AS a Barrhead councillor and Housing Convenor for East Renfrewshire I like to keep on top of any issues affecting the town. That is why I was delighted when the Barrhead News asked me to launch their online blog because I think this is a great platform to voice issues which concern people in our town.

I think it is outrageous that Arriva has decided to withdraw all low level buses from Barrhead and Neilston.

After many complaints and months of campaigning a full low level bus service was put in place in our town back in January.

Yet 11 months on the company has decided to reduce the number of low bus services in our town.

So where does this leave mothers with prams, people in wheelchairs and elderly people who struggle to climb the stairs of the bus?

And to make matters worse the company did not make this new change in its policy public.

Most people only found out that the service was being withdrawn when they tried to get on a bus.

So what are mothers and pensioners expected to do? Pay for a taxi. When the economy is struggling with the credit crunch are mothers and pensioners expected to fork out more cash or face walking to the shops in the bitter cold.

A notice on the bus states it is only temporary but that is no good to the people of Barrhead who need our low floor buses for daily tasks such as going to the doctors or shopping.

My plan is to get as much support as possible from local people and as many signatures as possible to let Arriva know that the people of Barrhead are united as one and will not stand for them taking our low floor buses off us.

Until next week Danny Devlin