Dundee West Labour
22 November 2019
Labour would fund a £2 billion People's Green Bus Fund, Richard Leonard has announced at Scottish Labour's manifesto launch today.
Scotland's bus stock consists of around 4200 buses, many of which are in need of drastic improvement. Labour is today committing to funding the overhaul of Scotland's bus stock to ensure that it is more environmentally friendly, efficient and cost effective.
Our commitment will also put power back in the hands of local authorities by ensuring that they have the ability to deliver a Municipal Bus Revolution by accessing Labour's Green Bus Fund.
In November this year, the Transport (Scotland) Act passed through the Scottish Parliament after being amended by Scottish Labour's Colin Smyth to ensure that councils have the power to run their own bus services.
Our plan will enhance these provisions by ensuring that local authorities can access the financial means necessary to implement the delivery of a Municipal Bus Revolution.
This fund will allow local authorities to access money explicitly earmarked for the manufacturing of Green Buses. In addition to ensuring that we transition to a greener economy, the capacity exists to build these buses in Scotland and could create up to 1400 high skilled, well paid, unionised jobs. Forty per cent of all transport emissions are caused by car travel. Scottish Labour believes that if we are serious about tackling the climate emergency, we must make a transition to greener modes of travel and every effort must be made to ensure that our public transport is accessible, affordable and reliable.
The current lack of accessibility and affordability means that in the past 10 years the number of journeys made by bus has plummeted by 20 per cent, while the average fare has increased by 11 per cent.
Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said: "Across the country, the number of routes has gone down while the cost of fares has gone up. Communities, particularly in rural areas, have been left stranded. The deregulation of bus services has failed us.
“Fleet sizes are down. Staff numbers are down. Journeys are down - down by eight per cent in the last five years alone. Our ambition is that Scotland's bus network will be greener, cheaper and more reliable for Scotland's commuters.
“Which is why our Green Bus Fund has the power to spark a Municipal Bus Revolution that will deliver real change for the people of Scotland.”
Labour would fund a £2 billion People's Green Bus Fund, Richard Leonard has announced at Scottish Labour's manifesto launch today.
Scotland's bus stock consists of around 4200 buses, many of which are in need of drastic improvement. Labour is today committing to funding the overhaul of Scotland's bus stock to ensure that it is more environmentally friendly, efficient and cost effective.
Our commitment will also put power back in the hands of local authorities by ensuring that they have the ability to deliver a Municipal Bus Revolution by accessing Labour's Green Bus Fund.
In November this year, the Transport (Scotland) Act passed through the Scottish Parliament after being amended by Scottish Labour's Colin Smyth to ensure that councils have the power to run their own bus services.
Our plan will enhance these provisions by ensuring that local authorities can access the financial means necessary to implement the delivery of a Municipal Bus Revolution.
This fund will allow local authorities to access money explicitly earmarked for the manufacturing of Green Buses. In addition to ensuring that we transition to a greener economy, the capacity exists to build these buses in Scotland and could create up to 1400 high skilled, well paid, unionised jobs. Forty per cent of all transport emissions are caused by car travel. Scottish Labour believes that if we are serious about tackling the climate emergency, we must make a transition to greener modes of travel and every effort must be made to ensure that our public transport is accessible, affordable and reliable.
The current lack of accessibility and affordability means that in the past 10 years the number of journeys made by bus has plummeted by 20 per cent, while the average fare has increased by 11 per cent.
Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said: "Across the country, the number of routes has gone down while the cost of fares has gone up. Communities, particularly in rural areas, have been left stranded. The deregulation of bus services has failed us.
“Fleet sizes are down. Staff numbers are down. Journeys are down - down by eight per cent in the last five years alone. Our ambition is that Scotland's bus network will be greener, cheaper and more reliable for Scotland's commuters.
“Which is why our Green Bus Fund has the power to spark a Municipal Bus Revolution that will deliver real change for the people of Scotland.”