Scotrail passengers benefit from travel partner

MORE THAN 11,500 ScotRail customers have benefited from free First Glasgow bus travel thanks to a unique partnership between the two public transport operators.

The partnership won the coveted Transport Team of the Year title at the 2014 Scottish Transport Awards last week Picture: Contributed

In July 2013, First Glasgow and ScotRail agreed that at times of severe disruption on the railways, ScotRail customers can use First Glasgow bus services free of charge to help them reach their destinations.

In just under a year the highly successful partnership, which won the coveted Transport Team/ Partnership of the Year title at the 2014 Scottish Transport Awards last week, has helped more than 11,500 customers.

Fiona Kerr, First Glasgow’s managing director, said: “The partnership between First Glasgow and ScotRail is helping strengthen people’s faith in public transport. By working together we are helping thousands of people get home who might otherwise have been stranded.”

The partnership has gone from strength to strength. Picture: Contributed

She continued: “We operate some 950 buses across Glasgow and Lanarkshire with bus stops at more than 100 stations, so we’re well placed to help ScotRail passengers, for example when severe weather impacts on the railway.”

Steve Montgomery, Managing Director of ScotRail, said: “Together with Network Rail and other industry partners, we have done a lot of work to limit disruption on Scotland’s railways and this is having a positive impact. However, we also understand the importance of limiting inconvenience when services unfortunately are disrupted – and this scheme is of real benefit to our customers in Glasgow.

“We believe this is an excellent example of partnership working between public transport operators - with a clear and lasting benefit for passengers.”