SCOTTISH LABOUR councillors announced their intention to radically transform public transport in Glasgow and the west of Scotland by creating a new publicly controlled bus service today.

The party unveiled plans to ensure that public transport is run in the interest of the people ahead of next year’s local elections.

Labour councillors elected in Strathclyde — which covers around a third of Scotland’s population — have pledged to end more than 35 years of deregulation and privatisation of bus services. 

The leaders of local authority Labour groups in Strathclyde have agreed the statement of intent, vowing to work together to achieve a modern publicly controlled bus network.

Bus passenger numbers in Scotland are currently at a record low and the extent of the country’s network is also in decline. 

Labour councillors have claimed that it is impossible for the bus network in its present form to deliver the sustainable, integrated services communities deserve.  

Councillor Alan Moir, who is vice chair of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, said: “We believe that greater public control of public transport is essential if we are to halt the decline in bus services and meet our net zero ambitions. 

“There can be no doubt there is a clear demand across local governments in the west for public control of bus services.”

The calls were backed by Labour parliamentarians in Holyrood, who claimed that deregulation has completely failed the people of Scotland. 

Scottish Labour transport spokesperson Neil Bibby said: “The Scottish Parliament gave councils the power to take control of bus services. 

“Now it must ensure that councils willing to use those powers have the resources they need to make a modern, better, greener, publicly accountable network a reality.”