r/Glasgow Tools

Title
Author	Scunnered20
Comment	Edit - short answer, yes --------- No way of knowing this for sure but my strong reading of it is that for 5-10 years or so now there's been a growing political consensus that "something must be done" about the buses. And so yes, in reaction to that the operators have been encouraged, should we say, to act in a way that preempts full regulation, which of course they continue to ardently oppose. To be able to say "look, things are working". Things have changed significantly since the 90s, when the bus operators truly did hold the whip hand. For example, they were so strong that their lobbying nixed the Strathclyde Tram project when it went before the Scottish Office, arguing that it would lead to reduced bus patronage in Maryhill and the West End. Times have changed. People are tired of things, are seeing how it's working differently in many other cities, and campaign groups such as Get Glasgow Moving have had a big impact in focusing minds. The 2019 Transport Act (Scotland) included provisions for council to get on with bus franchising. Around that time, the bus operators set up a Glasgow bus operators' alliance, complete with a manifesto for positive change, including unified multi-operator ticketing. https://glasgowbusalliance.com/ I'd say the average person is largely unaware of this grouping. And they keep it on the down low as it is largely a means for collective lobbying. But it has allowed the operators to work together for the first time in a more productive way. Some good things are coming out of this, including multi-operator ticketing. At the same time, the Scottish Government has welcomed their moves and pledges, helping fund various things such as fleet conversions to electric and lower emissions buses and funding projects in Glasgow and other cities to provide rapid bus transit routes. Though that's still in the early stages. The writing's on the wall though. There's a strong political consensus that franchising (ala TfL or Greater Manchester) is the way forward, and that's where we're heading.
Reddit Link	https://www.reddit.com/r/glasgow/comments/16e1bhc/glasgow_lez_could_be_followed_by_congestion_charge/jzu2eea/
Created	Sat 9th Sep 2023 5:45pm
Status	normal ()

Edit - short answer, yes

---------

No way of knowing this for sure but my strong reading of it is that for 5-10 years or so now there's been a growing political consensus that "something must be done" about the buses. And so yes, in reaction to that the operators have been *encouraged*, should we say, to act in a way that preempts full regulation, which of course they continue to ardently oppose. To be able to say "look, things are working".

Things have changed significantly since the 90s, when the bus operators truly did hold the whip hand. For example, they were so strong that their lobbying nixed the Strathclyde Tram project when it went before the Scottish Office, arguing that it would lead to reduced bus patronage in Maryhill and the West End.

Times have changed. People are tired of things, are seeing how it's working differently in many other cities, and campaign groups such as Get Glasgow Moving have had a big impact in focusing minds.

The 2019 Transport Act (Scotland) included provisions for council to get on with bus franchising. Around that time, the bus operators set up a Glasgow bus operators' alliance, complete with a manifesto for positive change, including unified multi-operator ticketing. https://glasgowbusalliance.com/

I'd say the average person is largely unaware of this grouping. And they keep it on the down low as it is largely a means for collective lobbying. But it has allowed the operators to work together for the first time in a more productive way. Some good things are coming out of this, including multi-operator ticketing.

At the same time, the Scottish Government has welcomed their moves and pledges, helping fund various things such as fleet conversions to electric and lower emissions buses and funding projects in Glasgow and other cities to provide rapid bus transit routes. Though that's still in the early stages.

The writing's on the wall though. There's a strong political consensus that franchising (ala TfL or Greater Manchester) is the way forward, and that's where we're heading.