Judgment reserved on Scottish routes
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THE SCOTTISH Traffic Commissioner has reserved judgment on proposals by Strathclyde PTE. to extend stage services from Springburn to include Kirkintilloch and increase the frequency of operations between Easterhouse and Glasgow...
The applications, which involved routine and timetable changes plus additional journeys on existing services, were opposed by the newly set up Scottish Bus Group subsidiary Kelvin Scottish Omnibuses; during a two-day hearing.
The PTE, it was claimed,. had identified a need for a service from Kirkintilloch to the Stobhill hospital. The Easterhouse proposal would give additional local facilities in the Queenslie and Easterhouse areas and the demand justified the operation• oI additional journeys.
William Campbell, Kelvin Scottish Omnibuses' traffic officer, said that his company was the principal operator beyond Fiishopbriggs in the corridor to Kirkintilloch. Discussions had been going on with the PTE concerning service revisions in the area.
The company had to rely upon a viable core of services to be able to cross subsidise such socially necessary services. 'The PTE's proposals would result in a great deal of abstraction of traffic from one of the company's most bouyant areas in Kirkintilloch. Revenue losses could be as much as 000,000 a year and would inevitably have a detrimental impact on the company's ability to provide uneconomic but socially necessary services in its network as a whole.
The overall effect of the VIT's Easterhouse proposals would be to increase the number of buses between Easterhouse and Glasgow by four. Mr Campell felt that the present services were adequate to meet existing needs.
The Commissioners are to put their decision in writing.