Glasgow and Dunbartonshire Independents

A nostalgic look back at independent bus operators in the Glasgow area.

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Local bus and tram services in Glasgow were traditionally operated by the Corporation Transport Department, which had a monopoly in the city limits from 1930 onwards. This meant buses of the Scottish Bus Group and others could not pick up passengers once they passed the city boundary, although passengers could be set down. As the city expanded, this agreement only covered the boundaries up to 1938, meaning that any development built after this had to be shared with buses of the Scottish Bus Group and others. A couple of independents worked into the city.

When local bus services in the UK were de-regulated in 1986, any credible operator was able to register and run a local bus service, and this is where our story begins. A myriad of operators have come and gone at a tremendous pace, bringing a welcome splash of colour to the city and beyond. Company failures, take-overs and licence revocations have left only a few stronger companies still serving the city. This book looks at many of the casualties who have fallen by the wayside over the last thirty years, many now almost forgotten.