General Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 9 October 2025.
Baroness Katy Clark
Labour
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the decision by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport to progress with proposals for bus franchising. (S6O-05042)
Jim Fairlie
Scottish National Party
We very much welcome the work that Strathclyde Partnership for Transport has undertaken to update its regional bus strategy, given the importance of the bus sector to its region. It is right that local transport authorities explore how best to use the measures in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, as our approach is to enable them to determine what is best to improve their services. Transport Scotland will continue to engage with all stakeholders, including SPT.
Work on the franchising guidance is on-going. We will be sharing it with the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, along with the affected parties, prior to its finalisation and formal publication.
Baroness Katy Clark
Labour
Since 2006, there has been a 44 per cent decrease in the number of bus routes across Scotland, and 190 routes have been cut in the past year alone. More than 83 per cent of passengers support the idea of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport implementing bus franchising across the region, which would allow for better oversight of fares, routes and timetables. What work is the Scottish Government doing to ensure that SPT has the necessary financial support to enable it to proceed with franchising?
Jim Fairlie
Scottish National Party
The Scottish Government continues to work with SPT, as I said in my original answer. We have to go through a number of phases. Once the guidance is cleared, we will present it to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee. After that, it will be up to SPT to come back to us to talk about what it needs to do next.
Jamie Hepburn
Scottish National Party
Many constituents are contacting me about the decline in services that are offered by the main commercial bus operators in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, which can mean that people need to travel for more than two hours to ensure that they are at their work in Glasgow by 9 am. What opportunities are presented by the new powers for local authorities that SPT can utilise to return to a more comprehensive bus network and promote public transport use?
Jim Fairlie
Scottish National Party
The bus powers under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 enable local transport authorities to determine the provision of services, the routes and frequency of services and the fare structures for services, as well as the types of vehicles that should be used on local roads. We want all local transport authorities to be able to improve their bus services, but it is for them to decide which powers, if any, are best to use to address the transport challenges in their areas.
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