THE Chancellor, a hike in fuel duty and Westminster budget cuts are to blame for rising bus fares in Glasgow, according to the Transport minister.

The Scottish Government has been criticised by bus firms for a cut in the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), and a shortfall in funding for concessionary travel has been blamed for the First Bus increase in fares in the city.

Bus service cuts and fares have become key issues in the forthcoming council elections, with Labour accusing the SNP of cutting services and the SNP countering with claims of Labour scaremongering.

But Keith Brown said the blame lies with Downing Street. Mr Brown met with bosses from First Glasgow after the Evening Times revealed the firm was to increase prices by as much as 28% for short journeys in Glasgow.

Talks will continue with the minister meeting transport bosses at a Bus Stakeholder Group, where efforts to ease fin-ancial pressure on firms and passengers will be discussed.

Mr Brown said: "It was agreed that increased fuel prices are a significant factor in recent fares increases and that the focus has to be on what more can be done to improve bus services.

"Despite the challenges of unprecedented Westminster cuts to Scotland's budget, bus funding for concessionary travel and BSOG has been maintained over the Spending Review period at £248.5m and companies such as First will benefit from transitional payments to reflect changes in funding patterns.

"We have committed substantial levels of funding to support concessionary travel, keep down fares, support the bus network and enable investment in low carbon vehicles.

"Theses discussions are a major step forward in terms of finding some common ground and agreeing that next week's Stakeholder Group can deliver more solutions."

This week First blamed a cut in funding from the Scottish Government to operators and said more fares increases this year cannot be ruled out.

The minister met Neil Barker, First Scotland Group managing director and Ronnie Park, managing director at First Glasgow.

Mr Barker said: "I was pleased to meet with the Trans- port Minister to discuss the pressures faced by bus operators in today's climate.

"We were all agreed the overall aim is to improve services."

Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson has blamed the SNP for cuts to services and fares rises. While SNP MSP James Dornan said the SNP was protecting concessionary travel for older people.

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