Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
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The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland. This includes responsibility for operating Glasgow's Subway, the third oldest in the world after the London and Budapest underground railways.
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[edit] History
SPT was first set up as Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive in 1972 to take over the Glasgow Corporation's tramway and public transport department and to co-ordinate public transport in the Clyde Valley. In the 1980s it expanded to become Strathclyde Passenger Transport, under the overall direction of Strathclyde Regional Council. Following the abolition of the regional council in 1996, it was reestablished as an incorporated body, controlled by councillors drawn from the 12 successor unitary authorities:
- Argyll and Bute
- West Dunbartonshire
- East Dunbartonshire
- North Lanarkshire
- South Lanarkshire
- City of Glasgow
- South Ayrshire
- East Ayrshire
- North Ayrshire
- Inverclyde
- Renfrewshire
- East Renfrewshire
Subsequent to the passing of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005, on 1 April 2006 it became the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. The new national agency Transport Scotland was created at the same time. At this latest reorganisation SPT gained responsibility for planning for all regional transport (not just public transport) though it lost a number of specific powers relating to rail franchising and concessionary fares. There will be no change in abbreviation (still SPT) or branding or in its major operational functions.
[edit] Organisation
SPT has the following main responsibilities:
- Developing a regional transport strategy for west central Scotland
- Planning of public transport investment
- Operation of the Glasgow Subway
- Operation and maintenance of bus stations, bus stops, travel centres and other support infrastructure
- Provision of some subsidised bus services, where no commercial services exists
- Provision of dial-a-bus and ring'n'ride services
- Issuing ZoneCard tickets, and dividing the revenue between participating transport providers
[edit] Bus services
Up until 1986 SPT (and the Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive before it) was directly responsible for running the municipal bus services in Glasgow, and owned both the buses and the necessary supporting infrastructure. The bus deregulation by the Transport Act 1985 deregulated the bus industry and SPT was subsequently forced to sell off its bus operations. The main bus operator in Glasgow City is now First Group.
SPT owns Glasgow's Buchanan Bus Station, the largest bus station in Scotland.
The Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive (GGPTE), The forerunner of SPTE, started operations in 1973, taking over the entire municipal owned and operated bus, and Underground railway, services of Glasgow Corporation Transport (GCT), which had been in existence from 1894 to 1973. They used a new livery which was a variation of the previous GCT colours of green, yellow and cream. The new livery had Verona green on the lower panels, and yellow between decks, white was used for window surrounds, and the roof. A stylised "GG" logo was applied to the forward yellow side panels.
As GCT had done, the GGPTE continued to buy large numbers of Leyland Atlantean double-decker buses, they were by far the most numerous type of bus in service, but GGPTE also introduced new bus types such as the Scania-MCW Metropolitan, and the front-engined, Scottish-built, Volvo Ailsa.
At the start of the 1980s GGPTE became SPTE. Revised liveries were gradually introduced, with the green and yellow replacing most of the white on some buses, and matt black lower deck window surrounds applied to many others, the latter became the livery applied to new buses. Logos also changed, stylised "Trans-Clyde" lettering was displayed below the "GG" logo, which SPTE was also using on rail services and the Underground at the time. Gradually the "GG" logo was discontinued, and "Trans'Clyde" was used alone.
In 1983 SPTE changed their colours to orange and black, the "Trans'Clyde" name was dropped and replaced with "Strathclyde Transport" branding. The name lasted until 1986 due to deregulation of the bus industry, keeping the orange and black colour scheme "Strathclyde's Buses" branding was used. The bus service was still in PTE control until 1993 when Strathclyde's Buses became employee-owned. During that time Strathclyde's Buses formed a low cost subsidiary called GCT - Comlaw No 313 Ltd which marked a return of the Trans Clyde era Verona Green, Black and Yellow as well as taking over Kelvin Central Buses. Both Strathclyde's Buses and GCT colour Schemes lasted until 1996 when First Group took over Strathclyde's Buses.
[edit] Reconstitution
In April 2006 under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005, the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority and the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive were abolished and a new transport authority, the West of Scotland Transport Partnership, was established along with another six regional transport partnerships covering the rest of Scotland. Covering the same territory as its predecessor organisation, the Partnership successfully negotiated a change to its title from the proposed West of Scotland Transport Partnership to Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, in doing so retaining the SPT logo thereby avoiding the need to change any livery on its property and coaches. Both the old Authority and Executive, although abolished for all practical purposes, continue to operate as shell companies. Ron Culley, Chief Executive of the new SPT, is the Director General.
Its first Chief Executive, Ron Culley was appointed on the vesting day of the new organisation [1st April 2006] under Chairman Alistair Watson and a partnership of twenty elected members, whose numbers were swelled by seven additional appointees chosen by the Minister for Transport, Tavish Scott, comprised its Partnership Board. SPT remains the largest transport authority in the UK outside London. It retains ownership of the Glasgow underground - the third oldest in the world after London and Budapest. Ron Culley joined the organisation as Chief Executive after six years as Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise Glasgow - the organisation tasked with developing the economy of the City of Glasgow. His early intervention in the management of the new Strathclyde Partnership for Transport was to freshen up it's leadership, improve its external relationships with partners and stakeholders and advance several major transport projects such as the Glasgow Airport Rail Link, Glasgow Crossrail [linking Queen's Street and Glasgow Central Stations as well as working towards improvements in the arrangements for bus transportation in the West of Scotland.
