SCOTLAND’S campaign for better buses continued to grow today as anti-poverty groups, environmentalists and trade unions joined forces to launch new regional campaigns ahead of next year’s local elections. 

Campaigners in Strathclyde, Tayside and the north-east are ramping up pressure ahead of May’s council vote, calling for candidates to commit to using new powers for public control and ownership of bus services in their manifestos.

Prior to the pandemic, bus passenger journeys in Tayside and the north-east fell by a quarter in the last five years, while in south-west Scotland and Strathclyde they fell by 12 per cent. 

However, in the Lothians where buses are council owned, the number of passengers has remained steady since 2014. 

Ellie Harrison of public transport campaign Get Glasgow Moving said: “If we’re serious about tackling climate change and chronic poverty and inequality in our region, then we need to roll out fully integrated and affordable public transport for everyone. 

“This can only be done by re-regulating the private bus companies, so we can cap fares and plan bus routes to connect seamlessly with other transport modes.”

The Scottish Trades Union Congress’s Our Climate Our Buses campaign, supported by Unite as well as anti-poverty and environment charities, is calling for the Scottish government to provide financial support to enable municipal bus companies to be set up.

Dundee Trades Union Council secretary Mike Arnott said: “A good bus system is vital to connect our communities and for travel to work, not to mention the importance of reducing emissions in a just way. 

“We are calling time on the deregulation and privatisation that has caused this and for all parties standing in next year’s elections to commit to change.”