The Scottish Government is under pressure from Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow, to stop blocking a “basic first step” that could result in better bus services. The Transport Minister, Keith Brown, appears to be resisting calls for a survey of passenger satisfaction.
Mr Harvie has a motion in the Scottish Parliament calling for the survey. However, it has yet to be signed by any SNP MSPs.It is backed by MSPs from Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.
Even the MD of First Bus agrees a passenger satisfaction survey would be a positive development, while the consumer watchdog Passenger Focus says a similar survey carried out in England and Wales is helping deliver improvements.
Patrick Harvie said: “Bus users in Glasgow have been inundating my Better Buses website, expressing their dissatisfaction with the services in Scotland’s biggest city. A passenger survey like they have south of the border would be a basic first step to addressing this. Just a few weeks ago the minister admitted the government doesn’t keep track of how reliable the buses are. Is he now really saying passenger views aren’t important?”
Response from minister:
http://betterbuses.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/letter-from-Minister-about-Bus-Survey-June-2012.pdf
Patrick’s motion calling for a bus passenger survey:
http://scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx?SearchType=Advance&ReferenceNumbers=S4M-02873&ResultsPerPage=10
Response from First Bus:
http://betterbuses.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/ronnie-park-letter-response-to-patricks-letters-on-fares-and-survey-15-june-2012.pdf
Response from Passenger Focus:
http://betterbuses.org/better-buses-news/scotland-wide-bus-survey-would-be-affordable/
