Council’s neglect of bus transport infrastructure is "shocking and unacceptable"

Dundee City Council has totally neglected to manage the city’s bus infrastructure, says the Council’s Liberal Democrat Group. Bus shelters are dirty and vandalised, many have graffiti and often there are no current bus timetables on display. 
Dundee City Council’s Liberal Democrat Group has questioned the SNP-controlled council’s commitment to supporting public transport in Dundee. 

Liberal Democrat Group Leader and West End councillor Fraser Macpherson said:

“The council has failed to provide bus stop timetable information for Dundee passengers at most bus stops since the pandemic started in 2020. Despite assurances in 2022 that it would address the issue, Dundee bus stops remain without correct information about services and many bus stops are in a shockingly neglected state – graffitied and vandalised – with most bus shelters dirty and neglected.  It contrasts sharply with what neighbouring Angus and Perth and Kinross Councils achieve which is like night and day compared to the failure of Dundee council.” 

“Dundee City Council should be ashamed of its neglect of the bus infrastructure particularly in a city where according to recent census data, 41.8% of households do not own a car and are therefore reliant on public transport.”

Although virtually all bus services are now commercially run by the private sector following the SNP axing what was left of supported bus services earlier this year, the infrastructure – bus stops, bus shelters and real time information – is the responsibility of the local authority.  The Liberal Democrat Group has now written to the Chief Executive and other senior council officers calling for action to deal with the neglect of this infrastructure.

Councillor Macpherson revealed that earlier this year, the council entered into an agreement with one of the bus companies for it to take over the provision of bus information on three routes – Services 1, 5 and 22 – as a trial to see if this would be a better way to try to provide timetable information given the council’s failure to do so.

He added:
“We wouldn’t have had any particular issue with one of the bus companies providing the information instead of the council given the council’s failure to do this properly - as long as assurances about no commercial advantage were sought.   However, officials agreed this trial in May 2024 without even bothering to seek approval from councillors or even letting them know they had effectively privatised part of the council’s responsibility. Councillors were only finally briefed on the trial after a formal complaint about the council’s handling of the issue made by the Liberal Democrat Group.”

“However, the trial has not improved matters at all other than providing one bus company with some free advertising in the city centre as the majority of bus stops on these routes are still without timetable information four months on.     The council has clearly not bothered to monitor the effectiveness of its own trial.”

The Liberal Democrat Group has now called for the council to re-focus on its commitment to public transport.

Councillor Macpherson’s group colleague Cllr Daniel Coleman from Strathmartine Ward added: 
“The neglect of the infrastructure is just part of a wider malaise and lack of focus by Dundee City Council on public transport.”
“The council recently wasted time, money and effort on a total spurious so-called consultation on removing dozens of bus stops across Dundee.   This was slated by all who responded.”  
“In my own area, it was even suggested removing the bus stop and shelter right outside the community centre in St Mary’s, which provoked an all too predictable negative reaction from our community. “   

“The removal of bus stops project was then dumped but the effort put into this was wasted effort that council have been put into improving the bus stops and shelters, not getting rid of them.   Really, you could not make it up!”
The LibDem group has said the council should make every effort to reinstate the supported bus services the SNP has axed – the 204, 206 and 236 – as they helped mainly elderly people who did not live close to a main commercial bus service.

Councillor Macpherson added:
“The SNP axing the sheltered shoppers’ bus service was the unkindness cut of all – and all to save just £20 500 a year when the council’s revenue budget is £466 million a year – how miserable can the council get?”
He added that the LibDem Group has advised the Chief Executive of Dundee City Council that if the bus infrastructure issues are now not properly and promptly addressed, the group will table the item on the council’s Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee in order to secure committee approval to force improvements.