Greer Slams McGill’s Student Fare Hike
Green MSP Ross Greer has criticised bus company McGill’s for a change that will leave many students paying 50% more for their bus travel.
McGill’s recently announced changes to fares which come into place on Monday (22 January). A minority of adult single and return fares are being increased by 5p or 10p, but the major hike is targeted at students. The bus company will stop offering student all-day tickets, meaning that those students travelling a up to three days a week between most of Renfrewshire and Glasgow will see an increase in fares from £3 to £4.50 (or £4.20 for a mobile phone ticket) each day.
Ross Greer, Green MSP for the West of Scotland, who has lodged a Parliamentary Motion, has invited McGills to meet with himself and local young people and to agree that they will reverse this fare hike
Speaking ahead of the fare rise Greer said:
“This will be a major blow to students across Renfrewshire, many of whom rely on McGill’s buses to get to college, university or part time jobs. In effect, it’s a 50% hike in their fares overnight. This is a money-grab by McGill’s- I can’t see why else they would have chosen to single out students for fare increases in this way. If you are a young person living in Renfrew and studying in Glasgow, you’re suddenly facing almost five pound more each week just to get to college or university. For many, that just won’t be possible.
“I’ll be joining the local Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament who are calling on McGill’s to reinstate student day tickets immediately.”