A GLASGOW bus firm put on extra services today to bail out rail operators after engineering works left passengers stranded.

A GLASGOW bus firm put on extra services today to bail out rail operators after engineering works left passengers stranded.

Yesterday hundreds of commuters faced delays when five stations in Glasgow's South Side were closed for urgent repairs, forcing more travellers on to buses that could not cope.

And today First in Glasgow added extra services to ease pressure to get commuters in to work on time.

Services were pushed past breaking point by the closure of Cathcart, Mount Florida, Crosshill, Queens Park and Pollokshields East stations.

No trains will run at these points until the middle of next month to allow a £2million repair scheme, filling in collapsed mine works.

And yesterday tempers flared as workers returned from the Fair Weekend to find that their normally busy rush-hour buses were full to overflowing.

The bus operator, a sister company to the rail firm, is introducing additional services after complaints from passengers yesterday, many of whom were stranded as crammed vehicles were forced to pass stops on the way into the city centre.

At one stop, a frustrated crowd of about 50 had to wait until almost 9am before space was available, with the 44 service via Hope Street worst hit.

Today a First in Glasgow spokeswoman said it would be running extra buses.

She said: "Where we become aware of capacity problems we'll endeavour to provide additional buses within the constraints of running our full normal service."

She added that First in Glasgow will accept rail season tickets during the period of the closures.

Arriva which operates a 33 service from Barrhead to Glasgow, was also contracted by the train operators before this week's closures and agreed to accept rail season tickets for travel.

The operator said it had no problems with its service, which passes two of the closed stations.

Today the rail company attracted scorn from some commuters when it said that it had laid on a shuttle bus to ease pressure.

The half-hourly service does not extend to Central Station, running only from Pollokshields East to Kings Park to connect with services to Newton and Neilston.

Using this alternative service to reach Pollokshields East, normally just one stop and five minutes from the city centre, would mean a journey of 54 minutes at best, passing 11 stations.

Information on timetables and alternative transport is available at www.firstscotrail.com