10 Ustober, 2015 Introduction: My name is Bghaaotebiethalt am 50 years old and live in Glasgow. I work as a taxi driver, and previously worked as a bus driver. From 1984 for about 18 months I drove buses with the former Scottish Bus Group company, Alexander Midland at Milngavie Garage. I then drove with SPTE (Strathyclyde Passenger Transport Executive) for 3 years at Possilpark Garage in Glasgow. ‘Thereafter I was 18 years in London and worked as a bus driver and conductor at London ‘Transport and it’s succeeding companies, I drove buses at Holloway, Tottenham, Wood Green, Clapton and Stamford Hill garages. I also worked for Grey-Green buses at Stamford Hill, North London when they operated the flagship London ‘Transport 24 route. In addition to this I obtained a 2:1 degree in law from the University of North London and I drove refuse collection lorries for the Corporation of London; Westminster ‘Council and Southwark Couneil. Treturned to Glasgow in 2004 with my (London-born) son and Peruvian wife! Introduction: Thave written this response using my own experiences as a bus driver and conductor in London and ini Glasgow and in using buses throughout Europe and the world. While I give examples and opinions regarding the Glasgow area it is because of my knowledge ofthe area and not intended to exclude other parts of Scotland that are equally deserving. Ido not pretend to be “unbiased” ~ I do not think that it is honestly possible — however Thave tried to be objective in my approach. Some facts have been left out such as statistics, which you will already have. Thave not addressed every issue as I am sure others willIntegration: Usually I cycle, use trains or taxis, and maybe use buses about twice a year. ‘When I go abroad or to London I always use public transport; it's usually efficient, integrated, easy-to-use, user friendly and has a broad mix of people. It is easy to check the routes and timetables; in London there is for example only one number 38; it goes from Clapton Pond to Victoria Station. By contrast, there are three number 38°s in Glasgow operated by different companies on differing routes and timetable and fares! Have a look at the route 38 timetable in London (http://www.londonbusroutes.net/times/038N038, htm) By contrast look at Glasgow Firstbus ttp.//wwrw.firsteroup com/ukbus/glasgow/journey_planning/timetables/timetable php?day= Idesource id=2éservice38/38A/38B/38C/38EArouteid=753449 | &operator=10€source=sp ) As you can see there is a 38; 38a; 38b;38¢;38d and 38e! That is 6 routes within one! MoGill’s Buses also a route 38 and it’s route is completely different in its outing: in addition, the route splits into two destinations with one going to Spateston and the other to Kilbarchan. ( htty//vwrw.megillsbuses.co.ul/megills-bus-timetables/38-paisley-to-2l lasgow- city-centre-via-paisley-road-west, And there is another 38 in Glasgow; this time the route is different and it only operates until 18.30hrs. (http:/citysprinter.com/timetable, ) Itis absolutely bewildering in Glasgow as any potential passenger has to check all the different companies and services and either have the exact fare (for FitstBus Glasgow) or cash for the others There is virtually no integrated pass or user system; so, if a bus breaks down in London under the TRL system, the passenger can transfer to another bus route even if it is operated by another company with the same valid ticket, whereas outside London, they would need to purchase another ticket. There is also a route in Glasgow, the 89 and 90 which is supported at night and weekends by SPT (Strathclyde Partnership For Transport). The 89 runs circular in an anti-clockwise direction while the 90 runs the same route in a clockwise direction, Yet during the daytime the route is a number 90 but only goes in one direction and not the same as the evening route. In addition, a ticket purchased for the daytime service is not valid for the evening service! Glasgow buses have effectively become a dumping ground — like multi-stories on wheels ~ which were abandoned long ago by the politicians and middle-classes alike. J you search Youtube and insert: “Glasgow bus neds or junkies” you will see some of the situations that ordinary people have to face; I make no apology for these comments and T believe most who travel on buses would agree. Those who disagree with me usually live in the safety and comfort of middle-class suburbia and drive cars, and while ‘they sympathisewith those “....less fortunate” ; they won’t come and live amongst us or send their children to the same schools as us, or socialise in the same pubs as us — I say this as someone who rarely drinks! The Scottish Government and Transport Policy: The Scottish published a report called “Transferability of Best Practice in Transport Policy” (http://www. scotland.pov.uk/Publications/2003/08/17895/23882) The report was commissioned by the then Scottish Government that was led by the Scottish Labour Party! Yet they completely ignored the