More recent ambitions include the comprehensive development of Glasgow's Subway, the introduction of high speed ground transport between Glasgow and Edinburgh, the utilisation of smartcard technology and the increased use of integrating motorised walkways and escalators. Further efforts are being expended on the greater integration of transport connections within 19 towns in west central Scotland including numerous Park and Rides.
Political leadership comprises Councillor Alistair Watson [Chair] and Councillors Davie McLachlan and Tom Selfridge as joint Vice Chairs.
Leadership of the organisation is vested in Chief Executive, Ron Culley; Assistant Chief Executive [Customer Services], Gordon Maclennan; Assistant Chief Executive [Business Support], Valerie Davidson and Assistant Chief Executive [Transport and Strategy], John Halliday.
[edit] Glasgow Subway
The Glasgow Subway is the only underground metro system in Scotland. Opened in 1896, it is the third-oldest system of its type in the world, and the only one that has never been expanded from its original route. The circular route serves the city centre, the city's fashionable West End, and parts of the south side. Between the early 1930's and 2003 the system was officially known as the "Glasgow Underground", but many citizens always continued referring to it as the "Subway"[citation needed]. In 2003, the "Subway" title was again used officially, with station signage and publications changed to reflect this. The Subway system is unique in terms of its scale and gauge - the Victorians designing an early underground tunnel through which the rolling stock had to pass which was not subsequently replicated in subsequent, land based systems. This has resulted in an expensive transportation mechanism which has proved stubborn to modernisation.
[edit] Strathclyde rail services
Glasgow has the largest network of suburban railway lines in the UK, outwith London. These are operated on behalf of SPT by First ScotRail (also part of First Group).
When the GGPTE was formed the trains that ran in the GGPTE area had their colours in the BR blue livery but instead of the familiar BR logo a GG logo was used. Later on the trains were painted in BR Blue-Grey livery, again the GG logo was used with the addition of "Trans-Clyde" branding. The last BR Blue-Grey livery used by SPT the BR logo was now used along with "Strathclyde Transport" branding on the centre of each car. From 1985 as with bus services and the underground, orange and black livery was used with a black BR logo. The current colours on SPT rail network are carmine and cream but there is still one British Rail Class 314 EMU in the old Orange and Black livery.
As of 2005 SPT uses as their sponsored rolling stock:
- British Rail Class 156
- British Rail Class 170
- British Rail Class 314
- British Rail Class 318
- British Rail Class 320
- British Rail Class 334
The table below summarises the various lines and routes:
| Line Name | Map colour | Route |
|---|---|---|
| North Clyde Line | Dark Blue | Helensburgh, Balloch and Milngavie to Springburn, Airdrie and Drumgelloch, via Queen Street Low Level. |
| Argyle Line | Light Green | Dalmuir or Milngavie to Motherwell, Lanark, Larkhall and Coatbridge, via Glasgow Central Low Level. |
| Maryhill Line | Dark Orange | Glasgow Queen Street to Anniesland via Maryhill. |
| Croy Line | Pink | Glasgow Queen Street to Croy. All trains continue towards Falkirk or Stirling. |
| Cumbernauld Line | Dark Orange | Glasgow Queen Street to Cumbernauld. Some trains continue towards Falkirk. |
| Inverclyde Line | Dark Green | Glasgow Central to Greenock, Gourock and Weymss Bay, via Paisley Gilmour Street. |
| Ayrshire Coast Line | Purple | Glasgow Central to Ayr, Prestwick Airport, Largs and Ardrossan, via Paisley Gilmour Street. |
| Paisley Canal Line | Silver | Glasgow Central to Paisley Canal. |
| South Western Lines | Blue | Glasgow Central to East Kilbride, Barrhead, Kilmarnock and Girvan. Many trains continue to Carlisle or Stranraer. |
| Cathcart Circle Lines | Red | Glasgow Central to Newton, Neilston and the Cathcart Circle. |
| Shotts Line | Yellow | Glasgow Central to Shotts. All trains continue towards Edinburgh. |
| Whifflet Line | Yellow | Glasgow Central to Whifflet. |
| Motherwell-Cumbernauld Line | Light Blue | Motherwell to Cumbernauld via Coatbridge Central. |
[edit] Ferry Services
SPT operates the Renfrew-Yoker ferry, and subsidises the Gourock-Kilcreggan-Helensburgh ferry service.
[edit] Day Tripper
Day Tripper is a multi-modal ticket allowing unlimited travel in the Strathclyde area, by rail, bus, underground and ferry for 1 adult and up to 2 children or 2 adults and up to 4 children. The ticket is heavily subsidised by the Passenger Transport Executive and addresses social needs (e.g., to let low-income families without access to a car to take a trip to the beach).
