12 October 2007
SPT to take over First Glasgow bus stop information
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) has reached an agreement in principle to produce all bus stop timetable information on behalf of First Glasgow.
Once finalised, the agreement will mean that First Glasgow will pay SPT to take responsibility for the production and distribution of their roadside information.
Under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001, SPT currently sets the standards for the way bus timetable information is presented to the public. Commercial bus operators voluntarily provide and maintain timetables and bus stop information panels, while SPT provides the necessary information for its subsidised services.
Although First Glasgow does provide the required information, compliance with the Act across Strathclyde is only around 40%. When an operator does not comply, SPT is required to provide the necessary information and then recover the cost from the operator.
SPT's director of bus operations, Eric Stewart said: "We want to help provide the public with a first-class bus industry. To do that, one of the areas that needs to be improved is the standard of timetable information provided at bus stops.
"Bus operators need to take responsibility for providing passengers with the necessary information and that's what First Glasgow have done by reaching this agreement with SPT. We are more than happy to work on their behalf to ensure a high standard of information is provided at bus stops across Strathclyde.
"I would like to think that we can reach a similar agreement with other bus operators throughout the region in the future."
SPT is working closely with the office of the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland to look into applying penalties to operators who do not comply.
ends
Note to editors:
There are more than 11,000 bus stops in the SPT area.