£2 bus fare roll-out plan “a slap in the face” for Edinburgh residents

Plans to exclude Edinburgh from the initial roll-out of the Scottish Government’s £2 cap on bus fares are “a slap in the face” for residents of the Capital, Edinburgh Liberal Democrats have said.

Today, councillors on the Transport & Environment Committee backed a Liberal Democrat motion calling on Scottish Ministers to ensure Edinburgh is included at the same time as other areas when the scheme is expanded.

The move follows the First Minister’s announcement that the west of Scotland would benefit from the new £2 bus fare cap within the first 100 days of a new Scottish Government taking office. However, Ministers have yet to provide any timetable for extending the scheme to Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Earlier this week, newly elected Liberal Democrat MSP Sanne Dijkstra-Downie asked the Scottish Government why the west of Scotland had been selected for the next phase of the roll-out. In response, Cabinet Secretary for Transport Stephen Flynn said the £2 bus fare cap would help address cost of living pressures for people in that region.

Edinburgh Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson, Cllr Kevin Lang, said:

“The Scottish Government promised that its £2 bus fare cap would be rolled out across the whole of Scotland. Yet under its current plans, passengers in places like Glasgow, Paisley, Airdrie and Coatbridge could benefit from cheaper fares for months, or even years, before the same support reaches Edinburgh.

“Edinburgh residents rely on buses every day to get to work, school, college and hospital appointments, and they are facing the same cost of living pressures as people anywhere else in Scotland. In many cases, the cost of living in the Capital is even higher.

“To justify excluding Edinburgh by saying the policy is needed to help people in the west of Scotland with living costs is a slap in the face for people here. Residents in Edinburgh deserve the same help at the same time, not to be left waiting at the back of the queue.

“If the Scottish Government is serious about making bus travel more affordable and encouraging more people to leave the car at home, then it should introduce the £2 fare cap in Edinburgh from day one, rather than asking passengers here to wait indefinitely.”

Plans to exclude Edinburgh from the initial roll-out of the Scottish Government’s £2 cap on bus fares are “a slap in the face” for residents of the Capital, Edinburgh Liberal Democrats have said.

Today, councillors on the Transport & Environment Committee backed a Liberal Democrat motion calling on Scottish Ministers to ensure Edinburgh is included at the same time as other areas when the scheme is expanded.

The move follows the First Minister’s announcement that the west of Scotland would benefit from the new £2 bus fare cap within the first 100 days of a new Scottish Government taking office. However, Ministers have yet to provide any timetable for extending the scheme to Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Earlier this week, newly elected Liberal Democrat MSP Sanne Dijkstra-Downie asked the Scottish Government why the west of Scotland had been selected for the next phase of the roll-out. In response, Cabinet Secretary for Transport Stephen Flynn said the £2 bus fare cap would help address cost of living pressures for people in that region.

Edinburgh Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson, Cllr Kevin Lang, said:

“The Scottish Government promised that its £2 bus fare cap would be rolled out across the whole of Scotland. Yet under its current plans, passengers in places like Glasgow, Paisley, Airdrie and Coatbridge could benefit from cheaper fares for months, or even years, before the same support reaches Edinburgh.

“Edinburgh residents rely on buses every day to get to work, school, college and hospital appointments, and they are facing the same cost of living pressures as people anywhere else in Scotland. In many cases, the cost of living in the Capital is even higher.

“To justify excluding Edinburgh by saying the policy is needed to help people in the west of Scotland with living costs is a slap in the face for people here. Residents in Edinburgh deserve the same help at the same time, not to be left waiting at the back of the queue.

“If the Scottish Government is serious about making bus travel more affordable and encouraging more people to leave the car at home, then it should introduce the £2 fare cap in Edinburgh from day one, rather than asking passengers here to wait indefinitely.”