Transport Scotland Launches Bus Partnership Fund

Transport Scotland’s Bus Partnership Fund will complement the powers in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, enabling local authorities to work in partnership with bus operators, to develop and deliver ambitious schemes that incorporate bus priority measures.

The Fund will focus on the evidence of how bus services will be improved by addressing congestion, but the partnership approach is also expected to leverage other bus service improvements to help:

Tackle the climate emergency

Reduce private car use

Increase bus patronage.

The key intended outcomes of the Fund are to improve bus journey times and provide greater reliability, by prioritising bus over other types of traffic.

For the financial year 2021/22, the indicative budget is £35 million, for both the Bus Partnership Fund and trunk road bus priority measures. The exact amount available for the Bus Partnership Fund will depend upon demand and priorities.

Eligible bidders to the fund will be partnerships formed of a lead local authority with partners potentially including neighbouring local authorities, regional transport partnerships, Transport Scotland (where appropriate, as trunk road managers) and bus operators, with the involvement of other stakeholders, such as passenger representative groups.

Eligible partnerships must be able to evidence that congestion is adversely impacting bus patronage and put forward ideas to address this.

There must be a lead local authority, as Accountable Officer for the funding.

Applications must be submitted by 16 April 2021.

More information about this funding opportunity and the application process is available on the GRANTfinder funding information platform. GRANTfinder provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on funding news and policy. To find out more about how GRANTfinder can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.