The children on the bus go free as SNP strikes budget deal with Greens
Passengers aged 18 and under will have free bus travel after a budget deal struck between the SNP and the Greens.
Newly appointed Finance Secretary Kate Forbes unveiled a £173 million package to meet the demands of the pro-independence Greens which will mean the Scottish Government’s spending plans for 2018/19 will be passed at Holyrood today.
But opponents cast doubt on the commitment to the free travel scheme and say the budget falls “well short” of what is needed for the country’s economy and public services.
The most radical measure is the government’s “in principle commitment” to introduce a National Concessionary Travel scheme offering free bus travel for 18s and under, which had been a keynote demand of the Greens. Officials will now undertake work on design and due diligence with a view to being introducing the scheme next year.
“We will begin the work now to ensure such a scheme is legally compliant and that it meets young people’s needs with the aim of introducing it
fromjanuary2021,”msforbes said yesterday.
“Alongside the £500m bus infrastructure fund, this will help deliver a step change in the use of public transport.
“This budget invests a record £15 billion in health and care services, delivers Scotland’s unique child payment to lift our youngest out of poverty, transfers £3bn of social security spending, supports our efforts to tackle the climate crisis and the creation of a Scottish National Investment Bank.”
The Holyrood budget, which sets out the Scottish Government’s spending plans for 2020/21, has been controversial this year. The Scottish Government was forced to set out spending plans before the UK Budget which details Scotland’s settlement. This has been delayed until 11 March, as a result of last December’s election. Then Ms Forbes found herself plunged in to deliver the budget on the day of the statement after Derek Mackay’s forced resignation over inappropriate text messages to a 16-year-old boy.
The Finance Secretary has also found an extra £18m for Police Scotland, taking the total rise in its budget to £60m amid concerns that the force may have to cut officer numbers to meet a cash shortfall.
An extra £95m has also been found for councils to plug the gap which Town Hall bosses said they faced after central government commitments were taken into account. Ministers say councils can now expect an additional £589m in funding.
Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “Free bus travel for young people is a transformational step towards tackling the climate emergency. This scheme will benefit young people starting college and families, some of whom stand to save thousands of pounds a year, and encourage whole generations of public transport users.
“Buses are the backbone of local public transport and the key to employment and training opportunities for so many of those starting out in life.
“Yet again it’s the Scottish Greens who have engaged constructively in the budget process to deliver for communities in Scotland.”
The deal will also mean additional funding for low carbon capital projects across Scotland, including commitments to explore reopening the Dunfermline to Alloa rail link and improve the Milngavie rail line, as well as increasing the cycling and walking budget to £100m.
However, the budget deal has cast doubt on the proposed £120m upgrade of the notorious Sheriffhall roundabout “bottleneck” on the Edinburgh City bypass to ease congestion.
Ministers are now to seek a review of the flyover scheme with other partners involved along with its “compatibility with our environmental” obligations, Ms Forbes states in her letter to the Greens.
“We will proceed with changes or alternatives to the existing proposal if they can be agreed with local city deal partners,” it adds.
MSPS will back the budget at Stage 1 today , with the spending plans set to be passed in their final form next week.
Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie accused the Greens of a “capitulation” and conceding their headline demands. “This budget leaves the police with a shortfall of tens of millions of pounds and the hard-pressed service with real problems,” he said.
“Local government capital is cut by £117m from its need. All this is to protect the budget for an independence referendum that no one thinks is actually going to happen this year. Yet the Green Party and the SNP are still putting money aside for it. People will be baffled by those priorities.”
“Free bus travel for young people is a transformational step towards tackling the climate emergency”
PATRICK HARVIE