• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Transform Scotland

Transform Scotland

  • About Us
        • Our team
        • Our members
        • Contact us
        • About us

  • Our Priorities
        • Safe places for active travel
        • Zero-carbon connectivity
        • Zero-carbon public transport
        • Zero-carbon investment
        • Fair transport pricing
        • Our priorties

  • Our Work
        • Publications
        • Our projects
        • A Wee Walk
        • Consultancy
        • Cross Party Group
        • Our work

  • Latest
        • News
        • Alerts
        • Events
        • Latest

  • Join us
  • Donate

Scotland’s Pathway to Zero-Emission Buses: CPG Inquiry

2 June 2023

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn

Transform policy officer Laura Hyde-White reports on the Cross-Party Group for Sustainable Transport’s latest evidence session, which focused on the decarbonisation of Scotland’s bus fleet.

The inquiry


We’re raising awareness and stimulating debate about the opportunities and challenges of transitioning to zero-carbon railways, bus fleets and ferries as part of the CPG on Sustainable Transport’s inquiry into the decarbonisation of Scotland’s public transport.

Transform Scotland provides the secretariat for the Scottish Parliament Cross-Party Group on Sustainable Transport. The group will meet for three evidence sessions in Spring 2023 before calling for evidence and preparing a report to be launched in the autumn. The first session, on rail decarbonisation was held last month – read more about the previous meeting and the inquiry here.

Bus decarbonisation


On Tuesday 30 May the group held its second evidence session. This meeting focused on bus decarbonisation and heard from three speakers from different parts of the bus industry:

Sara Collier – representing Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), the trade association for bus and coach operators and suppliers.

Jude Balfour – responsible for delivery of all First Bus zero emission vehicles and infrastructure in Scotland.

Debbie McCreath – representing Alexander Dennis, the UK’s largest bus and coach manufacturer, with bases in Scotland at Larbert and Falkirk.

Presentations

Sara Collier (CPT) first outlined the climate case for decarbonisation, stating that:

  • the transport sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in Scotland
  • 80% of public transport journeys in Scotland are by bus
  • bus and coach travel is responsible for only 5% of road transport emissions
  • modal shift away from car transport is crucial

She highlighted the Government’s commitment to bus decarbonisation – to remove the majority of diesel buses by the end of 2023 – and noted that Transform Scotland’s research in 2022 revealed that this target is set to be missed, with only 16% of buses looking to be electric or hydrogen by this time.

Sara also spoke on the Bus Decarbonisation Taskforce‘s work to adopt a whole systems approach to the transition and provided an overview of the support provided by the Scottish Government such as the Network Support Grant and the SULEB and ScotZEB schemes. Sara noted that the second phase of ScotZEB will close in September with the Scottish Government stating a desire that the market will be self-sustaining after this.

Jude Balfour (First Bus) subsequently spoke on bus decarbonisation in practice. Specifically, she reported on First Bus’ various trials across the UK of hydrogen, biogas, battery, and electric vehicles as well as their pathfinder project at the Caledonia Depot in Glasgow, from which they are running 150 electric buses.

She added that First Glasgow has spent more than its operating profit on EV investment in the last three years alongside funding from SULEB, Scottish Power Energy Networks, and Ofgem. She also noted the benefits for the community, including air quality improvements and up-skilling for engineers maintaining electric vehicles and associated infrastructure.

Debbie McCreath (Alexander Dennis) spoke from a manufacturing perspective and reported on recent developments at AD, including the expansion of their Larbert facility and meeting the demand for smaller zero-emission buses.

Debbie advised that buses sold to Stagecoach mean that all local services in Perth are electric with their zero emission buses also in Dunfermline, Aberdeen, and Ayrshire. Meanwhile, electric bus orders have been received from Birmingham as well as Greater Manchester and First Bus have received funding from the UK Government. She added that ScotZEB produced faster results than the equivalent UK scheme.

Discussion

The presentations were followed by a Q&A segment which saw discussion on:

  • Potential restrictions of funding criteria
  • How to improve electricity supply
  • The challenges for rural locations and smaller operators
  • The impact of heavier electric vehicles on the roads and non-exhaust emissions
  • Potential partnerships with smaller operators and communities
  • Potential impact on modal shift

Listen to the discussion in full at the link below.

Watch the session


The recording of the session, including speaker presentations and Q&A is available to view and can be found below. Minutes of this session and previous meetings can be found on the CPG webpage.

Upcoming meetings


Ferry Decarbonisation evidence session | Sustainable Transport CPG

🗓️ 20 June 2023

Read more

Featured NewsClimate Policy Public transport

Share

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn
Back to Latest

Latest posts

What does the 2025-26 Programme for Government mean for sustainable transport? 

8 May 2025

After a trend of delays and backtracking, this week’s new Programme for Government (PfG) offers some overdue progress on public transport. The permanent abolition of ScotRail peak fares is welcomed…

Read more

NewsActive Travel Cars Climate Equalities Investment Policy Public transport

Our walking campaign shortlisted for three awards

7 May 2025

In March 2024, we launched A Wee Walk Works Wonders, a media campaign to encourage people to walk for short journeys instead of taking the car. We are delighted to…

Read more

NewsActive Travel

Welcome for ScotRail peak fares abolition

6 May 2025

Director Colin Howden responds to today’s announcement that peak fares on ScotRail services will be abolished. “We’re delighted to see the Scottish Government prioritise public transport users after a series…

Read more

NewsCars Climate Equalities Policy Public transport

Will the Programme for Government put public transport users first? 

5 May 2025

Ahead of tomorrow’s Programme for Government, we’re calling for a renewed focus on supporting public transport users – starting with urgent investment in bus priority. Despite repeated commitments to reduce…

Read more

NewsActive Travel Cars Climate Equalities Investment Policy Public transport

Sign up for email updates

We'll send you news on our work, plus other updates about how you can get involved in Scotland's campaign for sustainable transport.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Cookies policy
  • Credits
  • Accessibility
  • Work for us
  • Leave a legacy
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

© 2025 Transform Scotland is a registered Scottish charity (SC041516)