r/Glasgow Tools

Title
Author	twoxraydelta
Comment	Here’s my view mate and it’s not designed to argue or disagree with the valid points you make. More just thinking out loud with my thoughts in the industry… What Public ownership can do is shift the number one priority of a company from being a profit generating business to providing a public service as it is intended. Of course it still needs to be sustainable. Most local transit services around the world are seen as a vital component of a city’s infrastructure. They are run for the benefit of the city, the residents and the visitors rather than a profit making opportunity. London provides an excellent bus service. Its subsidised to the tune of £700m though. Scaled to Glasgow, for similar service level it would need maybe around £70m - £80m in subsidies spread across the diff operators. TFL have the profitable tube network to raise those funds. In Scotland the money isn’t there. But it gives an idea of the kind of operation a company like First needs to run to turn a profit. Low ball service levels, cost cutting at every opportunity, expensive fares. While in London every single vehicle operates at an average of an £80k a year loss. It’s all down to the governments. They are the ones who deregulated public transport, they are the ones with the power to provide funding or not, and re-regulate if need be. First Bus are only doing what they are obligated to do, which is to make a profit. But while they do that, the public are shortchanged on critical infrastructure and the staff are shortchanged on employment conditions. That is proven by their high turnover (which is a pre brexit issue for them) and their inability to attract and retain enough employees.
Reddit Link	https://www.reddit.com/r/glasgow/comments/10heyez/we_could_do_much_worse_than_first_bus/j589731/
Created	Sat 21st Jan 2023 2:23am
Status	normal ()

Here’s my view mate and it’s not designed to argue or disagree with the valid points you make. More just thinking out loud with my thoughts in the industry…

What Public ownership can do is shift the number one priority of a company from being a profit generating business to providing a public service as it is intended. Of course it still needs to be sustainable.

Most local transit services around the world are seen as a vital component of a city’s infrastructure. They are run for the benefit of the city, the residents and the visitors rather than a profit making opportunity.

London provides an excellent bus service. Its subsidised to the tune of £700m though. Scaled to Glasgow, for similar service level it would need maybe around £70m - £80m in subsidies spread across the diff operators. TFL have the profitable tube network to raise those funds.

In Scotland the money isn’t there. But it gives an idea of the kind of operation a company like First needs to run to turn a profit. Low ball service levels, cost cutting at every opportunity, expensive fares. While in London every single vehicle operates at an average of an £80k a year loss.

It’s all down to the governments. They are the ones who deregulated public transport, they are the ones with the power to provide funding or not, and re-regulate if need be. First Bus are only doing what they are obligated to do, which is to make a profit. But while they do that, the public are shortchanged on critical infrastructure and the staff are shortchanged on employment conditions. That is proven by their high turnover (which is a pre brexit issue for them) and their inability to attract and retain enough employees.