PLANS to axe Kilbarchan’s direct bus service to Paisley and Glasgow have been branded “unacceptable” by a campaigning councillor.

Derek Bibby has slammed transport operator McGill’s over proposals to withdraw the number 38 service from the village from the end of May.

The long-established route currently runs between Kilbarchan and Glasgow, stopping in Johnstone and Paisley.

However, under the new plans, the number 38 would only operate between Johnstone town centre and Glasgow, via Paisley.

A new number 32 service would instead be introduced for Kilbarchan residents, offering journeys every 20 minutes between Kilbarchan and Johnstone town centre throughout the day.

Commuters in Kilbarchan who want to travel beyond Johnstone town centre would then have to connect with the number 20, 38 or 904 services.

Councillor Bibby, who represents Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch, said the proposed changes are not in the best interests of his constituents.

He told The Gazette: “There has been a direct service to Kilbarchan for as long as anyone can remember and I myself have been using it for over 40 years.

“It is used by different demographics, such as people going to work beyond Johnstone, children’s groups and older people’s groups travelling to the Lagoon and other leisure facilities, and people coming to the village to the Weavers Cottage.

“The proposals are unacceptable. The explanation for these changes is that there have been significant punctuality issues due to traffic congestion in Paisley and Glasgow.

“This is illogical, as quite how having to change buses in Johnstone helps this is beyond me, particularly given the current congestion in Johnstone’s High Street.

“The outcome for Kilbarchan passengers will be longer journey times to Paisley and Glasgow.”

It is also understood that, under the proposals, McGill’s number 20 service, which currently runs from Cochrane Castle, in Johnstone, to Whitehaugh, in Paisley, would no longer visit Cochrane Castle, Johnstone Castle, Floors Street, North Road or Park Road.

However, McGill’s managing director Ralph Roberts has defended the proposed changes.

He said: “Decades of inactivity by backward looking local authority councillors such as Mr Bibby has resulted in the gridlock that is choking Johnstone town centre.

“Unfortunately, the buses also have to deal with similar levels of car-based congestion in Paisley and Glasgow and this split in the service is essential to make the local buses reliable and punctual.

“There will be more buses than before and frequencies have been maintained. This change will cost more to deliver but we are confident that this local town network will give the travelling public of Johnstone and surrounding areas a better bus service.

“Thankfully, there are also enlightened councillors at Renfrewshire Council and they are engaging with McGill’s to make a bid for the Scottish Government’s £500million Bus Partnership Fund to improve services for the people of Renfrewshire. Perhaps Mr Bibby can get on board with that campaign, rather than sniping about things he clearly knows nothing about.

“I invited Mr Bibby to a virtual meeting to explain the changes but he chose not to attend, citing the world’s most popular virtual meeting place as not fit for use. Other councillors did attend and came up with constructive suggestions such as through journeys for hospital buses and ensuring that the early and late through journeys were in place for key workers.

“Meanwhile, McGill’s have placed orders for 56 zero emission electric buses, 30 of which will be based at Johnstone from later this year. As well as providing a higher quality journey, these state of the art buses will assist in the decarbonisation of Johnstone and surrounding areas. This £27m of investment in bus travel will help ensure that the buses are the solution to the chronic car based congestion that Johnstone is crippled with.”

READ MORE: Parents see red as kids suspended by football club over lockdown kickabout