10 hours ago
McGill's boss hits back at Glasgow MSP public bus firm plan
McGill's, one of the Glasgow region's biggest bus firms, is vehemently opposed to the idea.
Sandy Easdale, who owns McGill's with his brother JAmes has written for the Glasgow Times in response to Patrick Harvie's suggestion of publicly owned bus companies.
(Image: newsquest)
Sandy Easdale said: "Let's be blunt. Patrick Harvie's knowledge of transport appears to be restricted to whether or not he needs to fix a puncture on his bike.
"He is also so irresponsible he doesn't feel the need to wear a helmet, a great example to young cyclists everywhere.
"Mr Harvie hates cars, he hates buses. To quote Noel Gallagher, he is 'a man with a fork in a world of soup.'
"Let's get factual. Strathclyde's bus services boast a very high approval rating in Transport Focus's survey — the highest in Scotland and comfortably among the UK's best.
READ NEXT:Patrick Harvie MSP calls for publicly owned bus firm in Glasgow
"Interestingly, the anti-bus ownership clique in Scotland keeps whining on about the great Manchester franchising experiment run by another political egomaniac, Mayor Andy Burnham. Manchester are leagues below us.
"Egged on by activists and highly -paid external consultants who see the opportunity to line their own pockets, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) – which has £180m of Scottish taxpayers' money sitting in its coffers and reaped a staggering £8m in annual interest — plays the major role in this bureaucratic charade that could lead to hyper-expensive franchising.
(Image: newsquest)
"I warned last year that SPT's extensive wish list could cost £400m a year of Scottish taxpayers' money — a figure based on detailed expert analysis shared with McGill's Group. That's almost double the still-growing financial disaster we're seeing in Manchester.
"Not one councillor, MSP, or government minister can now claim ignorance over the true cost of this madness.
"Franchising cheerleaders love to parrot the line that it 'returns control to the public.
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"But let's be clear: McGill's was never some hand-me-down from the council — it was built from the ground up at great cost to the owners.
"McGill's Group has delivered where politicians have long failed: integrating ticketing which reduces costs for passengers, introducing Euro VI buses to Scotland and the first Disability Discrimination Act compliant network in Scotland plus much more.
"A business forged by years of risk and personal sacrifice — by me, my brother James, and ably steered by chairman Ralph Roberts — is now at risk of being confiscated, carved up, and auctioned off to the lowest bidder.
"As James said to me only this morning, 'Why are the government and local councils even contemplating this horrendous expenditure when it has just been revealed that our cancer treatment waiting times are the worst in our country's history?'
"My final word to Mr Harvie – get on your bike son and leave transport to the adults."
