McGill’s Buses has been fined nearly £30,000 following an inquiry that revealed significant issues with vehicle maintenance and punctuality. The Traffic Commissioner Richard Turfitt issued a final warning to the Greenock-based operator, emphasizing that the company cannot justify its failure to adhere to timetables by citing the poor condition of its vehicles. The inquiry was prompted by several incidents, including a bus catching fire while in service.
The Traffic Commissioner determined that McGill’s had not met the expected standards of maintenance and management, resulting in a fine of £29,700. The investigation focused on the operator’s adherence to its licensing obligations, which included requirements for punctuality, vehicle upkeep, and defect reporting. Evidence presented by Bus Users Scotland underscored passenger concerns regarding the reliability of services, with monitoring data revealing that buses frequently failed to run on schedule.
Failures in Compliance and Maintenance
The inquiry highlighted critical weaknesses in McGill’s systems for identifying and rectifying vehicle defects, as well as lapses in maintenance oversight. Although the Commissioner acknowledged that McGill’s had begun implementing improvements, such as investing in new systems and making staff changes, he emphasized that a deterrent action was necessary to restore public confidence and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
In a statement, Commissioner Turfitt made clear the implications of the findings: “Operators can no longer use the poor state of vehicles as an excuse for failing to meet published timetables. Both are given a final warning. I find the repute of each entity to be severely tarnished by the finding of maintenance issues identified at the hearing. Any further reports are likely to result in consideration of more extensive intervention.”
McGill’s Response and Future Plans
In response to the inquiry, a spokesperson for McGill’s Buses expressed regret over the issues identified during the investigation. The company stated, “We acknowledge the findings of the Traffic Commissioner, and it is a matter of regret that we suffered unacceptable maintenance and punctuality issues, much of which arose immediately after we acquired the businesses in 2022.”
To address these challenges, McGill’s has strengthened its engineering leadership, instituted more comprehensive inspections every four weeks, and invested £14 million in a new fleet of 30 zero-emission buses. The company asserted that safety and reliability are non-negotiable priorities.
The Traffic Commissioner confirmed that McGill’s operations will be subject to close monitoring in the coming months to ensure that the improvements made lead to lasting changes in service reliability and compliance with regulatory standards. This scrutiny aims to restore public trust in McGill’s Buses and uphold the company’s obligations as a licensed operator.
