At Thursday's Council meeting the SNP led the debate on the bus industry, demanding re-regulation or franchising. This comes after frequent threats by the private bus companies that they will cut services unless they receive increased subsidies. By contrast the rail system is a fixed franchise with all services protected. 

As is often the case, Labour and LibDem councillors united in backing a greatly watered down approach. All they could ask for in their amendment was for the Scottish Executive to "re-consider the timetables in its current legislation for introducing quality bus measures."

The SNP's Cllr Bashir Ahmad gave an example of the long-running 59 bus service which is currently under threat. And John Mason stated that we could have integration or competition but we could not have both.