GLASGOW'S biggest bus company is introducing a major shake-up of services across the city and surrounding area before the end of the month.

First Glasgow is scrapping journeys between Paisley and Linwood and abandoning the M8 service between the busy Silverburn shopping centre and North Pollok on the city's South Side.

The bus giant plans to make more than 30 changes to its existing timetable from next Sunday but claims the latest cuts and alterations are "improvements" designed to boost customer numbers.

Bosses are ditching the N9 service between the neighbouring communities of Paisley and Linwood and are revising the routes taken by buses 9 and 9A which means they will no longer run between Linwood and Paisley's West End and Gauze Street.

They claim the routes are lossmakers because they aren't attracting enough passengers.

The M8 service between Silverburn and North Pollok is also being withdrawn though First Glasgow said their 49 service is being revised to, "largely replace," the axed bus.

City passengers face another cut. First plan to withdraw their number 42 which runs between Partick Bus Station and Garscadden via Whiteinch and Scotstoun.

Bus boss Fiona Kerr defended the shake-up. She said: 'We carefully monitor the supply and demand for bus services across our network to make sure we meet the travelling habits of our customers.

'The majority of our changes are minor tweaks which will help us improve overall service performance.

"Of course, I appreciate that service 42 and some service 9 customers will be disappointed.

"I'm pleased that in both instances customers are able to use alternative services."

But some shoppers are on track for a better service.

The simpliCITY 3 runs twice an hour between Drumchapel and Govan via Partick, city centre and Silverburn.

But a new 20-minute service - three an hour - is being introduced on a Sunday, "during shopping hours," although buses will travel via Barrhead Road rather than Silverburn Bus Station before 9.30am and after 10.30pm.

Ms Kerr added: 'I can assure customers that my priority at First Glasgow is to improve services and attract more people on to our buses."

gordon.thomson @eveningtimes.co.uk