Report notwithstanding the cost to us taxpayer’s. 1am not going to repeat the extensive recommendations in the Report, but I do agree with ‘most of it. ‘The Scottish Government also has a website that has: numerous consultations; feasibility studies; and reports, and many of these talk of “......excellence in..........” of “state-of-the- art......” ete. They are world-leaders when it comes to writing reports but yet nothing changes. When it ‘comes to buses, I tend to ask this question: Would the Labour Party have done nothing if the people who waited on buses were middle-class? —I’m sure they would have intervened as they did when it came to bailing out their friends in the banks. Only last year this article was published in The Guardian newspaper (Monday 9 July 2012) “Passport queues at Heathrow have been ‘unacceptably long’ during peak periods in the last few days, the airport operator has told Home Office ministers. "The Home Office should be delivering a good experience for regular passengers as well as Olympic visitors,” said BAA on Monday. ts official complaint followed a snap 7am visit to Heathrow on Monday by Keith Vaz the chairman of the Commons home affairs committee, He said he was appalled to discover immigration queues of more than an hour for non-EU passengers at Terminal 4 and that half the passport desks were close: As you can see, a Labour MP, Keith Vaz, is clearly concemed about people having to wait an hour in a one-off occasion, yet many bus users do this everyday, and none of the Labour Party establishment raises 2 voice about this, but had it been their establishment friends I’m sure the issue would have been resolved with haste. Long Term Effects of Deregulation: Tt cannot be overstated the long term effects of deregulation, and again if one looks to the regulated system of London, itis clear that it is a system with certainty; certainty in the reliability of the service; certainty in the routes not changing and any connecting routes ; certainty in what the bus looks like (¢.g.:red in colour and double-deck,etc) and the use of pre-paid tickets and fares. When I was younger and the Glasgow Corporation Transport system was in use, it was easy to give instructions for children to use the service as the routes did not change — that wascertainty ~ which made it easy to plan for kids, for people going to work or socialize. They ‘knew that for the foreseeable future the services would be there. Now, people have to check each company’s timetable and routes, and while that might not be too difficult for a regular journey, it becomes unbearable when going to somewhere different. The School Run Trangers me when I hear politicians go on about the ‘school run’ and how when they were younger they would walk to school! Thave two points to make on this: (1) children — possibly with very few exceptions — do not drive cars; itis adults. However, politicians are, in general, to frightened to criticise potential voters and instead pick on children. You don’t tell adults to walk to work, the shops ete, so why pick on children? (2) Many schools have closed and children are no longer within walking distance of school. Is Deregulation a Success? If it was good then the Government - whether Labour or Conservative - would have introduced in London where almost a third of joumeys take place, and where the “entrepreneurs” would be “....competing with each other to provide the best service, bringing new routes, ideas and practices” — or at least this is what we were expected to believe would happen, More importantly, if deregulation was so good, then every city in the western world would be flocking to Glasgow and hiring “experts” from Glasgow to introduce in their cities, The reality is that no city has ever followed the UK and even Chile, the template for the UK’s deregulation has since integrated buses. Pre-Deregulation: These are often referred to as “.....the good old days” “.......that bring back happy memories” and of how bus services were better. I as a bus user agree with some aspects but in many ways - and certainly in Glasgow - it was seen as a lazy service, bureaucratic and there for the benefit of the employees of Glasgow Corporation Transport, Ownership and Location of Depots: recall that in the 1970’s in the Glasgow area, there were numerous bus garages: Glasgow Corporation Transport (GCT) and its successors; Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive (GGPTE); Strathelyde Passenger Transport Executive (SPTE); Stathelyde Buses and then finally onto ownership by FirstBus Holdings, had depots at: Parkhead; Partick; Ibrox; Bridgeton; Knightswood; Larkfield; Langside; Newlands; Garteraig; Maryhill and Possilpark. in total that’s 11 Garages spread out through the city and serving local areas and providing decent employment for local people. Now there are only three depots left: Larkfield; Parkhead and Scotstoun, which replaced Knightswood. The former Scottish Bus Group also had depots in the Glasgow area at: Milngavie; Stepps; Kirkintilloch, Kilsyth; Old Kilpatrick; Ballieston; all of which have now closed and where they being replaced itis on industrial estates or remote locations.