by Gillian McPherson

A COMMUNITY group campaigning for a direct bus between Drumchapel and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital has been given charitable status.

The Drumchapel Initiative for Transport (DrifT) was initially founded three years ago in direct response to the decision not to offer a direct bus service between the area and the former Southern General Hospital on Glasgow’s south side.

The group has now been formalised as G15 Buses (SCIO) and those involved hope by becoming a charity they can get a direct bus up and running by September.

First Glasgow currently runs a bus service from Drumchapel to the hospital, but the charity says it is indirect and takes too long due to stops at Blairdardie, Anniesland and Partick.

Will Thomson, a trustee for G15 Buses, said: “At long last we can move on to the next stage of our forward plan and start to make a difference to the lives of people in Drumchapel.

“Charitable status means that we can apply for funds that we wouldn’t normally be able to apply for and it opens doors. We are also in discussion with the council and other funders.”

“Due to the fact we are a charity set up to serve the people of Drumchapel, the service will allow locals transport and once at the boundary of Drumchapel, it won’t make any stops and go straight to the hospital.”

The group hopes to run the service with a fully accessible single decker bus and start with two vehicles running back and forth between Drumchapel and the hospital.

Will added: “We are looking forward to working with the local people who will use the bus and we are asking the people of Drumchapel for their suggestions for the kind of service they would like to see.

“Our commitment is to the community and the elderly and we are not here in competition with bus companies. Every penny we make will go back into the charity.”

Have your say on the issue at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/3GSYHGL.