Agenda item

“This Council notes -

(1)  That the proposed sale of First Bus Aberdeen is imminent;

(2)  That First Bus Aberdeen has recently started a one-week consultation on axing some of its services; and

(3)  That many in our communities rely on a quality bus service to get to work, doctors’ appointments etc.

This Council agrees to -

(a)  Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, highlighting the present situation with First Bus Aberdeen and urging him to use any power at his disposal to stop First Bus Aberdeen putting profit before passengers by cutting the bus services on which the public of Aberdeen rely;

(b)  Instruct the Chief Executive to meet with the management of First Bus Aberdeen, and at which meeting to urge them to maintain the same level of service until the sale of the First Bus Aberdeen business and to then report to Group Leaders with the details of the discussion and result of that meeting; and

(c)  Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the 3 constituency MSPs and 7 Regional List MSPs urging them to lobby the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity to use any power at his disposal to stop First Bus Aberdeen cutting the bus services on which the public of Aberdeen rely whilst the business is up for sale.” 

The Council had before it the following notice of motion by Councillors Laing and Lumsden:-

            “This Council notes -

(1)      That the proposed sale of First Bus Aberdeen is imminent;

(2)      That First Bus Aberdeen has recently started a one-week consultation on axing some of its services; and

(3)      That many in our communities rely on a quality bus service to get to work, doctors’ appointments etc.

This Council agrees to -

(a)      Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, highlighting the present situation with First Bus Aberdeen and urging him to use any power at his disposal to stop First Bus Aberdeen putting profit before passengers by cutting the bus services on which the public of Aberdeen rely;

(b)      Instruct the Chief Executive to meet with the management of First Bus Aberdeen, and at which meeting to urge them to maintain the same level of service until the sale of the First Bus Aberdeen business and to then report to Group Leaders with the details of the discussion and result of that meeting; and

(c)       Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the 3 constituency MSPs and 7 Regional List MSPs urging them to lobby the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity to use any power at his disposal to stop First Bus Aberdeen cutting the bus services on which the public of Aberdeen rely whilst the business is up for sale.” 

The Council resolved:-

to approve the amended notice of motion in the following terms:-

“This Council notes -

(1)      That the proposed sale of First Bus Aberdeen is imminent;

(2)      That First Bus Aberdeen has recently started a one-week consultation on axing some of its services; and

(3)      That many in our communities rely on a quality bus service to get to work, doctors’ appointments etc.

This Council agrees to -

(a)      Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, highlighting the present situation with First Bus Aberdeen and urging him to use any power at his disposal to stop First Bus Aberdeen putting profit before passengers by cutting the bus services on which the public of Aberdeen rely;

(b)      Instruct the Chief Executive to meet with the management of First Bus Aberdeen along with Group Leaders, and at which meeting:

(i)        To urge them to maintain the same level of service until the sale of the First Bus Aberdeen business; and

(ii)       To urge them to hold public meetings in the communities affected by the proposed changes to allow residents to express directly to First Bus Aberdeen their views and concerns about the proposed changes to services; and

(c)      Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the 3 constituency MSPs and 7 Regional List MSPs urging them to lobby the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity to use any power at his disposal to stop First Bus Aberdeen cutting the bus services on which the public of Aberdeen rely whilst the business is up for sale.”