliable to an unacceptable egree." It was unreasonable 3 expect the public to pay igher fares for such a service.
But this week SBG has hit ack at "sweeping generalisaions" and said that the group id not accept that the service 'as unreliable.
Group chairman Ian Irwin !aimed that, in general terms, le group had a reasonable !cord of reliability and he mild not understand why the ommissioners had accused BG staff of "indifference and rrogance to the public and )cal authority staff."
Now the Commissioners ave decided that "it is unreamable and excessive to prome to raise the existing fare F 6p by 3p," even though they ly that they appreciate the asons for the application. But they considered the arguments "insufficient to justify the full increase" and approved the raising of the fare only from 6p to 8p.
The Commissioners were concerned at the "poor image" which some of the SBG companies seemed to have and said they hoped that means of .improving communications between the public and the companies would be studied.
Hooligans "Some additional costs may be involved which, if the desired results are achieved, the suffering public might think justified," say the Commissioners.
Mr Irwin has already replied angrily to suggestions that SBG staff may not co-operate with attempts to improve relations between the public and the companies.
"We have already an extremely loyal, able and hardworking staff at all levels," he said, and said that staff performed ably in all kinds of weather, traffic congestion and in the face of hooliganism.