The Scottish Government must back up the granting of powers to councils to run bus services with extra cash to do it, according to transport officials in Glasgow.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), which covers councils in the west of Scotland, said the powers are ineffective without the means to put them into practice.

Glasgow City Council, one of 12 represented on SPT, earlier said it was exploring the available options, including running a municipal bus service but had no immediate plans.

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While the Scottish Government transport minister, Jenny Gilruth, said she encouraged councils to make use of the powers.

She said: “I would encourage all local transport authorities to consider using this power, and the full range of tools available to them under the act, to ensure that everyone has accessible public transport regardless of where they are in Scotland.”

SPT, however, said it needed the Scottish Government to provide resources for councils to realise the aim of a publicly run bus service.

Stephen Dornan, SPT chair, said: “While we welcome the use of powers in the Transport (Scotland) Act to allow local authorities to run bus services in their area, this is not realistic without relevant regulations to support them and additional resources being made available.

“It is wholly inappropriate to say local authorities decide on that funding – it is simply passing the buck.  

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“Powers without resources, particularly at this challenging time, does not help bus services or public transport.”

Councillor Dornan said any service had to ensure buses run on routes where people need them, not just on busy routes where there is a steady cash stream from fares.

He added: “Throughout the pandemic, additional funding has been made available direct to the bus operators without any demands made on operators. 

“At the same time, there are many concerns being raised – quite rightly – about the performance of the bus network.

“Running bus services is not just about those services that are commercially viable. 

"Bus services need to be about meeting the needs of people using the service, and that means making them more reliable and affordable and designed in a way that connects communities to all the essential services - education, employment and health.”