Life in the Bus LAne
We’re advocating for better buses by ensuring passengers’ voices are heard and pushing for stronger bus priority measures.
Buses provide a vital service for Scotland’s population, with three quarters of public transport trips made by bus.
Yet, without strong priority measures like bus lanes, gates and signals, passengers are consistently subject to slow and unreliable services when stuck in traffic.
Those who rely on buses the most—older people, disabled people, and lower-income households—are hit hardest by under-investment and delays.
To reverse the decline in bus use, we must prioritise fast, frequent, and reliable services, ensuring buses get the attention and investment they deserve.
Our work
Engaging the public
Focussing on routes in towns and cities–from Glasgow to Inverness–we provided opportunities for the public to discuss both their experiences of, and barriers to, bus use.
Across a six-week period, the Life in the Bus Lane team conducted 14 events, engaging 1,700 Scots and carrying out over 1,200 surveys. The team also audited 231 bus stops across seven key routes.
The findings
The qualitative and quantitative data gained from bus stop audits, survey results, and passenger feedback found that concerns around safety, reliability and frequency persist.
In addition to these themes, our final report explores barriers for non-bus users, concessionary fares and bus stop quality.
The project’s engagement work also significantly increased awareness and support for bus priority measures.
Our recommendations
(1) Reliability, frequency & attracting new users
Reliable, frequent bus services are essential for increasing patronage and making buses a viable alternative to driving. Bus priority measures reduce journey times, improve passenger satisfaction and enable the virtuous cycle of facilitating additional investment in more and better bus services.
Key recommendations:
- Transport Scotland should ensure that its Bus Infrastructure investment is prioritised on measures that deliver faster, more reliable times for passengers
- Regional bus partnerships should publish detailed implementation plans for bus priority measures that will attract non-bus users by making bus travel faster and more convenient.
(2) Safety, passenger experience & information
Concerns around safety, antisocial behaviour, poor bus stop provision and travel information discouraged bus use. Investment in better bus stops, real-time service information and youth engagement programmes can significantly improve safety, comfort and confidence in public transport.
Key recommendations:
- The Scottish Government should expand youth engagement programmes to address antisocial behaviour and improve safety for all passengers
- Local authorities should introduce a ‘Bus Stop Guarantee’ to ensure that shelters, seating, lighting, maintenance and information standards are met across Scotland.
Our report
Read the final report below.
A national conversation
In March 2025, we brought together experts, operators, and policymakers for Life in the Bus Lane: Insights & Conversations, a live panel discussion and audience Q&A exploring the future of bus travel and priority measures across Scotland.
The event, held in the Glasgow University Union Debating Chamber, marked the culmination of our community engagement work. We shared key findings and opened the floor to a conversation on how to improve bus services, infrastructure, and the overall passenger experience – and the role of Government in supporting this.
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton 
Photo credit: Lewis Houghton
The panel discussion and Q&A covered emerging themes such as encouraging drivers to switch to bus, bus priority measures, improving safety, and the impact of the Under-22s concessionary travel scheme.
This included discussion around how investment in bus priority—while often focused on urban congestion—can also benefit rural communities. More reliable and efficient services in towns and cities can generate savings and free up resources that can be reinvested into rural networks.
This discussion helped to strengthen the case for a commitment to infrastructure funding for bus priority as a way to serve passengers and communities across Scotland.