A PROBE has been launched after a Renfrewshire bus company suddenly went off the road. Riverside Transport - a firm which ran services in Johnstone, Inchinnan, Houston and Bridge of Weir - has ceased operating without warning.

All bus services from the group were immediately taken off road last Friday, with angry commuters lashing out at the sudden move.

A message on the Riverside Transport website read: "Owing to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to provide service.

"Please check the websites of other bus operators in order to plan your journey."

However despite such short notice of the company's demise, passengers have not been left stranded, as McGill's group swiftly stepped into the breach in an effort to prevent the potential travel chaos.

Following the announcements that Riverside Transport had stopped trading, McGills were given the go-ahead to take over each of the routes.

But the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland, Joan Aitken, has called for a public inquiry to be held.

A spokesman for the Office of the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland said: "The company submitted short notice applications to terminate its bus services, which have been approved reluctantly by Miss Aitken.

"She has also given permission for another operator, McGills Bus Services Ltd, to take over the routes simply to avoid inconvenience to the travelling public.

"She remains very concerned by this turn of events.

"Operators who run local bus services are required to give 56 days' notice where they intend to change or cancel a registered route but they can apply to reduce this period in certain circumstances.

"Miss Aitken can consider taking regulatory action where an operator fails to run registered services without a reasonable excuse.

"Given that Miss Aitken was presented with this short notice withdrawal she will require Riverside Transport Training Ltd and its directors to account for their failure to continue to operate.

"The usual course in these cases is for a Public Inquiry to be held.

The Gazette contacted Riverside Transport directly, but no-one was available for comment.

Ralph Roberts, McGill's managing director, said: "We are pleased to assist in saving these routes for Renfrewshire bus users.

"Riverside has provided public transport service for its passengers for many years, and, whilst we are sorry to hear of their demise, we are glad we have been in a position to step in and provide some continuity of service.

"Ex-Riverside passengers will now benefit from access to McGill's wider Renfrewshire network and our variety of great-value ticket types."

The new McGill's routes are services 1, 7, 10 and 19. Services 1 and 10 will operate as they did under Riverside Transport.

The former Riverside 7 route - the Johnstone-Linwood Circular - will be re-numbered to service 8; to prevent any confusion for customers of McGill's existing 7 service.

The re-numbered circular will continue to operate to the same route and timetable as the Riverside 7. A new service 19 will also operate Paisley to Johnstone Station via Inchinnan Business Park, Houston and Bridge of Weir.

The new 19 route will also combine key points of Riverside's 8, 18 and 19 services.