Bus passengers face a New Year hangover as the city's biggest bus operator continues to run a reduced festive timetable all this week.

First Glasgow is operating a Saturday service on most services across the city – including tomorrow and Friday, when many people will have returned to work.

The revised schedule began on Christmas Eve and will not return to normal until Saturday.

It means commuters face a dilemma between relying on the revised timetable or making use of other modes of transport.

First's express commuter services are among those most significantly affected by the reduced service.

For example, its X1 and X11 routes, linking Hamilton and Wishaw respectively with Glasgow, both have only three services arriving before 9am in Glasgow this week compared with seven services on a normal weekday.

Similarly, the X3 route from Abronhill has two services arriving before 9am in Glasgow this week compared with the usual eight, while the X87 from Waterside via Kirkintilloch has one service arriving in the city before 9am compared with the normal five.

Commuters travelling on First Glasgow's 'Route 66' service from East Kilbride will have five early morning services to choose from, in contrast with 19 buses on a typical weekday.

Within the city boundary, the frequency of services is also affected.

A First Glasgow spokesperson said: "Glasgow's schools, colleges and universities are closed this week and many commuters do not return until January 9.

"Therefore, operating a Saturday service we believe matches customer demand."

Arriva Scotland West and Scottish Citylink buses are scheduled to resume normal timetables today.

A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: "It is the responsibility of private bus companies such as First Bus to judge how best to service local areas and we would expect them to take the needs of local communities into account when they do so."

maureen.ellis@ eveningtimes.co.uk