ANGRY Robroyston residents have hit out at further cuts to bus routes in the area.

The JMB Travel19A service which serves the area on weekday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays has been reduced to a Sunday only service as of Sunday October 25. SPT stepped in to run the service after the cancellation of the First Bus 19A last year.

This is the latest blow to buses in Robroyston after First Bus’ X2 and 32 services were cancelled last month. Residents are concerned about the impact this will have on the area.

Gerry Knox is worried about the impact this will have on older people. He said: “It’s an older community who live here and not many of them drive. My health isn’t great. I used to walk. Now I feel like I’m stuck in the house.”

Andrea Graham used the 19A service five days a week in order to get to work. She said:“I have to walk through Robroyston Park. It’s quite unsafe at the moment with kids letting fireworks off. It’s a lot tougher in the winter. There are no lights or anything.”

These concerns have been echoed by the area’s local representatives. Ivan McKee, SNP MSP for Glasgow Provan said: “These cuts to our vital bus services are having a devastating impact across the communities I represent.I have been working to try to establish a sustainable option and route that doesn’t leave my constituents completely isolated. I again urge the bus operator to seriously explore the sensible options we have put on the table”

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Aileen McKenzie, Labour Councillor for Springburn and Robroyston said:“The callousness of SPT to axe these bus routes leaving the residents of this part of the city with little to no bus service is astounding. SPT must reconsider and I am calling for urgent intervention from the Scottish Government and SPT. Glasgow needs to be bold and innovative with Public Transport and think outside the box on how to create a functioning network. A municipally owned public transport system is the way forward.”

A spokeswoman for SPT said: “The revised timetable reflects the current usage. The numbers using this service have been low for some time, and the impact of coronavirus and lockdown measures have made this worse, so maintaining the service is not an option.”

A spokesman for First Bus said:"“The removal of any bus services is something we take very seriously and is not a decision that we take lightly. The decision to remove the 19A some 12 months ago now, was no different, but in the fullness of time, given the decision by SPT to remove the subsidised version due to very low usage highlights exactly the same issues that we faced in this area.

“It is also important to make it clear that we still offer the communities of Provanmill and Germiston with a frequent service through route 19, which operates up to every 20 minutes and provides direct links to Glasgow Fort, Royal Infirmary and the City Centre. Connections are also available at Provanmill to transfer to service 8 should anyone require access from that corridor to Asda at Robroyston.

“Regardless of who owns the buses or the name is above the door of the bus, the challenges facing public transport remain the same. The competition from Rail and the private car, especially in this area, but in general terms in the city as well, pose a huge threat to the viability of the bus network in the city going forward."