‘Ownership of depots is clearly important as itis easier to plan and operate services from a permanent base. Ideally depots would be located at various points throughout the city, and unlike shops and offices and government departments which want to be located in the more affluent areas, by locating depots in poorer areas it would be cheaper but more importantly, it would show the poorer people — that is who generally use buses ~ that the government is committed to better buses and it would provide good stable and meaningful employment and discourage criminal gang activity. Another reason for publicly owned and operated bus depots is these comments that were ‘made by Brian Souter from Stagecoach in this Times newspaper article “STAGECOACH has threatened to pull out of bus operations in major British cities if the Government proceeds with plans to give local authorities sweeping new powers over services. Brian Souter, the bus and rail company’s chief executive, has told industry colleagues and politicians that he would prefer to sell his bus depots to developers for housing or supermarkets than allow councils to dictate how ke should run his business, (Source: http://www. thetimes.co. uk/tto/business/industries/transport/article2 196284.ece) More recently, Edward Hodgson, managing director of Stagecoach West Scotland, said proposals to force operators to run socially needed but unprofitable routes as “immoral” and a breach of human rights. (hitp:/vww.heraldscotland.com/news/tran: ial-route-bid- immoral- US chief. 22243 Personally, [think that only in Scotland could someone claim this to be immoral when in other countries it is the opposite ~ that is the absence of bus services - that should be considered immoral The View from Poorer Areas and Criminal Gang Activity: I do not pretend to speak on behalf of working class people, in particular those in poorer areas, but I do speak with them about these issues and one major issue is the felling that they have been abandoned by the major political parties. Go to somewhere like Saracen Street, Possilpark in Glasgow, and it is a sad example of decline: most of the shops are betting shops, lawyers, suntan, pawnshops, off-licences, pubs, take-away food, convenience stores, charity and money lenders. Two of the three local pubs are associated with a notorious crime family, as is the local “estate agents”, and the local mini-cab company is owned by another crime family. ‘There appears to be a general feeling that the only people who provide any type of “public services” are the crime gangs who appear to be following the example of Christopher “Dudus" Coke, who controls the impoverished West Kingston, Jamaica or Colombian Pablo Escobar who see themselves as sort of Robin Hood types. (SOURCE: http//edition.cnn.conv2010/WORLD/americas/05/24/christopher. dudus.coke.profile/index.ht As most bus services have been withdrawn, itis these Private Hire mini-cab companies that are now providing the only type of service, and by doing so, are effectively giving legitimacy and credibility to these companies.The Labour Party and Bus Deregulation: Maybe I am or you are naive, because when I started writing this report I then stopped and thought about dumping it as I have seen many of the ‘consultations’ or ‘Labour listens’ campaigns only to see that nothing changes, but it appears to suit the Labour Party as they can then intervene and claim to 'save' bus services or claim to be in favour of integrated buses and then when in government suddenly support deregulation, Here is a report from the [Glasgow] Evening Times regarding the route 64 bus and the focal MP Margaret Curran’s intervention: “Pirst Bus previously said it wants to cancel the service, which runs from the city centre through Bridgeton and Parkhead to Carmyle. But locals have said the service is a lifeline to residents in some of the most deprived areas of the city. ‘Ms Curran said: "I reminded First Group about the importance of the 64 bus route, the valuable social provision it performs and the importance of reducing isolation in areas such as Carmyle. "Tlook forward to meeting with SPT and First Bus in the near future to continue discussions and will continue to fight for an appropriate transport provision for the East End." The meeting, at First Bus headquarters in Glasgow, was not open to the public but was attended by councillors Frank McAveety and Anne Simpson, (Source: iwww.eve news/mp-and-bus-bi -threat-tall 115853n,20242634) I think that Ms Curran’s intervention is more about her own position than that of bus users’. ‘If we had an integrated system, Ms Curran wouldn’t have to go grovelling to FirstBus, Not to be outdone by a fellow Labour politician, Patricia Ferguson MSP, also suddenly found herself a bit of free positive publicity as this report, again from