Today, with little explanation of what ‘most’ means, UK media are reporting like this:
Most single bus fares in England will be capped at £2 from January and throughout 2027, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announces
Click on the link and you get:
Most bus fares in England will be capped at £2 from 1 January in 2027, the government has announced.
I had to search to find:
Exclusions typically include long-distance coach services. Dedicated school buses or school-only services (often already subsidised or restricted.
The Scottish scheme currently piloting in more remote areas has no such exclusions.
In March 2026, when it was announced, local media, (top) reported it but this kind of coverage was only here:
Swinney slashes 103 miles, 4 hour, Wick to Inverness bus fare from £31 to only £2! Is this big news? Well, not really, it seems
No MSM coverage at all and Northern Scot tries to suggest that Moray Council are paying for a Scottish Government-funded scheme!
From Cheaper bus travel for Highland communities published yesterday:
People across the Highlands and Islands are set to benefit from more affordable public transport as £2 capped bus fares are rolled out this month.
The pilot will significantly cut fares across the Highland network and is one of a range of measures the Scottish Government is taking to support households hit by rising everyday costs.
Fares such as a single adult journey from Wick to Inverness, currently £31, and a single adult journey from Elgin to Inverness, currently £15.60, would be capped at £2.
Following a successful launch in Shetland and the Western Isles, the pilot will be introduced in Orkney on 9 March and in Highland, Moray, Argyll and Bute from 23 March.
Source: https://www.gov.scot/news/cheaper-bus-travel-for-highland-communities/
Big news on BBC Scotland, Highlands & Islands?
Nope. £31 down to £2? Not in the public image it seems.
Discover more from Talking-up Scotland
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Talking-up Scotland 
Transport is devolved. The Westminster minister, Heidi Alexander (no relation to Douglas), made clear in an interview that the cap applies in England. However, the Scottish Government should get Barnett ‘consequentials’.
While the Scottish Government has done a great deal in this regard, it needs to expedite the reregulation and franchising of buses in the Strathclyde area. The Glasgow Metro needs to become a reality soon – we have looked at glossy drawings and answered ‘consultations’for more than a decadeThe regulation is unnecessarily complicated and, in some ways, petty. Even if all the steps are gone through there is no guarantee that franchising will take place before 2029.
We have been told that the pace is slow, ‘because they want to get things right, to avoid litigation’ by bus companies. There is actually cross party consensus on franchising of Strathclyde bus services with Reform and Labour being strong supporters.
Public transport is a local issue and, while franchising is the best solution for the Greater Glasgow area. It is not an appropriate solution for other areas of Scotland. But, that is the reason for decentralisation and local empowerment.
In some ways, the SNP is as tribal as Labour and will not do things because Labour proposed them. SNP and Greens are in favour of franchising in Strathclyde. The LibDems do not have much representation in west central Scotland, but, they, too, would not oppose franchising in Glasgow, even though they want different models of bus management in Fife, for example.
LikeLiked by 3 people
The SNP trying to do something about the cost of living.
Edinburgh has the cheap trams. Glasgow has the metro. AWPR. Borders railway. Queensferry crossing.
The South has all the motorways. Scotland rail services were underfunded for years by Westminster.
Scotland pays for London Transport. HS2 a total waste of money.Could have paid for better bus services, especially in rural areas.
LikeLike