Our Pledge

The Glasgow Bus Alliance was formed to create a world-class, flexible transport system that makes bus travel easy, efficient, and enjoyable.

In order to fulfill our Pledge, we’ve set ambitious goals to enhance the bus travel experience, improve connectivity, upgrade and develop infrastructure, and help reduce emissions throughout the City and surrounding areas over the next five years.

Customer Service

Customers are what drives our businesses. We want to provide:

  • Excellent customer service delivered by 24/7 by Traveline Scotland and bus operators by friendly and responsive customer service teams.
  • Accurate and up to date timetable information across all platforms.
  • Responsive, accurate and reliable social media.
  • A commitment to regular engagement with local communities to seek feedback to help maintain a world class bus service.
  • SPT and operators providing “bus ambassadors” at busy bus spots to provide useful advice and information.

Network Coverage

We need a high level of connectivity across the city region and this will be achieved by:

  • Being able to travel to all parts of the city region by bus.
  • Working with local authority partners, community transport and community based groups to identify gaps in the network, quantifying the likely demand and introducing commercial or subsidised services to fill those gaps following the corridor upgrades.
  • Setting out a bus operator agreement to reinvest saved resources from corridors upgraded by the local authority to improve bus journey speeds.
  • Working with Transport Scotland to support bus services through the Network Support Grant (NSG) which has a vital part to play in maintaining network coverage and keeping fares lower.

Bus Journey Speed Improvements

The speed of bus journeys is a key consideration for customers.

The long term increase in bus journey times due to ever increasing congestion and the lack of road management in our towns and cities has caused a decline in bus use and an increase in bus operating costs.

We need to ensure these are reversed by working in partnership with the relevant local authorities to deliver:

  • A 20% journey speed improvement on all key corridors leading to the city centre.
  • A 50% journey time improvement for buses through the city centre.
  • Cross council boundary infrastructure upgrades to deliver seamless journey improvements.
  • Effective enforcement being stepped up to provide guaranteed journey times for people travelling by bus by keeping bus priority lanes clear.
  • Continued operator investment in vehicles, drivers and control facilities to enable seamless management of issues.
  • Partnership working on proposed roadworks or events to ensure walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport are at the heart of customer decision making.

Environment

The Scottish Government has pledged Scotland shall become net zero of greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and bus operators will play a part by:

  • Working at pace with Transport Scotland via the Scottish Ultra Low Emissions Bus Scheme (SULEBS) and Transport Scotland’s Bus Emission Abatement Retrofit (BEAR) schemes to deliver lower emissions.
  • Final Transport Scotland BEAR 4 scheme introduced to upgrade remaining Euro IV and V vehicles to Euro VI.
  • Focusing on zero emission technology for new buses purchased which operate on urban routes. Scottish Government support is needed until the costs of electric, hydrogen or other technology reduces to a commercially deliverable level.
  • Work with manufacturers and Transport Scotland on the alternatives to go beyond Euro VI clean diesel for long interurban, rural and express operation.
  • Comply fully with the Glasgow City low emission zone.

Bus Fares and Ticketing

Seamless multi-operator ticketing with integrated multi-modal ticket travel will make bus an attractive method of transport. We can work towards this by:

  • Working with Transport Scotland and local authorities to promote free travel for all residents aged under 22.
  • Continue to offer contactless on-bus payments to all bus users across the city region.
  • Capping introduced by First Glasgow through investment in tap on tap off readers on all First Glasgow buses.
  • Working with rail and subway operators to introduce a ticketing scheme across all public transport modes.

Information and Facilities

We need reliable, up to date and consistent information for our bus customers and we will achieve this by:

  • Working with SPT and Traveline to introduce comprehensive and standard bus stop information across the city region fit for the modern age, including easily updatable information displays at all city centre stops.
  • Operators working together to design and deliver comprehensive information offering the full range of services on offer, including timetables, maps and fare information.
  • Working with local authorities and SPT to upgrade all busy stops to agreed standards.
  • Bus operators to promote Traveline Scotland app for android and apple devices that provides real time public transport information across all public transport modes.
  • Working with local authorities, SPT and the owners of bus stops and bus stations across the city region to radically upgrade the quality of waiting facilities with a particular emphasis on their comfort, safety and security.
  • Working with Transport Scotland to deliver audio visual next stop announcements on all buses across the city region whilst local authorities and SPT will work to provide bus stop shelters at all city or town centre stops as well as inbound and busy outbound bus stops.

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