Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 12 November 2025
12 Nov 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Bus Services
I remember sitting at the back on a school bus trip and singing that famous school bus trip song—not the one about the ejection of one’s grandmother from said vehicle, but the other one, about its wheels going round and round. The problem is that, 30 years later, for many communities in our country, the wheels are going nowhere.
Over the past two decades, we have lost 40 per cent of our registered bus routes. In 2023-24, Transport Scotland recorded 334 million passenger journeys. To be fair, that was a recovery from the pandemic lows, but it is still way below the 425 million journeys that were recorded just a decade earlier. This is a story of long-term decline and a hollowed-out bus network, which most people find patchy, expensive and unreliable.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-19632, in the name of Mark Ruskell, on better bus services. I invite members who wish to speak in the deb...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
Scottish Green MSPs believe that everyone in Scotland deserves to benefit from affordable, accessible and reliable transport, including from their local bus ...
Craig Hoy (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
Does the member share the concerns of my constituents in South Scotland, particularly young people, who might have a free bus pass but not a bus service to r...
Mark Ruskell
Green
Absolutely. The point of the debate is to look to the future and to the vision that we all want to create. The success of bus travel has not only been abou...
The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity (Jim Fairlie)
SNP
I thank Mark Ruskell for bringing the debate to the chamber. I welcome the opportunity to discuss the importance of local bus services and, in particular, to...
Craig Hoy
Con
Will Mr Fairlie elaborate on the point that I made to Mr Ruskell, which is that one consequence of the expansion of concessionary travel is that the budget i...
Jim Fairlie
SNP
I will come on to Craig Hoy’s point later in my speech. Although we are supportive of the Green Party motion that we are debating today, it is important tha...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
Will the minister give way?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
The minister is about to conclude.
Jim Fairlie
SNP
I look forward to hearing members’ contributions this afternoon. It is clear that growing bus patronage and reflecting local circumstances in decision making...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Minister, I must move on and call Sue Webber—we have no more time in hand.
Jim Fairlie
SNP
I move, as an amendment to motion S6M-19632, to leave out from “further agrees” to end and insert: "recognises that competition is essential to keeping bus ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Sue Webber to speak to and move amendment S6M-19632.2. 16:18
Sue Webber (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I think that we can all agree on the importance of having better bus services across Scotland. Communities across Scotland deserve affordable, accessible and...
Jim Fairlie
SNP
Does the member recognise—and rejoice at—the fact that the cabinet secretary and I had a round-table meeting with the Scottish road works commissioner and bu...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Thank you. I think that the member has enough to respond to.
Sue Webber
Con
Could I get some of that time back, perhaps?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
You can get a very short time back.
Sue Webber
Con
It is fantastic that Mr Fairlie has had the opportunity to meet with the road works commissioner. I have tried on several occasions, but I have so far been u...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Claire Baker to speak to and move amendment S6M-19632.1 16:22
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I think that we all agree that buses are the backbone of Scotland’s public transport system. For many people, whether they are getting to work, school or hos...
Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (LD)
LD
I remember sitting at the back on a school bus trip and singing that famous school bus trip song—not the one about the ejection of one’s grandmother from sai...
Patrick Harvie
Green
Will the member give way?
Jamie Greene
LD
I wish that I had the time, but I do not. I am sorry. In my region, bus travel has fallen by a third—that is 70 million fewer journeys just in the West Scot...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
We turn to the open debate. I advise members that there is no time in hand. Any interventions must be absorbed within the agreed speaking time. 16:31
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
When it comes to buses, the Scottish Greens deliver. By granting under-22s free bus travel, we have seen hundreds of thousands more young people using Scotla...
Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
SNP
I will make a short contribution to the debate. I recognise the fundamental importance of buses as a mode of transport and as a social and economic lifeline ...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak in the debate. Public transport is one of the most important issues to my constituents, and bus services are th...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
Will the member give way?
Brian Whittle
Con
I am sorry—I do not have any time. I would love to extend the debate. While the Scottish Greens continue to peddle ideological fantasies as the solution to ...