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Villagers Up In Arms Over Closure

6th January, 1984, Barrhead News

The proposed closure of Neilston and Patterton stations brought angry residents to the Neilston and District Community Council Meeting.
There is no doubt there would have been many more had the meeting been public. The secretary received a number of phone calls from irate villagers and many councillors had been spoken to by locals anxious to make protest at the proposed closure.

SUSPENDED

The meeting was attended by representatives from Uplawmoor Community Council, Regional Councillor James McGuire and Sgt. McDonald of Strathclyde Police. By coincidence, Sgt McDonald lives in Patterton.
Chairman, Mr R Collins, proposed that the normal business of the meeting be suspended so that a full discussion of the proposed closures could take place and members readily agreed.
Copies of a report prepared by Dr. J. W. P. McCormick, Strathclyde Group Secretary of the Scottish Association for Public Transport, were distributed to the meeting and although, welcoming the S.R.C, Working Party Report and agreeing with the philosophy of reducing costs by investing in more efficient operation, were against the closure proposals.
They discussed with the report figures of Patterton Station usage, which is shown as 472 boarding / alightings daily. The Transport Association report gives figures of 680 journeys being made daily by school children and an estimated 500 journeys being made by normal travellers.
They make the point that a replacement bus service to Glasgow would be much slower and would not serve areas such as Cathcart and commuters heading for S.S.E.B., Weir Pumps, Mount Florida, Langside College and Queens Park.
Eight school buses would be required to ferry 340 pupils daily from Neilston to Eastwood School and they ask:
“Would this be cheaper than one train?”

GROWTH

No replacement bus from Patterton to Glasgow is proposed, yet the nearest bus route from Patterton is more than half a mile away.
Both Neilston and Patterton are population growth areas with rail travel being the main public transport facility.
Several individuals expanded on the points made by the association’s report. It was pointed out that there would be an increase in road travel and that the present traffic bottle-necks which occurs at the roads near the Volvo would become much worse.
In severe winter weather it was very probable that road traffic would be disrupted because the steep Kirkhill Brae could become blocked as has happened in the past.
Many villagers use the train to Mount Florida to visit patients or to get treatment at the Victoria Infirmary. Pupils attending Eastwood School would not be able to attend extra curricular activities as there would be no transport to get home. It has never been known for a section of railway that has been electrified to be closed.

Many speakers disagreed with the figures in the S.R.C. Working Report and said that they were badly distorted.
Regional Councillor J.McGuire pointed out that Strathclyde Regional Council could only decide whether or not to continue paying the subsidy to British Rail which keeps fares down. Only British Rail can decide whether a section of line will be closed.
He declared he was against the closure and advised individuals to write to local MP, Allan Stewart, the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Director of Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive, Glasgow.
It was pointed out that any petition received by the G.P.T.E would only be considered as an objection and that it would be better if objectors wrote individually.
It was considered, very strongly, that the Strathclyde Region Working Party should have consulted the people who will be affected by the proposed closure.
Community Councils were set up as a third tier of local government so that public opinions could be assessed on any issue affecting them. It was intended that local authorities and public bodies should consult with community councils. No approach has been made by Strathclyde Region on the subject of British Rail services to and from Neilston Community Council.

WRITE

Councillor McGuire confirmed this. The working party had 25 meetings, but consultation with those who would be affected was nil.
The council decided to write Allan Stewart M.P. and to the Secretary of State for Scotland and endeavour to arrange a public meeting, inviting the local M.P. and councillor Waugh from Strathclyde Region.