The Scottish government's policy to cap bus fares at £2 in the west of Scotland has taken effect from Monday, 7 September 2026. First Minister John Swinney announced the initiative last week as part of his programme for government.
The £2 fares are available in Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, and Inverclyde. This move is part of a broader commitment to cap fares across all of Scotland by the end of the parliamentary term.
A pilot of the scheme, which received £10m in investment from the Scottish government, has been running for the past year in the Highlands, Western and Northern Isles, Moray, and Argyll and Bute. Swinney has not specified when the cap will be extended to the rest of the country.
First Bus, a major operator in the region, stated it would collaborate with the government to ensure the cap's success. However, electric bus company Ember described the cap as "a good slogan" and raised concerns about journeys that begin or end outside the capped areas, where passengers would pay the normal fare for the uncapped portion of their trip.
Paul White, director at Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) Scotland, noted that most larger operators were prepared for the launch, but highlighted the logistical challenges involved in updating ticket machines and establishing reimbursement processes. He also mentioned that a similar £2 cap in England led to a 5% increase in bus use, raising potential concerns about network capacity and increased boarding times.
Campaigner Ellie Harrison called the £2 scheme a "partial solution," arguing it would not improve service quality, introduce new routes to cut-off communities, or integrate the bus network with other transport modes.