“Buses fail us in this city” – Free our City Protest for Free Public Transport in George Square
Free Our City protest in George Square, 10th November 2021, Source: Spencer Smythe
By Donald Erskine & Spencer Smythe
Free Our City protested in George Square on 11th November to draw attention to the ‘creaking’ public transport in Glasgow and demand that it be made free to use for all.
The Free Our City coalition first came together in 2019, a joining of many different citizens organisations: climate groups, community groups and trade unions. All were there today to focus on one common goal: “Take Back Our Buses.”
The International Transport Workers' Federation, an international union representing over 18 million workers, were present to show the importance of transport in helping to reduce carbon emissions and create more jobs as well as strengthening their relationship with public transport organizations tied to Glasgow.
Emily Harrison, from Get Glasgow Moving, was campaigning as part of COP26’s transport day. Emily also spoke about the travel passes given to COP26 delegates allowing them to travel across the city for free: “We’ve been campaigning for this for the past five years…If they can do it for them, they can do it for us”
Free Our City protest in George Square, 10th November 2021, Source: Donald Erskine
Bus transport in Glasgow went through deregulation in the 1980s, Free Our City believe that this should be reversed. This mirrors proposals at Glasgow City Council meetings in 2019 amid announcements that First Group were looking to sell the bus operations, but has since gone quiet.
Jennifer McCarey, leading the protest, megaphone in hand, said: “We need to make sure that the money we put into buses goes into public owned services, so that we can reap the benefits.
“Public transport in Glasgow creaks regularly. We have a great infrastructure, we have great potential for transport working, but buses fail us in this city – whatever happens we need to address the issue of buses and bus ownership.”
Following announcements that bus travel will be made free for under-22s from 31st January 2022, Jennifer said: “Its brilliant, young people need the opportunity to travel around, meet other people and take part fully in the city. It also means that more people get free transport in our city which is great, around two fifths of public transport journeys are free in Scotland, the more that get them the better. We are now left with two options: either those that pay have to pay more, or we take the leap and make it free for everyone.”