The Scottish Conservatives will today set out manifesto proposals to lower bus fares for people across Scotland.
Douglas Ross will make the announcement today during a visit to a bus depot in Glasgow ahead of the first TV debate of the General Election campaign this evening.
He will call for the SNP Government to cap single bus fares at £2 as the UK Government are continuing to do.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: “Our manifesto will include proposals to save people money and improve Scotland's public transport network.
“We would cap bus fares at £2 for a single fare so people can get to work or visit family more affordably.
“Reducing bus fares in the rest of the UK is helping save passengers money and encouraging more people to travel by bus.
“The SNP must get on board with reducing the cost of travel for Scottish people struggling financially after the global cost-of-living crisis.
“By voting Scottish Conservative on July 4th, people up and down Scotland can help us beat the SNP and tell the nationalists to focus on their top priorities, such as improving public transport for commuters.”
Notes to editors:
The scheme would operate on a similar model to what the UK Government have put in place in England: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/2-bus-fare-cap. Click or tap if you trust this link." data-auth="Verified" data-linkindex="0">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/2-bus-fare-cap
Frequently asked questions
What does “capped” mean?
Capped means that’s the maximum amount you’ll pay for a single ticket on eligible routes. All single tickets that are already £2 or less will stay at that price.
What about single tickets that are less than £2 already?
Single tickets which currently cost £2 or less will stay the same price.
How will I know if this is available in my area?
You’ll be able to benefit from £2 fare capping in all areas that we run buses in England, outside London. However, there are some exclusions based on the type of bus route you may be using, please check your local service updates for more information.
Which routes are included?
Most local bus routes are included, you’ll also be able to travel for a maximum of £2 on cross-border services into Scotland and Wales where the journey starts in England. There are some exclusions like dedicated School services and services which only run on School days. You can find more details of any routes not included in your local service updates.
Does this mean that I can travel anywhere in England for £2?
No, the £2 fare cap applies to single fares. If you normally travel on more than one bus and buy a single ticket for each part of your journey, then you will still need to do that, but each ticket will cost no more than £2 for the duration of the scheme. If you normally jump on and off a few buses a day or week it’s likely that a dayrider or other longer term ticket will still be the best value for you. Check which ticket is best for you in our tickets section.
Are there any other restrictions?
Any services which don’t allow use of free bus passes (under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme) are also excluded from this scheme. This includes many longer distance inter-urban bus or coach services, such as our Falcon or Oxford Tube routes, as well as many City Sightseeing tours. Coach services such as Megabus are excluded, as are tram journeys on Stagecoach Supertram.
What if I already have a monthly or longer-term ticket that I’ve bought in advance? Can I ask for a refund?
In most cases our longer-term tickets will still be the best value ticket for you. If you do feel that you’d prefer a refund so you can benefit from the scheme between January 2023 and June 2024, you can request one in line with our standard terms. (link to https://www.stagecoachbus.com/online-sales-terms-and-conditions. Click or tap if you trust this link." data-auth="Verified" data-linkindex="1">https://www.stagecoachbus.com/online-sales-terms-and-conditions).
What about child or concessionary fares are they included?
All single journeys will be capped at a maximum of £2 for the duration of the scheme. The same £2 cap applies to child and concessionary fares. If the fare is currently less than £2, the price will stay the same, if the fare is currently more than £2 then the price will be reduced to £2.
Jobseeker fares will continue to be offered at a 50% discount against the relevant single fare.