Stagecoach have said that from the next timetable, Loop buses will be reduced to two per hour in either direction.
They quote the reason for this as being ‘Congestion at Hampden Park level crossing’.
Although this is a valid reason, the answer is not to reduce the service.
A while ago, there were five Loops per hour, going at twelve minutely intervals. If you wanted to save a little bit of time, you could conveniently hop off at Lottbridge Drive and catch the previous bus by walking to Lottbridge Drove. If buses were late, they were generally twelve minutes late.
Then they reduced the Loop service to four per hour, running quarter-hourly quoting congestion at the level crossing as a reason. Suddenly, if Loops ran late, they were late by fifteen minutes.
Soon afterwards, ‘Congestion at the level crossing’ meant that Loop buses were reduced to three per hour. Typically being twenty minutes late.
Can you see some sort of pattern here?
Stagecoach have no interest in their buses trying to catch up on time, just delaying their late buses until they’re so late that the passengers have to change to the next bus resulting in overcrowding.
Waiting up to an hour for a delayed Loop is unacceptable. The overcrowding would be unbearable as a result of this at certain times and disrespectful to the disabled and mothers needing the wheelchair and pram spaces - possibly being asked to wait for the next bus which would be an outrage.
The unemployed are at serious risk of having their JSA stopped if they are late to an interview as a result of an inadequate service. Staff at the DWP are not sympathetic to ‘late bus’ excuses despite Stagecoach’s unenviable record on late buses.
With the unreasonable amount we are charged for bus fares for a pitiful ‘service’ we would like to respectfully ask for the reinstatement of a decent service for those served by the Loop buses, back to every twelve minutes or a suitable alternative. The ‘level crossing’ excuse is no longer acceptable.