WHOLE communities in Scotland are at risk of being “cut off” after one in 10 bus routes were axed in 2024, Scottish Labour has warned. 

The party’s analysis found that 190 bus routes were cut in the last year, part of a trend that has seen 1,400 slashed since 2006 — amounting to a staggering 44 per cent of the service.

The hope of a shake-up for Scotland’s fragmented network was raised in 2019 when the SNP Scottish government accepted a Labour amendment to legislation which would enable councils to develop a franchising model, as seen elsewhere in Britain.

But six years and hundreds of bus route cuts later, the regulations and guidance needed to use these powers have yet to be issued.

Scottish Labour transport spokeswoman Claire Baker said: “Lifeline bus routes in Scotland are disappearing by the day on the SNP’s watch, with huge social, economic and environmental consequences.

“People are being robbed of their way to work and communities are at risk of being cut off altogether.

“The SNP has failed to act to reverse the decline, dragging its heels for five years while communities wait for franchising powers.

“It’s time to deliver a change in direction for our bus network and ensure that communities in every corner of the country have the reliable, affordable services they need.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish government said it intended to “increase funding” for free bus travel in the 2025-26 Budget.”

They added: “Ministers are committed to building as broad support as possible across Parliament [to] deliver the forthcoming Budget, in order to be able to make these investments which will help maintain local bus services — and engagement with all parties is ongoing.”

The Scottish government faced similar warnings on the railways, as Scottish Green transport spokesman Mark Ruskell joined rail unions to condemn “devastating” cuts to ticket office hours.

“These cuts will harm the many disabled passengers who rely on Scotland’s railways — these station staff are vital for helping them board trains and ensuring that they safely make their journeys,” he said.

ScotRail customer operation director Phil Campbell said the Scottish-government-owned company remained committed to “equal access,” adding: “We enable tens of thousands of assisted travel journeys each year and many more spur-of-the-moment trips.

“We’ll continue to work with our stakeholders at all levels to ensure that everyone can travel on Scotland’s railway with confidence.”