Christina McKelvie MSP, Angela Crawley MP and Margaret Ferrier MP have joined together to call for more to be done to secure the future of the X1 service.
Immense public pressure had led to the reversal of the decision by First Bus to scrap the service last year, with a petition started by local resident Rebecca Creechan reaching over 4,600 signatures.
Since then, First Bus have been conducting a public awareness campaign to draw attention to the benefits of travelling on the X1 and highlighting the inclusion of their new £3.50 discounted off-peak FirstDay tickets, which also covers travel for two children on Saturdays.
Christina, Angela and Margaret have written to South Lanarkshire Council and SPT to ask what they are currently doing to help secure the future of the route and what more can be done.
They are also calling on more people to use the service to boost the numbers before First Bus review the service at the end of February.
Angela Crawley, MP for Lanark and Hamilton East said:
“The X1 is a vital route for so many of my constituents and it is important that it remains in place.
“We all have a responsibility to ensure that people from across Hamilton can continue to benefit from the service.
“I will be doing everything in my power to ensure the X1 remains and working with colleagues from across South Lanarkshire to support this important bus link.”
Christina McKelvie, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse said: “The X1 service is an absolutely vital link for so many in our communities. It is why I met with First Bus in September of last year to put pressure on them to reverse their decision to scrap the service.
“The route not only helps people get in to Glasgow for work and study, it also provides a key social link for so many. The X1/X1A routes have a higher than average number of concessionary users relying on it for travel in to Hamilton and Glasgow. Without this link many of these older and more vulnerable residents will find themselves increasingly isolated.
“Margaret Ferrier and I have written to the Council Leader John Ross and SPT to highlight the social aspect of this route and to encourage them to do all they can to promote the X1 service.
Margaret Ferrier, MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West commented:
“Alongside writing to South Lanarkshire Council and SPT we are also urging as many people as possible to use the X1 service in the coming weeks to help drive up numbers. With the service up for review by First Bus at the end of February it is crucial that we do not see a drop-off of passenger numbers.
“At a time when we are trying to get more people to move to buses rather than cars as part of the fight against climate change it is more crucial than ever that we protect routes like the X1.”
“Together we can secure the X1 for the future.”