Bus passenger numbers plummet since SNP took power as Swinney urged to allow public ownership

SNP ministers have been accused of having “driven away tens of millions” of public transport journeys after new figures revealed 150 million fewer bus passengers since 2007. The revelation of fewer bus journeys comes after First Minister John Swinney set out plans to bring Scotland’s bus network back under public control amid a backlash from some operators. Statistics show that passenger journeys for local bus services have fallen from 484 million in 2008-2009 to 334 million in 2024-2025.

This means there are approximately 410,000 fewer bus journeys made every day in Scotland than in 2009, when Scotland’s Climate Act was passed. Monday marks 40 years since Margaret Thatcher’s government began the privatisation and deregulation of buses in the UK. But campaigners believe the 31 per cent decline in bus passenger numbers should mean the Scottish government should instead pursue a strategy of public ownership. Climate pollution from transport has barely fallen since 1990, and it has been Scotland’s most polluting sector for more than a decade.

In the most recent climate statistics from 2024, pollution from transport increased and accounted for 28 per cent of Scotland’s total climate emissions. Last year, the SNP government scrapped its flagship pledge to cut care use in Scotland by 20 per cent by the end of the decade with then transport secretary, Fiona Hyslop, admitting it was “not realistic”. Friends of the Earth Scotland senior transport campaigner, Emily Donnelly, said: “Decades of fare hikes, and routes cut by private companies have literally driven away tens of millions of passenger journeys.

“It’s time to end Thatcher’s failed experiment of privatisation and put public transport back in public hands.” She added: “Franchising is a great move forward to set better routes, but the taxpayer will still be footing the very large bill. We need to address the question of ownership too and take private profit out of our lifeline public services. “Public ownership alongside franchising is fundamental to building a system that works for our communities, not returns for distant corporations and shareholders.”

The appeal comes as new research from the Centre for Local Economies (CLES) and commissioned by the Just Transition Partnership outlined recommendations, including for the Scottish government to establish a dedicated public ownership and delivery unit, fund a public bus transition programme and mandate public or not-for-profit delivery for heat networks. STUC general secretary. Roz Foyer, said that it was “the scandal of our age” that for decades, local authorities have not been able to take services under public ownership.

She added: ““The evidence from this report is clear: public ownership works. Whether it is Lothian Buses, council-run bus routes in the Borders and Highlands, or Aberdeen's municipal heat network, public enterprise is the best path to reduced emissions, good jobs, and community wealth.” Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn said: “We are investing almost £3 billion this year to support public transport and make our transport system available, affordable and accessible for all, with over 300 million free bus journeys made by children and young people across Scotland since the Scottish Government introduced free travel for under-22s.

“The £2 Bus Fare Cap is already helping people in the Highlands and Islands and across Strathclyde and we will extend those benefits to people in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire from April 2027, alongside delivering a nationwide fare cap by the end of this Parliament. “We will set out further detail on our bus Better Buses legislation in the coming months and will work with all stakeholders to ensure this benefits passengers."