Bus Rapid Transit recommended for Scotland's 3 Largest Cities

[GusB]

As part of Transport Scotland's second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) it has been proposed to introduce BRT to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, according to:

BRT and zero-emission funding for H2S among Scotland plans - routeone

BRT and funding for zero-emission vehicles on home-to-school services are part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 in Scotland.

www.route-one.net

Bus rapid transit (BRT) in the three largest city regions of Scotland and an extension of existing zero-emission bus funding criteria to capture vehicles used on home-to-school services form part of 45 draft recommendations made by the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), which the Scottish Government describes as a blueprint for future transport investment in the country.

The Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow city regions of Scotland each form part of separate recommendations that involve BRT. In Aberdeen, a bus-based rapid transit scheme for the region is advocated, while in Edinburgh and Glasgow rail-borne services form part of development considerations. Regardless of mode, each system would bring air quality benefits and reduce journey times, STPR2 says.

Bus priority in Scotland, including on trunk roads and motorways, are also imperative, the report continues.

While acknowledging that the existing £500m Bus Partnership Fund is a suitable mechanism for the delivery of measures on local networks, STPR2 adds that work to encourage modal shift to bus “is essential” if Scotland is to meet its net zero carbon emission target. It also notes that “the need for action is urgent, as confidence in the safety of bus travel has reduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The expansion of zero-emission fleets is also captured. While acknowledging the Scottish Government’s ambitious plan for the majority of the country’s diesel buses to have been removed from service by the end of 2023, STPR2 advocates further investment above that already announced to simulate the commercial rollout of zero-emission vehicles.

Notably, the report calls for the widening of existing funding criteria to include vehicles used for home-to-school and community transport services through a possible evolution of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus fund. If adopted, that would open grant support to the purchase of zero-emission coaches for the first time.

Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson says that STPR2 supports measures already set out by the Scottish Government on its roadmap to reducing car kilometres by 20% by 2030. STPR2’s recommendations “represent a major piece of work by this Government to make all of Scotland more sustainable,” he adds.

Read the full STPR2 document here.

The first paragraph of the article suggests that BRT will be used in all three cities, but then goes on to say that the Edinburgh and Glasgow proposals will be "rail-borne". I haven't had a chance to read through the document properly, but it will be interesting to see what it says.

 

[carlberry]

As part of Transport Scotland's second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) it has been proposed to introduce BRT to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, according to:

BRT and zero-emission funding for H2S among Scotland plans - routeone

BRT and funding for zero-emission vehicles on home-to-school services are part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 in Scotland.

www.route-one.net

The first paragraph of the article suggests that BRT will be used in all three cities, but then goes on to say that the Edinburgh and Glasgow proposals will be "rail-borne". I haven't had a chance to read through the document properly, but it will be interesting to see what it says.

The line 'acknowledging the Scottish Government’s ambitious plan for the majority of the country’s diesel buses to have been removed from service by the end of 2023' is quite bold. That's either something like 10 years of fleet replacement in the next 18 months, or the withdrawal of more than 50% of current bus services or some combination of both!

 

[GusB]

The line 'acknowledging the Scottish Government’s ambitious plan for the majority of the country’s diesel buses to have been removed from service by the end of 2023' is quite bold. That's either something like 10 years of fleet replacement in the next 18 months, or the withdrawal of more than 50% of current bus services or some combination of both!

Aye, it does seem rather ambitious! I wonder if that's actually a typo and it's supposed to read 2033. Either that or someone at Transport Scotland is still having a rather good Hogmanay

 

[Volvodart]

It is true:-

https://spice-spotlight.scot/2021/09/08/programme-for-government-2021-22-a-fairer-greener-scotland/

On transport, there is a commitment to “…remove the majority of diesel buses from public transport by the end of 2023”. Using the most up to date information available, 93% of buses used to provide local services in Scotland were diesel powered at 31 March 2020, with 6% diesel hybrid and just 1% fully zero emission. There are 4,400 buses used to provide local services in Scotland, meaning that there were 4,092 diesel powered buses. This commitment requires at least 2,046 diesel buses to be replaced by zero emission equivalents by December 2023 – roughly 76 buses a month for the next 27 months. By comparison, the Scottish Government’s Scottish Green Bus Fund supported the purchase of 475 low-emission buses between 2011 and 2018 – many of which were diesel powered.

 

[Bletchleyite]

As part of Transport Scotland's second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) it has been proposed to introduce BRT to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, according to:

BRT and zero-emission funding for H2S among Scotland plans - routeone

BRT and funding for zero-emission vehicles on home-to-school services are part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 in Scotland.

www.route-one.net

The first paragraph of the article suggests that BRT will be used in all three cities, but then goes on to say that the Edinburgh and Glasgow proposals will be "rail-borne". I haven't had a chance to read through the document properly, but it will be interesting to see what it says.

I think the suggestion there is that Aberdeen has a near non existent local rail service so it can be bus only, but the other two. need to consider integration with the local rail services. Good.

 

[javelin]

The Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow city regions of Scotland each form part of separate recommendations that involve BRT. In Aberdeen, a bus-based rapid transit scheme for the region is advocated, while in Edinburgh and Glasgow rail-borne services form part of development considerations. Regardless of mode, each system would bring air quality benefits and reduce journey times, STPR2 says.

The wording seems pretty clear to me. Aberdeen has been recommended as BRT, while in Edinburgh and Glasgow it could be BRT, but rail-based alternatives (likely LRT) will be investigated during scheme development.