Addressing road congestion to boost coach and bus services should be a priority for Scottish politicians, attendees will hear at the Confederation of Passenger Transport’s (CPT) Scotland Conference in Edinburgh today (27 October).
CPT’s manifesto, Shaping the Future of Bus and Coach in Scotland, will be launched on the first of two days at the conference.
With the Scottish parliamentary elections due to take place in Holyrood in 2026, ministers from all parties are being encouraged to put coach and bus high on their agendas.
Improving journey times by tackling traffic jams is CPT’s key ask amid a five-point plan in its new report.
CPT says the average bus in Scotland travels at 11.3mph and points out the impact that increasing this would have on patronage and community connectivity.
A KPMG report, commissioned by CPT and published last year, found that an improvement of just 8% in bus speeds would increase buses’ contribution to the Scottish economy by £565 million.
Multi-year funding is thus needed for bus priority measures while ministers should also aim to reduce the impact of road works.
More widely, CPT encourages parties seeking election in Scotland to commit to supporting coach and rural bus services. It adds that this could be achieved through designating socially necessary bus services and improving rural zero-emission infrastructure.
Greater support for decarbonisation should be provided to small- and medium-sized operators, the manifesto says.
CPT calls for a review into bus funding in Scotland. The Network Support Grant has not been increased since its introduction in 2022, and the trade body also believes the rate is effectively no better than that paid by its predecessor, Bus Service Operators Grant, since 2012.
Passenger and staff safety is the fifth area noted of concern, with CPT adding to calls for the removal of free travel for concessionary pass-holders linked to criminal or anti-social behaviour on public transport.
Paul White, CPT Scotland Director, says: “Buses and coaches account for three quarters of public transport journeys in Scotland – they’re a green, affordable and convenient alternative to travelling by car.
“Bus users come from across the political spectrum. We urge all candidates to recognise the crucial role of buses and coaches in people’s day-to-day lives, and to prioritise measures that will get passengers to their destinations quickly, cheaply and sustainably.
“In particular, there is a real opportunity to boost Scotland’s economy by speeding up bus journeys, enabling more people to earn, learn and spend in local communities. Buses are the lifeblood of our communities – it is time to put them at the heart of Scotland’s political debate.”