the [Glasgow] Evening Times demonstrates: About 80 people from Kelvindale attended a public meeting to protest at the axing of the No 1 route. The SPT subsidised service, which carried passengers to and from the area to the city centre, has been cut as part of First Glasgow's major SimpliCity overhaul Ithas been replaced by an alternative service, but people in Kelvindale do not have a bus that takes them to or from the city centre after Tpm. Some people said they were they were being forced to use two buses to make the short trip or walk to main routes in Great Western Road or Maryhill Road to catch a bus. Ronnie Park, managing director of First Glasgow, told the meeting the service was “not profitable". But, after hearing the concerns of residents, Mr Park and Alex Scott, SPT bus service ‘manager, agreed to review the decision and take part in talks.Caroline Johnston, chairwoman of Kelvindale Community Council, said: "That so ‘many people have come out in force demonstrates how important our service isto ws. We must ensure it serves the older people and young people too." Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Maryhill and Springburn, who organised the public meeting, said: "We want a service that helps us go about our everyday lives, I don't think that is too much to ask”. (Source: http://www eveningtimes.co.uk/news/bosses- to-review-axed-west-end-bus-service-127702n.21364254) ‘What is stark about this article is that the area in question, Kelvindale is primarily middle- class and to have 80 people attend a public meeting shows the influence they have ~ not a group of people that the politicians can ignore. ‘The question that I will repeat is: why do we have to go through this fagade everytime? Why does the Labour Party not regulate as it would then free them to concentrate on “real issues” And it is not only elected politicians who are in a cosy relationship with FirstBus, look at this article about John Lyons, a former Labour MP: “When John Lyons, the Labour MP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden. was thrown out in the 2005 election, he was picked up by First Group and sent to the US to report on its treatment of workers. American unions have learned to be wary of members of the Labour party Kim Keller from the Teamsters union described running into Lyons in Baltimore where workers allege that First Group pulled out of a contract to run school buses after they voted to join a union and asked for better health insurance. 'I told him there ‘were many workers who could talk to him. There were rampant violations. He never took us up on it. And he's the guy who's supposed to be monitoring this (Source: http:/www.theguardian, com/commentisfree/2007/ju/08/comment politics3) Look at what Labour’s shadow Transport secretary, Maria Eagle recently said on bus deregulation: “And the bus industry needs reform too. We started the job in government ~ legislating to enable transport authorities 10 adopt a London-model of regulation, where the fares and routes are set by an accountable transport authority. But the process of reregulation is too complex and it is hard to overcome threats from ‘operators. (emphasis added) So we need to toughen the law — and introduce a new power for the Secretary of State to introduce deregulation exemption zones to cut through the process, And I’ve said my priority will be using these new tough contracts 10 require bus companies to deliver that concessionary fares scheme for 16-19 year olds I spoke about, And to require companies to roll out across the rest of the country Opster-style integrated multi-operator ticketing across rail and bus services, I think you have the message that I am putting across; indeed, if a Labour politician said “nice day” to me, | would go out and check! (Source: http://www. fabians.org.uk/labours- new-thinking-on-transport-maria-eagle-mps-speech-to-the-fabian-socicty} Maria Eagle is clearly too frightened of the operators’, maybe she should tell us what type of threats they are making, and can or should these same operators been entrusted to run what for many is an essential service?Health Benefits: As a cyclist, 1am aware of the benefits of cycling: some are obvious like less obesity and no CO2 emissions, but there are others; better physical and mental health, and in addition getting people away from the private car encourages more social interaction Last week a report on the BBC website highlighted the benefits of walking: The "Walking Works" report by the Ramblers and Macmillan Cancer Support said walking was a free activity which could transform people's health. “Tens of thousands of lives could be saved each year in the UK if people got off the sofa and stretched their legs more, say charities. Being physically active decreases the odds of heart problems and stroke. But it also makes a difference in other conditions such as type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and many cancers. Last week a British Medical Journal