Fife MSP hits out in wait for £2 bus fare cap
People living in Fife should not have to wait until 2031 to benefit from the £2 bus fare cap, says Mark Ruskell, the Scottish Greens MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife.
This comes as the Scottish Government has announced that the £2 bus fare cap will only be rolled out across Strathclyde this year, which Mark says is “simply not good enough”.
The £2 bus fare cap was first secured by the Greens as part of budget negotiations in 2024, when a pilot project was rolled out across the Highlands and Islands, saving regular commuters hundreds of pounds.
This has been extended to bus services across Strathclyde from September 7, but there is no timetable for the rest of Scotland, with people in Fife left waiting and paying more for public transport.
A recent Parliamentary question from Mr Ruskell to Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Stephen Flynn, revealed that there is no clear timetable for the next stage in roll out.
“People in Fife shouldn’t have to wait another five years for a £2 bus fare cap to be rolled out to them,” Mr Ruskell said.
“The initial roll out last year was designed as a pilot project, to be rolled out across Scotland soon after. This is what the government should be delivering as promised.
“We need a public transport system that is reliable and affordable so that more people will choose to catch the bus. Making buses cheaper encourages people who live and work in Fife to leave their car at home, cutting pollution while keeping more money in the pockets of passengers.
“A £2 bus fare cap would offer vital relief from the ever-rising cost of living, but the Scottish Government is dragging its feet. People need this help now..
“The Scottish Greens want to make sure that public transport is affordable and accessible to everyone wherever they live.
“If a £2 bus fare cap is good enough for communities across Strathclyde to benefit from right now, it is only fair to say it should be expanded to the rest of Scotland too.”