BUS campaigners are outraged after fighting in vain to save a vital west end service.
First Bus has decided to go ahead with withdrawing the 4A route from Kelvindale to the city centre despite a petition reaching nearly 3,000 signatures.
Locals fear that the cut will hit old people especially hard due to the steep hill connecting Kelvindale and Hyndland.
Valerie Gauld (61), who started the petition, said: “I’m hugely disappointed with the decision.
“Elderly people with mobility issues will be hugely affected as Kelvindale has some very steep streets.”
First Bus has also been criticised for not consulting residents or local councillors about the cancellation.
Ken Windsor (67), a pensioner and Kelvindale community councillor, said: “We were not told about any of this and only originally found out about the cut because a local gentleman told us about the new timetable, where it was buried.
“They’ve announced a replacement service – the M4 – but it’s only covering half of the route so older people like myself still have to take the long walk down if we need to go access shops or doctors or anything like that.”
Politicians from various parties had expressed their support for the service before the timetable change came into effect.
However, Humza Yousaf, Transport Minister, said on Twitter that it was up to transport authorities “whether to subsidise local bus services or not”.
A First Glasgow spokesperson said: “First Glasgow undertook a number of actions in our efforts to improve customer uptake dating back to 2009 and this included a local consultation in early 2013.
“We have been unsuccessful in encouraging more passengers on to Service 4A at Kelvindale and this should be seen against a backdrop of rising congestion and increasing car and rail usage, as detailed in a recent Greener Journeys report.
“We have announced the introduction of a 30-minute service, the M4, as a replacement for this section of the route in Kelvindale and we believe this, alongside other public transport options, will meet the needs of customers.”
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Jonny in Hillhead 
November 28, 2016 at 9:59 pm
I have just sent an e-mail to Patrick Grady, Bob Doris, John Letford, the Evening Times and Kelvindale Community Council highlighting the fact that the proposed timetable for the revised Mr bus route via Hyndland to Partick is of no use to people who asked for bus for those going to schools nursery and university with a 9am start as to be there on time, you have to take a bus which arrives in Hyndlnd at 7.59am as next bus doesn’t get there til 9.12. First Bus/SPT clearly don’t want this route to succeed.
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