study showed that exercise was as good a medicine as pills for some conditions including heart diseases and another study showed walking at least an hour a day significantly cut the risk of breast cancer. (http://www. bbe.co.uk/news/health-24396352) A study into the effects of cycling and a healthier life style in Cuba shows that during the ‘Special Period’ in this report in The Guardian Newspaper “The hard times experienced by the people of Cuba in the early 1990s — when food was short and petrol almost unobtainable owing to the tightening of the US embargo and loss of Russian support — led to falling rates of heart disease and diabetes, say doctors, Researchers studied the so-called "special period" between 1991 and 1995, when people resorted to donkeys to transport loads and the government imported 1.5m bicycles from China, to see whether eating less, walking, cycling and manual labour made a difference to the health of the population as a whole, Led by Dr Manuel Franco, associate professor at the University of Alealé in Madrid, the team found the population lost an average of 5.5kg (121b) in weight during the five years of the economic crisis. That had a real impact on health, cutting deaths from ‘diabetes by half and from coronary heart disease by a third. Diabetes levels had dropped during the five hard years, but from 1995 they began to surge. With economic recovery, the incidence of the disease peaked in 2004 and again in 2009. From 2002 to 2010, death rates from diabetes were rising again every year at the same rate as before the crisis. Deaths from coronary heart disease and stroke were declining, as they have done elsewhere with better treatment, but only at the same rate as before 1991. (http://www. theguardian. com/world/2013/apr/09/hard-times-heart-disease-diabetes- cubaResponse to your suggestions: Tonly want to reply to two points; the first on conductors and secondly on cleaning. Regarding cash fares, in London fewer than one per cent of bus fares are now paid in cash and Transport for London (TfL) is now consulting on proposals to stop accepting cash fare payments on London buses. (http://www.tfl gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/284 13.aspx) It seems clear to me that conductors are not the solution; what would be better is to have a system like that in London where ticket inspectors accompanied by the police check buses. I know from my own experience as a bus driver and a conductor that TfL takes legal action in the criminal court against offenders. Conductors were useful when fares were paid in cash and change had to be given. It was also during a time before travel cards were available. On cleaning buses, there are many vehicles that are in service for up to 18 hours a day, and during that time accumulate rubbish including smelly food packaging. Introducing single-deck buses would, I believe, reduce this problem, I recall that in Belfast, there are bus cleaners stationed at City Hall, where most services terminate, and they clean the buses. An issue here in Glasgow would be that because there are several companies, they would all need separate arrangements for cleaning whereas in Belfast there is an integrated system, MAKING BUSES BETTER: © 7Day 24 hour Service: It cannot be overstated the importance of simplifying our buses and one way — in addition to regulation — is to have a stable system that is easy to use and remember. There are some routes in Glasgow that only operate during the day; some just in the evenings, others not at weekends; others not on Sundays. Running services via the same routing seven days a week and over 24 hours would make this easier. The bus operators” use the excuse that operating buses at night is too expensive, yet they are cheaper than daytime buses to operate, Look at this example: FirstBus service 2, from Faifley (Clydebank) to Ballieston has an early morning journey time of 77 minutes. Peak time at 09,00hrs this increases to 108 minutes. iwwww.firsteroup. com/ukbus/elascow/journey_planning/timetables/timetable,php?day= 1&souree_ id=: ice=2&routeid=855 39 | &operator=10&source=s ‘What this demonstrates is that it is cheaper to operate buses late night and early morning and negates the excuse that they are too expensive. « Dual Door Buses: As someone who drove dual-door, or triple-door buses in London, I was impressed at the way it improved the ‘flow’ of passengers on the bus. It does a number of things, these include:+ speeding up the boarding and alighting of the vehicle; + discourages passengers from bunching’ at the front and blocking the gangway; + encourages passengers to use the seats towards the rear; ‘+ encourages a greater mix of passengers to use the rear seats instead of it being used by anti-social elements; + reduces the risk of injury between boarding and alighting passengers One argument that is used against dual-door buses is fare evasion, but as most other cities and London use dual-doors I think that their endorsement should be