Buses in Scotland will be brought under public control by 2031, John Swinney has said.
Speaking at his party’s annual conference in Aberdeen, the First Minister told delegates his Government will make changes to franchising and regulation by the next election.
The changes, it is understood, will allow regional transport partnerships to have more control over routes and fares on the bus network, without the Government having to actively own it.
Bus firm McGill’s accused the Government of an attempt to seize businesses, despite the plans being about altering the terms of contracts companies enter into, saying the move would be “vigorously resisted”.
A Bill will be tabled in Holyrood next year.
The First Minister told party members: “We need more buses and we need more frequent buses.
“It’s good for commuters and it’s good for the climate.
“I can therefore announce today that by the end of this parliament, through franchising and regulation, the SNP will bring the bus network back into public control.”
Mr Swinney also announced the extension of the £2 bus fare cap in his speech on Saturday, with Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to be covered from April.
The current cap covers the greater Glasgow area and the Highlands and Islands, with the Government planning to expand it to the whole country by the end of the parliamentary term in 2031.
Sandy Easdale, who co-owns McGill’s with his brother James, said: “What has come over mild-mannered John Swinney?
“He appears to have transformed into the next Idi Amin or Robert Mugabe, both men, incidentally, who bankrupted their countries through catastrophic financial policies.”
The firm’s chairman Ralph Roberts said: “The First Minister’s announcement threatens businesses built through years of private investment, hard work and commercial risk.
“McGill’s has never been publicly owned. There is nothing to ‘bring back’ into public control in our case.
“From our perspective, removing a company’s ability to operate the network it has built and putting those services out to competitive tender amounts to business confiscation.
“Ministers would not contemplate treating hotels, supermarkets or clothing retailers in this way.”
He added: “Our owners have invested substantially in growing this business and improving services.
“They have the resources and determination to defend what they have built and are prepared to pursue every available legal avenue to protect it.
“Ministers should be in no doubt that any attempt to strip away that business will be vigorously resisted.”
Jackie Baillie (Jane Barlow/PA)
PA Wire
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “We welcome his pledge to further extend the £2 bus fares cap, and to bring the bus network into public control.
“We will work with the Scottish Government on this to ensure it is delivered in the interest of the people of Scotland.”
Paul White, director of the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) Scotland, said the model of public control should reflect the needs of local areas.
He said: “There is no single model that works for every community in Scotland.
“Local authorities and regional transport partnerships, working with operators, passengers and the wider public, should be able to choose the approach that best serves their area.
“Greater public control may be appropriate in some places, but that does not justify imposing the same approach across the country.”
Mr White added: “The £2 fare cap offers an opportunity to attract new passengers and help existing customers with the cost of travel.
“Operators are ready to work with the Scottish Government on its extension to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, provided it is adequately funded and operators are properly reimbursed.
“The rollout should draw on evidence and lessons from the existing schemes in the Highlands and Islands and the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport area.
“The First Minister must now engage with the bus sector at the earliest opportunity and set out how these proposals would work in practice.
“There are around 150 bus operators in Scotland, all of whom require clarity on what today’s announcement means for their businesses.”