FirstGroup allowed to scrap Scottish bus routes

12th Oct 2010 07:22

Bus and train group FirstGroup will be allowed to scrap seven bus routes in Glasgow and Edinburgh and modify eight others after the Competition Commission decided there was little chance of them becoming profitable.FirstGroup took on the routes when it won the Scottish Rail franchise in 2004. The Commission decided the firm's proposals were not made for the purpose of switching passengers from bus to rail services, which was the concern identified in 2004. The changes will not therefore undermine the purpose of the original undertakings, it 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," Commssion chairman Peter Freeman said.The routes FirstGroup intends to withdraw are services X1, X23, X24, X26, X32 and 58 in the Edinburgh operating area and service 165 in the Glasgow operating area. The routes for modification are all in Glasgow-X1, X3/36, X4/X5, 31, 43, 64, 109/119, 255 and 263.