A DISABILITY campaigner has accused transport bosses of trying to run down a lifeline bus service as fears mount over its future.

Greenock Telegraph:

Greenock pensioner Alice McCaughey, 84, is 'disgusted' with the ongoing problems with dial-a-bus after being told that she can only book it for a ONE-WAY journey.

The community activist has had crunch meetings with SPT but says elderly people like her are trapped in their own homes because of the difficulties getting access to the bus.

Alice hit out after being told recently that there were no drivers available to pick her up from the town.

But she has vowed to fight on despite her own health problems

Furious Alice, who was left with mobility problems following an accident seven years ago, said: "I am absolutely disgusted with what is happening. We are getting a terrible service.

"You can't send disabled and elderly people on a bus one-way, it is no good to people at all.

"We are getting left stranded. People use this service because they can't get on and off normal buses or wait at bus stops for any length of time.

"This is supposed to be a service for Inverclyde, but what is happening is drivers are covering a much wider area.

"I book three or four weeks in advance. I go into town Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

"My health has not been good recently and I really rely on the bus.

"But I was told that they could only take me one-way. That's no good to me. I now have to use taxis or not go out at all."

Alice uses the service to get to Shopmobility to hire a scooter so she can go shopping in the town centre and visit friends.

READ MORE: Lifeline bus service crisis 'leaves pensioners trapped'

We reported last year about a catalogue of problems with the under pressure dial-a-bus service since Covid.

Some of those concerns included a new automated booking system, the decision not to return to a full service by lifting Covid restrictions, or allowing group bookings to return and limiting people to just two journeys a week.

Alice, of Inverkip Road, said: "I stepped in to act on behalf of people wanting to use the service, I have been representing the community all my life.

"But so many people are now giving up. Groups who used the service before still can't use it."

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Strathclyde Passenger Transport told the Telegraph that they are committed to the service.

An SPT spokesperson said: “SPT recognises that MyBus is an essential service for elderly and disabled users from Inverclyde and across Strathclyde. 

"Acceptance of trip requests remain high across the region, including Inverclyde where we meet almost 91 per cent  of all requests.

"Our call handlers and schedulers work hard to facilitate as many trips as possible from within the available resources. 

"We are always happy to discuss users' individual requirements, and will endeavour to satisfy trip requests where we can."

However, a review of the service is now underway.

SPT added: “As we have stated previously we are currently carrying out a thorough review of the MyBus service.  

"We recently reported on a number of actions we would now be taking forward over the next three to 12 months at our operations committee, to support the ongoing success of the service. 

"This includes looking at qualifying criteria; a simpler registration process; revising booking and scheduling process; revising journey purpose; raising awareness of the service; improving the current service provision; and undertaking a wider Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) service redesign.

“SPT is fully aware of the importance of the MyBus service to communities, far from running the service down, we are working to ensure its future operating model to meet the needs of current and future users.”