One of the billionaire co-owners of McGill's Bus Group has accused "whacky" transport campaigners of spearheading a Vladimir Putin-esque takeover of his business.

His comments to The Herald came following the release of a report from think tank Centre for Cities, commissioned by grassroots group Get Glasgow Moving, which highlights the links between bus networks and employment rates.

Sandy Easdale said he could not believe Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) would consider a plan for nationalisation of the bus network while Scotland is "staring into an economic black hole".

Mr Easdale accused moves to franchise buses - which will be allowed under new powers that come into force on December 4 - of being from the "Vladimir Putin playbook".

Mr Easdale said: “I am not going to stand by and have my business stolen from me.

Read more:  New report details how Glasgow's economy would be boosted by bus franchising

"This is quite simply business confiscation, straight out of the Vladimir Putin playbook.”

He added: "SPT Chief Executive Valerie Davidson has had her head filled with nonsense by wacky activists and now she’s planning a power grab by her organisation which has sucked on the government teat for years.

"She even admits that if she was to improve the current network, and that’s a big if, it would cost a lot more but she won’t say how much.

"Considering she’s an accountant and has spend almost 18 years at the SPT, she doesn’t appear to be displaying much business insight.

"I mean, 18 years in a leadership role and you still can’t get a Glasgow subway train after 6pm on a Sunday night. "Is this what she gets paid almost £180,000 a year for?"

Read more: Can Manchester teach Glasgow a thing or two about buses?

Ms Davidson had earlier told BBC Scotland: "There are a lot of communities in the West of Scotland that don't have access to a bus, particularly in the evenings and at weekends."

A decision will be made next spring then SPT will build a business case, Ms Davidson told the broadcaster, but would not say how much new money for franchising would be needed.

She added: "I'm not going to pre-empt that.

"We already spend in Scotland not far off half a billion pounds in Scotland on public transport - for buses. That's a lot of money. But it may well take more."

But Mr Easdale hit back, saying: "I suggest she retires and plays more golf and leaves transport issues to those who understand the financial mechanics of the transport industry.

"She also presumably subscribes to the notion out forward by the Centre for Cities eggheads who suggest that Glasgow would become a financial powerhouse if the buses are nationalised.

"I’m no academic but I am having difficulty joining the dots here. "They say bus franchising would allow more people to get into their jobs in Glasgow.

"I don’t know if Mrs Davidson has walked about the city recently but there is no shortage of people getting on and off buses.

"I would suggest what is preventing Glasgow from becoming a financial powerhouse it that it’s dirty, parking charges are exorbitant, high rates are forcing pubs and entertainment venues out of business and the planning laws are stifling investment.”