persuasive. Additionally, I have heard the same ‘theft’ argument being used against supermarkets having self-checkout and I do not think Glasgow is any worse for theft than anywhere else. Its also clear from the smoking ban and the predictions of failure prior to its implementation that it has been a success and very quickly people adjust and wonder how we got by without it, as now it is accepted and many smokers agree with the ban (in public places). + Buggy Spaces: A common complaint in Glasgow is that it is the fault of immigrants that the bus service is so bad!!!! Nothing could be further ftom the truth, and what makes me angry as this situation has been caused by both the Labour and Conservative parties. Where I stay near Glasgow city centre there is a number of Chinese nationals and when boarding buses they are made to feel very unwelcome, yet it's been your party’ policy to encourage bus deregulation ~ and this situation occurs because operators want to increase profits and if there are buggy spaces they are being taken by non-paying children when a paying passenger could occupy a seat or space, On a recent trip to Madrid I saw that all the buses have enough space for three baby buggies and additionally have a rear-facing baby seat on each bus, this is something I have never seen ona bus in Glasgow. « Single Deckers: As you are no doubt aware, most overseas cities use single-deck buses as opposed to double- deck vehicles that are more common in the UK. I personally do not like using double-deck buses as they 'sway' and | am prone to travel sickness. Additionally, I have seen many buses with almost full lower deck and empty upper deck, and I assume that this is down to an unwillingness (or inability) of many passengers to go to the upper deck, My understanding of the introduction of double-deck vehicles goes back to the tram-age and the accommodation of smokers on the upper-deck. Additionally, Glasgow appears to have a major problem with broken windows caused by vandalism; either from inside the vehicle or from the outside, usually by stone thrower’s. In my 16 years of driving buses in London I had two windows broken, while in 13 months in Glasgow I had five windows broken.Double-deckers are also restricted in their routing due to the presence of height restrictions, and by using single-deck buses would open up routes for services. Lochburn Road, Glasgow, 620, is an example where an old canal bridge prevents double-deckers entering. See: .glasgowlibdems.org.uk/alex-dingwall/cadder-parents-keep-fr. avel For a picture, Lastly, but probably more importantly is the issue of double-deckers hitting bridges, and itis usually rail bridges, causing delays to the train services as well as the bus passengers. In a few occasions the striking of rail bridges has resulted in deaths (Source: ttp:/www.scotcourts gov .ik/opinions/COS0912,him!) © On-Bus Info: ‘There is very little on-bus info regarding integration as each company is only concerned with profit. I recently saw in Madrid an on-board visual and audio display that shows routes that meet up with the service. « Integration with Ferries, Trains, Bikes, etc. Bus deregulation was supposed to be an opportunity for “entrepreneurs” to provide the best service through “competing” and because of this “competition” new services, ideas, practises and cheaper services would be available, It was also supposed to provide competition between all forms of transport: bus, taxi, metro, trains, planes and walking, and the best provider would prevail. ‘However, as I am sure you’re aware, itis not all the differing modes competing, rather it is the car against everything, Several start-up bus services have then been withdrawn and worse still, is the fate of start-up ferries. The Govan Ferry in Glasgow was axed less than two years after it was relaunched in a blaze of publicity. (http/iwww.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/ferry-bad-news-as-historic-river- link-is-axed-on-clyde-125560n.21196742) Last Sunday (06 October) in Glasgow saw the Great Scottish Run taking place with many city centre streets closed. It was chaotic as bus services took a diversionary route to avoid the centre, yet if we had an integrated system passengers could have alighted buses at Bridge Street Underground station and used the Underground to Cowcaddens to re-join the bus system and avoided much of the delays. ‘Where systems are integrated, passengers tend to use all modes of transport: bus, tram, train, metro walking and cycling. Here it appears to be car, car, car, and the car! Road Tax? There is a dangerous myth circulating about ‘Road Tax’. The reality is thet there is no such thing as “Road Tax’; what there is, is Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) and as many vehicles are exempt including: Vehicles used by a disabled person; Historic vehicles; Electric vehicles; Mowing machines; Steam vehicles; Vehicles used just for agriculture, horticulture and forestry use. (Source: https://www gov.uk/vehicle-exempt-from-car-tax) It is based on the vehicle’s CO2 emission’s, and for cars registered before 1 March 2001 the rate of vehicle tax depends on its engine size.