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Both
of the main bus companies which operate in Dundee have indicated that they plan
to make major changes to their services in Dundee. I believe that
these actions make the case for bus regulation.
Both Xplore Dundee, formerly National Express Dundee and Stagecoach talk
about bus ‘services’ when in reality they are only really interested in running
profitable services.
Dundee
City Council does not run bus services but it does provide the infrastructure
for bus services and does subsidise many services in the city when it thinks
that there is a social need.
Increasingly commercial bus companies are only interested in running
profitable services and claim that they cannot cross subsidise services. This also means that for the elderly, the
young and those with mobility problems increasingly it is anything but a
‘service’ which they are being offered.
I
will be making representation to both bus companies about their proposals and I
urge my constituents and others to do likewise.
I am happy to pass on concerns to the bus companies from my
constituents.
I
think more generally this makes the point that bus services should be
regulated. Bus companies should not be
able to get infrastructure paid for and then pick and choose which profitable service they wish to run. Bus companies should be required to offer
what they nearly all say they offer – bus services. Bus services should be run in the interests
of passengers not only in the interests of shareholders.
I will be making representations about the changes to the
bus services in Dundee but I will also be contacting the Scottish
Government asking for them to look at regulating bus services. People in
the West End and beyond want bus services that meet their needs not just the
needs of shareholders.