Bus services powers transferred to council

Neil Gray MSP has welcomed the Scottish Government giving power to North Lanarkshire Council to run bus services in his Airdrie & Shotts constituency.

Powers from the Transport (Scotland) Act will now be utilised and allow councils across Scotland to run bus services in local communities as they see fit.

When the Act was developed, local authorities asked for the ability to run their own services to be included and the Scottish Government has reacted to that request by allowing them to do so, if they wish.

Mr Gray told the Advertiser:“bus services are vital to Airdrie and Shotts for those wanting to get around, but they are also a vital tool in our response to the climate emergency.

“That is why it is welcome that the SNP Government is rolling out these powers to local authorities across the country, including North Lanarkshire, to ensure we have a bus service that is fit for purpose and serves the needs of people in Airdrie and Shotts.

“This is just one measure the Scottish

Government has taken to revitalise our bus network here in Airdrie and Shotts, and across Scotland, by providing half a billion pounds in long term funding for bus priority infrastructure, coupled with the roll out of free bus travel to under 22s and significant investment to encourage a shift to zero emission buses.

“Buses will play a key role in achieving Scotland’s world-leading target of reducing car kilometres by 20 per cent by 2030 and this measure to empower local authorities will be another step on the path to achieving that goal.”

Back in May the Advertiser revealed how almost 15,000 young people in North Lanarkshire have benefited from free bus travel since the introduction of the initiative in January for those aged up to 22 years old.

Figures showcased that more than 300,000 young people across Scotland, including 14,664 in the local authority area, have enjoyed over eight million fare free bus journeys since free bus travel for young people was introduced earlier this year.