Funds secured for bus scheme in north east Fife

Bus services in north east Fife could be improved.

Transport Scotland announced that the Tayside Bus Alliance has been awarded £496,800 from the initial funding stage of its £500m Bus Partnership Fund.

This initial funding will be used for consultations and scoping exercises to consider bus proposals with the ambition to improve bus service reliability and increase bus usage across Tayside and north east Fife.

A further application will then be submitted in around 12–18 months to fund the agreed projects.

The Tayside Bus Alliance membership comprises of Perth & Kinross Council, Dundee City Council, Angus Council, Fife Council, TACTRAN, Bus Users UK, Stagecoach East Scotland, Xplore Dundee, Moffat & Williamson, Docherty Midland Coaches and Scottish Citylink.

Councillor Altany Craik, convener of Fife Council’s Economy, Tourism. Strategic Planning & Transportation Committee, said: "This is the first stage in taking these important proposals forward for a feasibility study.

"With this funding we aim to improve public transport services and infrastructure for people who live and work in north Fife through improvements to the bus corridor between St Andrews and Dundee.”

The Bus Partnership Fund was set up as part of the Scottish Government’s response to the climate emergency to deliver bus measures on local and trunk roads.

It is intended to reduce the negative impacts of traffic congestion on bus services and address the decline in bus passenger numbers in the fight against climate change.

The transport sector is a major contributor to the burning of fossil fuels, accounting for more than 38 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland; however less than five per cent of this comes from buses and coaches, whereas 60 per cent of harmful emissions come from cars.

Shifting from car travel to bus travel is a key consideration to tackling the climate emergency and achieving the 20 per cent reduction in car kilometres by 2030. In addition, more reliable bus services can also tackle inequalities and social exclusion.