Councillors have backed calls for improved bus links between Johnstone, Linwood and surrounding villages after concerns were raised over residents struggling to access shops, services and appointments.
A motion brought before Renfrewshire Council by Councillor Iain McMillan highlighted ongoing concerns around poor public transport connections, particularly between Johnstone and Linwood.
Councillor McMillan told Thursday’s full council meeting that residents regularly contacted him about long journey times, indirect routes and limited services.
He said: “A constituent recently contacted me because she had two appointments — one in Linwood and one in Johnstone — 80 minutes apart and still could not make both appointments using public transport and had to get a taxi.
“That simply is not good enough.”
The Labour councillor said some residents were effectively cut off from nearby towns and services despite holding concessionary bus passes.
He said: “There’s no point in having that magical bus pass if there are no buses.”
Councillor McMillan also warned poor transport links were affecting access to employment, shopping and leisure facilities across Renfrewshire.
He said: “People are struggling to get from Johnstone to Linwood, from Linwood to Johnstone and between surrounding communities.
“For some people, it can take three buses there and three buses back just to make a relatively short journey.”
An amendment from Councillor Audrey Doig expanded the motion to include concerns around villages including Brookfield, Houston and Bridge of Weir.
Councillor Doig said older residents and people without access to cars were particularly affected by poor transport provision.
She said: “Brookfield has buses every two hours. Houston has hourly buses.
“We need more connectivity, not just Johnstone and Linwood. We need wider connectivity to help the villages and to help villagers be able to go to the Phoenix or Johnstone for shopping.
“That is essential when people of an older age give up their cars. They need to have better connectivity so that they can get their shopping done.”
Councillor Doig also criticised what she described as a focus on “money, money, money” rather than public service.
She added: “I am quite surprised that one of the biggest contributors to the Labour Party in the last election is McGill’s Buses.
“I am surprised that Labour Party members do not have more pull and push with it, given that it was so heavily backed by it in the last election.
“I hope that it uses the influence now to get McGill’s to look at serving the public and not making money.”
Councillor Robert Innes backed the widened amendment and said surrounding villages faced many of the same problems as residents in Johnstone and Linwood.
He said: “There is a serious lack of connectivity between Linwood and Johnstone, but Councillor Doig’s amendment strengthens what we are trying to ask for.
“In terms of connectivity between the villages, all those villages have the same problems as people in Linwood and Johnstone.
“It is a collective effort.”
Councillor Innes also backed comments made by Audrey Doig regarding McGill’s.
He said the company had “absolutely bled Renfrewshire dry of transport services”.
A second amendment from Councillor Andy Doig called for the council to investigate municipal ownership models similar to those used elsewhere in Scotland.
He said: “We are talking about public transport, and the bit that is missing is public.
“It is all a business model.
“That is why we are finding smaller bus services in the villages, where a small number of people get on the bus.
“It is not viable from a business point of view to put on a service, but it is public transport, and the public should be at the centre of it.”
Councillor John Hood also raised concerns over evening services.
He said: “The local buses stop at six o’clock. There are no local buses after six o’clock.
“In the night, I have to walk down to Johnstone and get a bus from Johnstone to Linwood road end, then another bus from Linwood road end up to where I go.
“It is harder to get a bus. Improved bus service must include evening travel.”
Councillor James MacLaren said communities in his ward were also facing major transport problems.
He said: “There are no buses for Langbank. Bus services in Bridge of Weir are atrocious.
“The current bus services do not encourage people to use them at all, particularly in the villages.”
Councillors ultimately agreed a combined motion incorporating both amendments, meaning officers will now engage with the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) while also exploring wider long-term public transport options for Renfrewshire.
The final motion, including both amendments, was agreed without opposition.