Bus Regulation: The Musical - Screening & Discussion

Created by Glasgow-based artist Ellie Harrison, ‘Bus Regulation: The Musical’ is inspired by the 1980s hit musical ‘Starlight Express’, and features performers on roller skates to re-enact the history of public transport provision in the Strathclyde region from the post-war period to the present day.

Beginning with the municipal ownership of buses in the 1960s, through the 1968 Transport Act which created the Greater Glasgow PTE and the Trans-Clyde integrated system in 1979, ‘Bus Regulation: The Musical’ takes you into the chaos caused by bus de-regulation in 1986, the numerous mergers & takeovers of the 1990s that followed, right up to the fragmented and expensive system we’re left with as a result. The Musical concludes with a celebration of Get Glasgow Moving’s proposals to re-regulate our region’s buses in order to create a world-class, fully-integrated and affordable public transport network fit for the 21st century.

The 30-minute screening will be introduced by Ellie Harrison and other members of the Get Glasgow Moving committee. It will be followed by a Q&A and discussion about how you can get involved in the campaign by responding to SPT's consultation on the our new Regional Transport Strategy (open for 12 weeks from late July/early August 2022).

‘Bus Regulation: The Musical’ was performed in the CCA Theatre on Sunday 24 April 2022. It was produced by Emily Furneaux and stars Katy Thomson as ‘the Clippie’ alongside skaters from Glasgow Roller Derby, Mean City Roller Derby and the Sugar & Spin Skate Crew. It was supported by Creative Scotland, Hope Scott Trust, Climate Fringe and Take Me Somewhere. Film by James Alcock.

The Strathclyde Musical builds on the success of ‘Bus Regulation: The Musical’ (Greater Manchester) staged at Manchester Art Gallery in 2019 in collaboration with the Better Buses for Greater Manchester campaign. This paved the way for the Mayor’s historic decision in March 2021 to proceed with re-regulating the region’s bus network – the first UK city region to do so since 1986.