Glasgow’s iconic Subway is losing money because of coronavirus. Emergency funding for Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, which runs the Subway, is due to run out in the next few days and there has been no funding to cover the millions in losses between April and June. The Scottish Government has announced that it will carry on bailing out private rail companies until the end of January - but it has been silent on further support for publicly owned operators like SPT. Without further funding, SPT has said it will have no choice but to make cuts to transport services across the region. SPT operates the Subway and subsidised bus and ferry services across the region.
Stand up for Glasgow’s subway and for publicly owned transport - sign our petition to Transport Secretary Michael Matheson today.
Background
SPT is facing a major loss of income from operating Subway services at reduced capacity through the coronavirus pandemic.
Emergency funding for SPT was agreed to cover the period from July to September. Unlike private firms, SPT had no support for any losses incurred before July, during lockdown.
The current support to SPT is due to run out on 30 September 2020.
Private rail operators have just had their emergency funding extended to until January 2021.
Private bus operators have also had their funding guaranteed.
SPT has said that without extra funding, local services are at risk.
We need to Save our Subway!