Council / All aboard? Free bus travel for all Shetlanders to be debated
SHETLAND could become the first place in the United Kingdom to allow all local residents to travel for free on the bus.
Two South Mainland councillors have put forward a motion urging Shetland Islands Council to explore the funding behind a possible two-year trial for the move.
Alex Armitage and Robbie McGregor will present their proposal at next Wednesday’s full council meeting.
If the motion is backed by councillors, an option to implement the policy will come before them at a subsequent meeting in the New Year.
Armitage said free bus travel for all Shetlanders could then be rolled out in 2025, in a “win-win-win for people, planet and the Shetland economy”.
The pair submitted a similar motion in the council chamber two years ago which was narrowly defeated after a 10-10 tie.
Armitage said new possibilities to leverage funds from visitors to Shetland, the Scottish Government and the Shetland Community Benefit Fund have arisen, which mean that the policy could be implemented at no additional cost to the council.
“Fare-free bus travel would be a fantastic investment in our community,” the Green councillor said.
“Shetlanders that use the bus to get to work are paying hundreds of pounds, and in some cases over a thousand pounds a year.
“With many folk experiencing extreme financial pressures right now, this is one practical step the council can take to provide real support to people struggling with the cost of food, electricity and transport.
“We need to make a big shift in how we travel in order to meet the challenge of reducing the environmental cost of transport in Shetland.
“We need bold, innovative policies like fare-free public transport to provide incentives for folk to get on the bus.”
His South Mainland colleague agreed, with McGregor adding: “Making bus travel free for all passengers would grease the wheels of Shetland’s economy and extend the benefits that we have been experienced by under 22s and over 60s to the rest of the Shetland population.
“We all need to be able to travel to get to work, health appointments, shops and to meet friends and family.
“Bus fares are a barrier for folk to be able to do all of these things.
“It saddens me greatly to see so many local businesses having to close due to lack of staff; free bus travel could be the economic breath of life that Shetland desperately needs.”
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