Renfrewshire South MSP Tom Arthur has held a meeting with a top transport boss to discuss future plans for service provision in the area.

The politician spoke with Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) chief executive Valerie Davidson at the organisation’s head office in Glasgow after being “regularly contacted by constituents regarding public transport issues.”

Mr Arthur told the Gazette: “I don’t think there is a single area of Renfrewshire South that has not been impacted by recent changes to public transport service provision.

“Whilst the pilot of publicly-owned Scotrail’s ‘off peak all day’ fares has been immensely popular, users of other public transport have been contacting me in large numbers to express their concern.”

Most notably of late, he says this has been about local bus services and he said he was keen to pass on constituents' views about recent changes to services by local operators McGill’s and Key Coaches.

Earlier this year, McGill’s set out their new timetable with changes being made from May 1 to some of their current services, while others totalling 13% of its services in Renfrewshire were cut completely.

Earlier this month, we reported concerns over Key Coaches' plans to withdraw its 1 and 5 routes in April 2024.

These services provide transport into Johnstone town centre for those living in the areas of Johnstone Castle and Spateston.

Mr Arthur said that during the cost-of-living crisis it is “more important than ever we have safe, affordable and reliable public transport to get people around the local area.”

“Many people in Renfrewshire South rely on buses to get them to work and school or to access local shops, healthcare and leisure facilities,” he added.

“Thank you to Valerie for agreeing to meet with me and for sharing SPT’s vision for the future of public transport in Renfrewshire South.

“I am grateful that she listened to my constituent’s concerns and I am hopeful that the experiences of public transport users will be carefully considered in all future moves to reshape the network which provide vital lifelines in Renfrewshire South’s villages and towns.”

An SPT spokesperson said that Ms Davidson met with Mr Arthur to discuss a range of transport issues, including those specific to his constituency and wider challenges facing public transport.

"This was an opportunity to highlight some of the work SPT is undertaking to secure the future of our public transport network across our region for many communities who rely on it to access health, education, leisure and economic opportunities," they added.