Scotland's biggest bus operator, First Glasgow, today announced details of a brand new route which from May 10 will provide vital, direct and quick links from the city centre and the west end to the new South Glasgow Hospital and Braehead
First Glasgow expects the new service to carry tens of thousands of customers every week. The 77 will serve a number of communities including Charing Cross, Kelvingrove, Partick, Thornwood, Braehead shopping centre and on some journeys Renfrewand Glasgow Airport.
As well as the convenient and direct links provided by the new service, the 77 will ensure that customers from throughout the Glasgow area have a high frequency interchange option at Partick or in the city centre.
In what is a significant investment by First Glasgow, twelve modern vehicles will provide dedicated services on the route. All the buses will be specifically branded in a soon to be revealed Service 77 livery, and fitted with leather seats, free on board wi-fi and extra rooms for buggies and wheelchairs as standard.
The company also revealed that the 77 timetable is specifically designed to reflect visiting times and shift patterns of doctors, nurses and other staff at the hospital. Buses will operate seven days a week, commencing from the city at 5.20am on weekdays and 5.50am at the weekends, with buses from the hospital running until 10.48 pm each day.
Managing Director of First Glasgow, Fiona Kerr, said: "This is great news for bus users in Glasgow. It's great news for staff, patients and visitors to South Glasgow Hospital; great news for shoppers at Braehead Shopping Centre; and great news for all communities in the North and West of Glasgow of which the 77 will become an essential part.
"We're excited about the launch and can promise customers an excellent service, on what will become one of our flagship routes providing a vital link to the new hospital. We anticipate that Service 77 will carry tens of thousands of customers every week, and in fact we're confident that it will convince many car users to use the bus. The frequent, convenient, comfortable, value for money service will, I believe, have a positive impact on the citys congestion issues as more people opt out of their cars and hop on to the bus.
"Service 77 reflects our continued commitment to Glasgow and our relentless drive to improve services and encourage more people on to the bus. The introduction of the 77 is the latest in a string of improvements on First Glasgow buses and I can assure our customers that these positive developments will continue."
First Glasgow's new high frequency network simpliCITY is performing really well; the company has invested more than £37million on 226 new buses in the past three years; 40% of its fleet now has free on-board wi-fi; and customers are increasingly recognising the benefits of m-Ticketing enabling passengers to use mobile phones as bus tickets.
The 77 will begin on May 10 and replaces the 30 minute 747 service. Links to the airport on the 747 are retained within this new service. The 77 will offer fast and direct links from both the City Centre and Partick with buses running as often as every ten minutes providing customers across the network with easy access and competitive journey times. First Glasgow's value for money fares, starting at £1.40 a day, will also be valid on the 77. And with the 77 will serving Braehead shopping Centre it will also offer customers vastly improved shopping and leisure links.
