MSP calls for improvements to Eastwood bus services

In August 2021, First Bus announced that that there would be a temporary reduction to some bus services in the Greater Glasgow area including Eastwood because of a shortage of drivers.

The changes to bus service provision impacting Eastwood included the 4A route in Eaglesham reducing to one bus per hour from a twice hourly off-peak service between Monday and Saturday.

The 4A in Eaglesham includes stops at Glasgow Road, Gimour Street, Strathaven Road, Hill Drive and Brownmuir Avenue.

The Number 4, 6 and 57 services include bus stops in Eastwood and they were also impacted by the changes made by First Glasgow.

Mr Carlaw wrote to First Bus in August 2021 to express concerns about the reduced bus service for Eaglesham and contacted the company again recently to highlight the need for the bus routes in his constituency to return to their previous levels.

First Bus responded to advise that efforts to recruit new drivers are continuing, but the company are not yet in a position to restore previous timetables in Eastwood.

A short time later the company announced some improvements to bus services in the Greater Glasgow area, but Eaglesham was not included.

Mr Carlaw said: "Bus service provision for local residents in Eaglesham has diminished greatly in recent years and this is a matter of considerable frustration.

"The previous removal of Polnoon Street and Montgomery Street from the 4A was a huge blow to provision locally and the reduction in frequency for the remaining stops on the bus route has further damaged the availability of services for my constituents.

"First Bus may have said that the off-peak bus service reduction in Eaglesham is temporary but the longer the reduced timetable is in place, the unintended risk for this to become permanent only increases.

"I have now raised this concern directly with First Glasgow and it is vital that Eaglesham is included on the next list of bus service improvements so at least some progress can be made on returning provision to a position that is closer to the previous timetable.”