Motion
Better Bus Services
S6M-19632 · Motion For Debate · lodged by Ruskell, Mark
Lodged on
10 Nov 2025Heard / answered on
12 Nov 2025Watch the chamber session on SPTV · lands on the meetings recorded on 12 Nov 2025
That the Parliament agrees that communities across Scotland deserve affordable, accessible and reliable bus services; further agrees that more bus services across Scotland should be run in the public interest to improve services and reduce fares for all passengers; celebrates that 250 million bus journeys have been taken by young people in Scotland since the introduction of free bus travel for under-22s, and calls on the Scottish Government to expand free bus travel to more young people.
Lodged by
Ruskell, Mark
alone — no additional MSPs have signed on.
Final vote on motion (as amended)
12 Nov 2025
Carried
Show MSPs
For
81Against
35Abstain
2Not voted
11Amendments incorporated
- S6M-19632.3 Fairlie, Jim — carried 65/34: As an amendment to motion S6M-19632 in the name of Mark Ruskell (Better Bus Services), leave out from “calls” to end and insert “agrees that, should there be any expansion of free bus travel to more young people in the future, it must be affordable, sustainable and ensure accessibility, bearing in mind that the current cost of the free bus pass to under-22s is £200.5 million per year.”
Computer-generated best guess
Possible final motion text after carried amendments
This is a computer’s best guess at applying carried amendments to the original motion text. It uses simple text rules for phrases such as “insert at end”, “after X insert Y”, and “leave out from X to end and insert Y”. Treat it as an aid, not the official motion text.
That the Parliament agrees that communities across Scotland deserve affordable, accessible and reliable bus services; further agrees that more bus services across Scotland should be run in the public interest to improve services and reduce fares for all passengers; celebrates that 250 million bus journeys have been taken by young people in Scotland since the introduction of free bus travel for under-22s, and agrees that, should there be any expansion of free bus travel to more young people in the future, it must be affordable, sustainable and ensure accessibility, bearing in mind that the current cost of the free bus pass to under-22s is £200.5 million per year.
Applied by the parser
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S6M-19632.3: leave out from "calls" to end and insert As an amendment to motion S6M-19632 in the name of Mark Ruskell (Better Bus Services), leave out from “calls” to end and insert “agrees that, should there be any expansion of free bus travel to more young people in the future, it must be affordable, sustainable and ensure accessibility, bearing in mind that the current cost of the free bus pass to under-22s is £200.5 million per year.”
In the Official Report
Debated in chamber — 6 contributions reference this
-
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Chamber
· 12 Nov 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 12 November 2025
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 debate to press their request-to-speak button…
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Jim Fairlie
SNP
Chamber
· 12 Nov 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 12 November 2025
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 fares fair and reasonable; calls on the Sc…
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Sue Webber
Con
Chamber
· 12 Nov 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 12 November 2025
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 unable to gain that meeting. Another real …
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 12 Nov 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 12 November 2025
I remind members that, if the amendment in the name of Jim Fairlie is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Claire Baker will fall. The next question is, that amendment S6M-19632.3, in the name of …
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 12 Nov 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 12 November 2025
I remind members that, if the amendment in the name of Sue Webber is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Claire Baker will fall—actually, that amendment has already fallen. The next question is,…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 12 Nov 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 12 November 2025
The question is, that motion S6M-19632, in the name of Mark Ruskell, on better bus services, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
Amendments and how the chamber decided
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S6M-19632Selected itemCarried 81/3510 Nov 2025 · Motion For Debate · Ruskell, MarkThat the Parliament agrees that communities across Scotland deserve affordable, accessible and reliable bus services; further agrees that more bus services across Scotland should be run in the public interest to improve services and reduce fares for all passengers; celebrates that 250 million bus journeys have been taken by young people in Scotland since ...
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S6M-19632.1Linked amendment/item11 Nov 2025 · Amendment · Baker, ClaireAs an amendment to motion S6M-19632 in the name of Mark Ruskell (Better Bus Services), leave out from “, and calls” to end and insert "; believes that bus travel is vital to everyone in Scotland participating in the economy and is concerned by the reduction in bus routes across Scotland of 44% between 2006-07 and 2023-24; calls on the Scottish...
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S6M-19632.2Linked amendment/itemDefeated 35/8311 Nov 2025 · Amendment · Webber, SueAs an amendment to motion S6M-19632 in the name of Mark Ruskell (Better Bus Services), leave out from "further agrees" to end and insert "recognises that competition is essential to keeping bus fares fair and reasonable; calls on the Scottish Government to enhance the reliability and punctuality of bus services through the greater interlinking of timetabl...
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S6M-19632.3Linked amendment/itemCarried 65/3411 Nov 2025 · Amendment · Fairlie, JimAs an amendment to motion S6M-19632 in the name of Mark Ruskell (Better Bus Services), leave out from “calls” to end and insert “agrees that, should there be any expansion of free bus travel to more young people in the future, it must be affordable, sustainable and ensure accessibility, bearing in mind that the current cost of the free b...