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Bus services consultation launch

Letter from the Minister for Transport, Graeme Dey to the Convener, 22 June 2021

Dear Convener

I am writing to you and each elected Scottish Parliamentary colleague (many of whom will have followed the passage of the then Transport Bill through to Royal Assent in 2019) to provide an update on progress to implement the bus services provisions of part 3 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 (“the 2019 Act”).

The 2019 Act provides an improved set of tools (namely local authority run services, bus service improvement partnerships, local services franchising and information relating to services) to empower local transport authorities to improve bus services for their communities and help address the long-standing decline in patronage.  This is crucial for tackling the climate emergency by providing a positive alternative to private car use.

This update follows the letter sent in the last Parliamentary session (dated 3 March 2021) from the then Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity to the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee on Petition PE1626 (Regulation of Bus Services).  That letter advised that work to implement the 2019 Act had recommenced following a pause necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the UK’s exit from the European Union and that officials would run a stakeholder workshop to inform the development of a consultation exercise to run later this year.

Following that successful workshop on 17 March 2021, the consultation is planned to launch in the week beginning 12 July 2021 and will run for 12 weeks. This is an important step in bringing forward these options and the results will inform the development of the detailed secondary legislation and supporting guidance needed to enable the commencement and implementation of these important provisions in due course. 

This week, I am also announcing the first awards from the Bus Partnership Fund which is another key part of supporting the implementation of the Act measures and ultimately producing a better alternative to car use.

These initial awards, amounting up to £23.6m across Scotland, are the first step towards delivering the £500 million of long term investment in bus priority infrastructure announced in Programme for Government. The funding incorporates quick wins, including plans to make permanent some of the temporary infrastructure brought forward through the Bus Priority Rapid Deployment Fund and appraisal funding. This stage is important to allow local transport authorities to develop the business cases and plans we need before unlocking further funding.

We have challenged local transport authorities and bus operators to work in partnership and  be ambitious with holistic plans for bus priority in the context of a sustainable transport future, in line with the second National Transport Strategy, and to bring forward their own action and investment as ‘match in kind’ for this 100% funding. I look forward to seeing their plans develop over time so that we can make a real difference.

I will ensure that Parliament is kept apprised of our progress. 

Yours sincerely,
Graeme Dey

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