Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, recently arranged a meeting with Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) Chief Executive Valerie Davidson at the organisation’s head office in Glasgow.
Tom is regularly contacted by constituents regarding public transport issues, and most notably of late about local bus services.
The SNP man was keen to take this opportunity to discuss SPT’s future plans for service provision within Renfrewshire South and to pass on his constituent’s views about recent changes to services by local operators McGills and Key Coaches.
Speaking after the visit, Tom said: “I don’t think there is a single area of Renfrewshire South that has not been impacted by recent changes to public transport service provision. Whilst the pilot of publicly-owned Scotrail’s ‘off peak all day’ fares has been immensely popular, users of other public transport have been contacting me in large numbers to express their concern.
“Many people in Renfrewshire South rely on buses to get them to work and school or to access local shops, healthcare and leisure facilities. During this Westminster-made cost of living crisis, it is more important than ever that we have safe, affordable and reliable public transport to get people around the local area.
“Thank you to Valerie for agreeing to meet with me and for sharing SPT’s vision for the future of public transport in Renfrewshire South.
“I am grateful that she listened to my constituent’s concerns and I am hopeful that the experiences of public transport users will be carefully considered in all future moves to reshape the network which provide vital lifelines in Renfrewshire South’s villages and towns.”
Headline photo: Tom Arthur MSP met with SPT Chief Executive Valerie Davidson in December