First Glasgow has been criticised after axing a "vital" service between Hamilton and Glasgow.

Locals who use the X1 express service have slammed the bus firm for ditching the route, urging them to reverse the decision.

Almost 3000 people have backed a petition calling on the route to be saved in just three days.

And Labour MSP Monica Lennon has tabled a motion against the move - which she says "ignored the needs of people in Hamilton". 

The route will come to a halt at the end of October.

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First Glasgow, however, say that the X1 has seen a drop of passenger numbers in recent years, making the route "unsustainable on a commercial basis". 

In her change.org petition, Rebecca Creechan said: "First bus has announced the scrapping of the X1 service to Glasgow which commences on 26th October.

"Many locals throughout Hamilton require the use of this service to transport them to the Royal Infirmary, university, college and work.

"Other modes of transport may not be a suitable replacement for many with reasons such as further distance, travel time difference, disability such as wheelchair users, the increase of travel fares, being elderly and mental health issues such as anxiety. The list can go on.

"Which is why we need the local community to help fight back and show First Bus why we need this service.

"Together we can save this vital service, X1."

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Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, added: "This is an outrageous decision.

"The X1 is a busy service that provides a vital transport link for many of my constituents who need to get to Glasgow.

"I have asked First Bus to immediately halt this decision.

"Scottish Labour will bring back the buses into public ownership, so that vital services like the X1 which people rely on will never be put at risk."

First Glasgow bosses confirmed they will be meeting with the MSP and other stakeholders in the coming days to explain their reasoning.

Graeme Macfarlan, Commercial Director for First Glasgow, said: "At First Glasgow, we conduct a review of our network on a regular basis to ensure that our coverage remains in line with demand for our services in a given area.

“As a responsible operator, we also need to be mindful of the effects that operating services that carry very few, if any passengers at all, can have on the environment.

“The Service X1 is a route that has been in decline for a number of years in terms of passenger numbers, despite a number of efforts to make the route attractive to service users.

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“This is due to a number of factors such as increased congestion on the M74 which slows down journey times quite dramatically, increasing competition from the subsidised local rail network in Hamilton connecting to Glasgow and these have led to an overall decline in bus patronage.

“The hope with the service was that we may in time see a boost to passenger numbers. Unfortunately, this has not transpired and in fact passengers’ levels have now fallen to a level that makes the route unsustainable on a commercial basis.

“Therefore, in our latest network changes, having exhausted all efforts to boost the service, we have now taken the difficult decision to cease the service from operation.

“However, we have introduced the new 225 service which will cover part of the route between Little Earnock and Hamilton Palace Retail Park. Customers can also still continue to catch connections to Glasgow via our 267 and 255 services that service the same area.

“We have arranged to meet with Monica Lennon MSP and a number of other stakeholders, who have been in touch regarding the X1, over the next few days to explain the reasons behind this business decision.”

You can view the petition here.