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Glasgow Bus Partnership

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Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership brings together as a voluntary partnership the eight Glasgow City Region local authorities, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, bus operators (through their new alliance, GlasGo) and bus passenger representative groups to address current challenges to bus travel and to improve the passenger experience for communities across the Region.

The vision of the Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership is of a Region where bus services form part of a network of connectivity, enhancing the opportunities and wellbeing of those who live or visit here - providing safe, affordable, enjoyable connections and reducing road congestion, noise and air pollution. 

Aims of the Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership include:

  • Improving bus priority mechanisms and reducing congestion to improve bus journey times and reliability
  • Ensuring buses are given higher priority in any future city planning
  • Improving the accuracy of real time passenger information and exploring options to introduce an integrated ticketing system

The Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership also supports the delivery of Glasgow's Low Emission Zone and brings together key partners to develop bus priority funding bids to Transport Scotland's Bus Partnership Fund.

The Glasgow and Strathclyde Strategic Bus Network Plan proposes a world-class bus network for the region, fully integrated with the rest of the transport system and the region's wider needs. The network plan includes specific improvements that have been identified as necessary to fully realise the benefits of the proposed bus network. A summary of the plan can be found here (PDF) [2MB] (opens new window)

The work of the Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership seeks to positively impact upon the affordability and accessibility of the bus network and assist with creating the conditions that will increase bus patronage. A faster, cheaper, and better-connected bus network will benefit all bus passengers across the City Region as well as the environment.

Bus Partnership Fund

As part of its response to the climate emergency, the Scottish Government is committed to providing a long-term investment of £500m to deliver targeted bus priority measures on local and trunk roads. This is intended to reduce the negative impacts of congestion on bus services and address the decline in bus patronage. The investment takes the form of the Bus Partnership Fund, together with the roll-out of infrastructure for the trunk road network.

The 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, however, the partnership approach is also expected to leverage other bus service improvements to help tackle the climate emergency, reduce private car use and increase bus patronage.  

Glasgow City Council will submit any bid(s) to the Bus Partnership Fund on behalf of the Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership.

Details of first round funding awards was announced by Transport Scotland on 22 June 2021.

Bus Corridor Works

Glasgow City Council (GCC) as lead authority of the Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership (GBP) appointed external consultants who are currently developing business cases for five strategic bus corridors allocated funding through the Bus Partnership Fund (BPF). The five strategic bus corridors are as follows:

  • Dumbarton Road
  • Great Western Road
  • Maryhill Road
  • Paisley Road West
  • Pollokshaws Road

A Strategic Business Case (SBC) report has been developed to present and appraise potential options to implement bus priority measures along each strategic bus corridor. The SBC was submitted to Transport Scotland for a Gateway Review in November 2022 following the Case for Change stage and was successfully approved on the 24 February 2023. Details of the Case for Change report that was produced for the SBC can be found here (PDF) [24MB] (opens new window)  and a summary of the SBC can be found  here (PDF) [165KB] (opens new window) .

The Outline Business Case (OBC) covering  the strategic, economic, management, financial and commercial case for progressing the proposals, for each of the five strategic bus corridors was submitted to Transport Scotland in June for Paisley Road West and the other 4 corridors in July 2023 for review and approval.  The outcome of these is expected in early 2024.

Subject to OBC approval, the GBP will receive funding from Transport Scotland to progress each strategic bus corridor to Final Business Case including detailed design development. Extensive public consultation would take place on bus priority infrastructure schemes for each of the strategic bus corridors allocated BPF funding. Community and stakeholder engagement will inform the development and appraisal of options, as a key component of the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance process.

Glasgow City Council, as lead authority of the GBP, was formally advised by Transport Scotland on 16 January 2024 that due to budgetary constraints the BPF funding has been paused until the end of the 2024-25 financial year. 

A further update will be provided if further funding becomes available.

Minutes and Agendas

 

Terms of reference

 

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Last modified on 06 September 2024

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