Watchdog gives First green light to axe bus services running at loss

Published on Tuesday 12 October 2010 13:24

FIRSTGROUP is set to axe five bus services in the Capital after the Competition Commission ruled it was not trying to force bus passengers on to its trains.

The group, which owns First Buses and First ScotRail, is to cut express services to West Lothian from Regent Road which were deemed to have "no reasonable prospect of becoming profitable".

FirstGroup had to apply to the Competition Commission to cut the routes, having promised not to interfere with bus services when it took on the ScotRail franchise in 2004.

The commission feared that the merger, which created First ScotRail, would have "adverse effects of higher bus fares, poorer services on overlapping bus routes and reduction in choice of services available to passengers on overlap routes".

First ScotRail currently runs rail services to Livingston along the Edinburgh to Bathgate line, which follows a similar route to the soon-to-be-axed bus services - the X1, X23, X24, X26, X32. The Commission said it was satisfied that FirstGroup's proposals have not been made for the purpose of switching passengers from bus to rail services.

Commission chairman Peter Freeman said: "We do not release companies from commitments like this lightly.

"Whilst we obviously understand the concern that changes to bus services can cause, we believe that passengers will still have access to alternative bus services on the parts of the routes affected.

"The original intended effect of the undertakings remains in place but we cannot reasonably require FirstGroup to continue running persistently and significantly loss-making services.

"The funding of local bus services is something that public transport authorities will seek to deal with if they can."

FirstGroup is also set to axe two further routes in Glasgow.

Paul Thomas, Managing Director for Scotland East, said a decreasing number of passengers used these services over several years, resulting in the buses being unable to cover their operating costs.

He added: "This in turn is restricting the opportunities to improve the First bus network in West Lothian and to improve service links to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Central Scotland. We are committed to providing commuter links between West Lothian and Edinburgh City Centre which are commercially sustainable.

"Our commercial team is examining options for this, in consultation with West Lothian Council and passengers from the services to be withdrawn. To date no application has been made to cancel these services or to introduce new express services. It is anticipated that any changes will not happen until early 2011."The release of this from the undertakings will allow us to make appropriate changes in the near future to address travel patterns rather than complete withdrawal at this time."

SERVICES TO BE CUT

The five bus services in Edinburgh axed by FirstGroup are:

X1: Edinburgh (Regent Road) - Armadale or Blackridge ( Limited Stop ) via Edinburgh Park - Dechmont - Bathgate

X23: Edinburgh (Regent Road) - Livingston (Deans Depot) ( Limited Stop ) via Edinburgh Park - Craigshill - Howden - Knightsridge

X24: Edinburgh (Regent Road) - Livingston (Deans South) ( Limited Stop ) via Edinburgh Park - Ladywell - Knightsridge

X26: Edinburgh (Regent Road) - Fauldhouse (Rail Station) ( Limited Stop ) via Sighthill - Dedridge - West Calder - Loganlea

X32: Edinburgh (Regent Road) - Livingston (Deans South) ( Limited Stop ) via Sighthill - Dedridge - Ladywell