‘The rate for cars registered on or after 1 March 2001 depends on CO2 emissions and fuel type (Source: https://www.gov,uk/caleulate-vehicle-tax-rates) often hear car driver’s complain that cyclists don’t pay “Road Tax” and yet if “Road Tax” ‘was charged, cyclist’s would not pay anything as there are no CO2 emission’s! Additionally, I am sure many cyclists own cars and pay VED. “Almost 12 per cent of drivers want to see cyclists pay some form of road tax, according to our exclusive poll, while cyclists want more to be done to stop drivers entering cycling lanes. (Source: http://www. confused.com/car-insurance/campaign-pages/motorists-v- ists/cyclists-and-motorists-complain-of-clashes#ixzz2chi8drMw) In an article in the Guardian Newspaper, Journalist Peter Walker wrote this article “Road tax — two words guaranteed to raise the ire of most cyclists I's quite an achievement for something which hasn't existed for 74 years. And yet, like the worst kind of film zombie, the more thoroughly the idea is stamped out the more persistently it revives itself, Awww. the irdian.com/environment/bike-blog/201 1/nov/22/cycling-road-t mf Even the motorists’ friend, the AA acknowledges that the “Road Tax” is actually a Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) “Known formally as Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) or Graduated VED, the amount of car tax you pay depends on the car's engine size or official CO2 emissions and the date of first registration. (Source: http://www. theaa.com/motoring advice/car-buyers- guide/chg roadtax.html) Private Hire Cars: i I believe that the UK is the only place in Europe that Private Hire operates in the way it does. | Restrictions on these vehicles would be essential in improving and encouraging public transport use. ‘There are myths that these self-employed drivers are self-funded, yet there is widespread under-declaring of earnings that results in Tax-Credit payments being made, Additionally, you will be aware that many of these “businesses” are owned and controlled by criminal gangs. Car Industry influence But none for the bus users: While the car industry has many supporters, there is almost no organisation to support bus users. Even the Labour Party cannot find time to support them.Pensioner numbers and passes too slow: 6 seconds! You will be aware of the passenger statistics; only the concession card holder group was growing. Overall passenger numbers dropped during the year 2009-10 from 459 million to 481 million in 2010-1 appears to indicate that dropped /iwww. transportscotland,gov.uk/strategy-and-resear< ications-and- ad ions/}25 1205-040. htm) It was during this time that the verified pass system was introduced and concession card journeys dropped from 159.20 million in 2007-08 to 149.64 million in 2011-12 (http://www. transportscotland. gov. uk/strategy-and-research/publications- and-consultations/j251205-189.htm) one would think that this group would grow and if anything suggests that fraudulent claiming for concession card holders was widespread. Teonducted my own survey into the use of Pensioner (and other user groups) passes on buses. While my approach was not scientific or extensive I found that it took an average of 6 seconds for each concession pass holder to board the bus. Contrast that with London, where passengers only have to pass their travel cards over the card reader and it immediately reads ‘he card, London and transport Infrastructure: ‘The Institute for Public Policy Research: ( IPPR) North think-tank revealed the deep imbalance in the coalition's transport infrastructure proposals, which it claims sees Londoners receiving £2,600 per head - and just £5 per head for those in the north-east. Londoners benefiting 500 times more than those in the north-east, (httpy/wvww politics.co.uk/news/2013/06/23/deeply-unfair-londoners-dominate-transport- spending) Conclusion: Iwill be brief: As I stated earlier, the Scottish Government published the “Transferability of Best Practice in Transport Policy” Report and I concur with most of the conclusions, However, while it seems unlikely that we will have a Council or government owned and operated company in a regulated market, there are some measures that I believe are essential, these include: A fully integrated system like that in London, Madrid or Berlin, etc; © Greater promotion of buses, trains, cycles and walking; * Council or government owned and operated services to ensure no company like Stagecoach can sabotage the service; * Depots to be located in poorer areas to provide employment and discourage people from using criminal gangs for “services”; * Along term, perhaps ten-year plan to improve transport; * 24 hour, 7 days a week services with no changes to routes except on say every ten years.Feel free to contact me. Yours Dougie McKerrell