Current status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it plans to improve the bus network in the next financial year.
In 2025-26, we are increasing funding for bus services and concessionary travel from £430 million in 2024-25 to almost £465 million. This includes £50 million to support bus services so that operators can continue providing access to affordable transport.
Work on the delivery and management of the Bus Infrastructure Fund is currently underway. We will look for the fund to build on the work undertaken through both the Bus Partnership Fund and the Community Bus Fund with renewed focus on bus priority infrastructure to help address the negative impacts of congestion on bus services, and support local public transport improvements.
In addition, the Scottish Government has now delivered all the bus powers within the 2019 Act, enabling local transport authority consideration of all the powers available to them. The Act provides them with a range of powers including partnership working, franchising and local authority run services which sits alongside their ability to subsidise services. The final regulations and guidance needed for implementation of Bus Services Improvement Partnerships and franchising powers will be made by Spring 2025.