Stirling bus operator reprimanded after drivers tipped off to dodge DVSA safety checks
Stirling bus operator McGill’s Midland Bluebird has been reprimanded by Scotland’s Traffic Commissioner over “totally unacceptable” tip-off messages sent to drivers by management.
The firm faced its second public inquiry in five months, presided over by Deputy Traffic Commissioner Kenneth Young
In October 2025, it was issued a “final warning” over vehicle maintenance.
During Monday’s hearing, held in Edinburgh, the inquiry heard how two messages were sent to McGill’s Midland Bluebird drivers via the onboard ticketing machines on Saturday April 12, 2025.
The first message told drivers to “be aware” that Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) staff were in Stirling bus station carrying out vehicle checks.
It advised McGill’s Midland Bluebird employees not to drive into the bus station if any warning lights were visible on their dashboard, telling them to park up elsewhere instead.
Forty minutes later, a second message was sent clarifying that drivers with warning lights should call the control room prior to entering the bus station.
The deputy traffic commissioner called the messages “totally unacceptable” and said he took a “very dim view” of the situation.
He said: “I don’t see how I can read that message other than: ‘Avoid DVSA if you’ve got a warning light’.”
He added: “If there was an operator that was deliberately avoiding DVSA, that would be a big concern.”
The transport company’s legal representative said: “The operator accepts that the messaging was not good”, but maintained that “many services” did go into Stirling bus station and were assessed by the DVSA on April 12.
‘Unacceptable’ messages were a ‘misunderstanding’, says bus boss
According to Graeme Leslie, McGill’s Midland Bluebird area director, the onboard messaging system is usually used by the duty manager to let bus drivers know about diversions.
At Monday’s inquiry, the deputy traffic commissioner questioned why a duty manager would consider it acceptable to send messages that could be interpreted as instructing drivers to avoid DVSA checks.
Mr Leslie said: “It’s my belief, sir, that that duty manager has made a mistake.”
It was confirmed that the member of staff responsible is no longer in a management position at the company.
However, Mr Young said the second message advising drivers to contact the control room was “quite carefully worded” and may have been written or dictated by a different person.
During the proceedings, Mr Leslie admitted that while investigating the April incident, it was discovered that another similar scenario took place on March 6, 2025, while a different duty manager was in charge.
The bus boss reiterated McGill’s Midland Bluebird’s previous apology for what he called “the misunderstanding”.
He explained that additional staff training had been brought in to avoid further issues.
Bus Users Scotland report claims customers are happy
As part of the public inquiry, the deputy traffic commissioner also considered evidence from the bus operator’s fleet engineer regarding emissions.
And Mr Young referenced a report from Bus Users Scotland about punctuality and customer satisfaction which he referred to as “positive”.
However, in February, Stirlingshire residents told The Courier that
a slew of bus cancellations across the Stirling Council area had left passengers confused, angry and stranded.
Keith Brown MSP, who represents Clackmannanshire and Dunblane,
met with senior McGill’s Midland Bluebird figures last month and said the firm “accepted that, despite efforts over the past three years, they have not delivered the level of service our communities deserve.”
Mark Ruskell MSP recently spoke out in favour of bringing Stirlingshire bus routes into public ownership. Image: Andrew MacColl/Shutterstock
And earlier this month, Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife,
called for Stirling bus routes to be brought under public control due to the number of complaints lodged about the operator.
But the deputy traffic commissioner focused on the messages sent to bus drivers, saying: “If I’m honest, the possibility of attempting to evade fair scrutiny by DVSA is the thing that worries me the most.”
He issued “a severe warning” to the company, with no further action thereafter.
