Calls have been made to protect Dundee’s bus services after jobs were put at risk and passenger numbers plummeted.
Public transport services has been in jeopardy since March when passengers were advised only to travel for essential journeys to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
Footfall on Xplore Dundee buses have dropped as low as 13% during lockdown, sparking a redundancy process putting 35 jobs at risk.
Up to 35 jobs under threat as Xplore Dundee bus passenger numbers plummet
The transport provider was also forced to cut routes in the “biggest change to services since the 50s”, which came into force at the weekend.
City bus routes cut as Xplore Dundee reveals ‘biggest change’ to network ‘since the 1950s’
The company was sold to McGill’s last month.
Now, Dundee City Council has pledged to do everything it can to support public transport and encourage Dundonians to get back on buses when it is safe to do so.
At a meeting this week, Labour councillor Richard McCready pointed out around half of people living in the city do not have access to a car, saying it is vital that bus services continue.
“There should be a level of concern about the job losses in the bus industry but we also need to recognise that buses are the main mode of public transport in the city,” he said.
“During the pandemic the public health message has rightly been about only using public transport when essential.
“When the pandemic is over we need a concerted effort to get people back on buses.
“If we’re serious about the climate emergency then we need to promote bus use but the service needs to be there for people to use.”
Rail services also affected
It comes as Scotrail has announced cuts to its train services from February, as lockdown has restricted the number of people travelling.
From Monday the operator will change its timetable, reducing the number of services operating after Covid-19 restrictions lessened the number of passengers seen in recent weeks.
This is the second change for ScotRail in recent weeks, with customer numbers down by almost 90% compared to the same time last year.
The company said that the financial pressures of the pandemic has led to a reduction in the services they can offer.
‘Bring back better’
Mr McCready added that there was room for improvement within the city’s public transport network pre-pandemic.
“We need to look at the council’s support for the sector and how we can promote bus use in the city,” he said.
“We need a service fit for the 21st Century.
“I don’t think anyone, before the pandemic, would have said the city’s bus service was the absolute best it could be and I think we should be looking for a better service for the citizens of Dundee.
“Essentially I want to make sure we have a campaign to promote the use of buses once the pandemic is over and using the limited resources we have.”
Mr McCready’s motion was unanimously accepted by the city development committee on Monday.
As well as thanking public transport staff for working throughout the pandemic, it called for a campaign to encourage bus use when the pandemic is over.
He asked that the council writes to the Scottish Government suggesting a national campaign.
There will also be a report at a future committee looking at subsidised bus routes in the city and the impact of new transport legislation.
