The transport challenges facing island and rural communities was debated in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, October 29. The debate was brought to the Chamber by Tim Eagle, Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands.

Roads, bridges, and connectivity between islands came up during the debate. Many of these issues had been raised the previous day, Wednesday 28 October at a meeting of the Scottish Parliament’s Transport Committee.

Tim Eagle had been contacted by an islander in Orkney about the timetables of ferries, not just to Scotland, but between islands in Orkney. Onward journeys often necessitate at least one overnight stay – adding further expense and time to what is already a long journey.

Tim Eagle also took a swipe at the Scottish Government’s bus fare capped at £2, commenting:

“An affordable bus that does not run when people need it or take them where they need to go is of little use, even at £2. If the cabinet secretary believes that nationalising buses is the answer, he must set out in detail how that will work for my rural communities.”

From April next year it will be in place in North East Scotland.

Thousands of people in Scotland have free public bus transport: those aged 60+, those with disabilities, and those under 22 years of age. Data from April 2026 :

Month	Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme	Older & Disabled Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme
April 2026	6,803,834	9,677,763
May 2026	7,315,124	9,901,277
June 2026	6,783,577	9,778,834
July 2026	5,828,272	10,236,375
August 2026	6,782,954	10,436,300
September 2026	8,208,414	9,865,177
October 2026	n/a	n/a
Total to date	41,722,175	59,895,726

Data for concessionary bus journeys for each local authority is included at the end of this article.

Young people aged 19-21 who live in Scottish islands are eligible for concessionary ferry vouchers for travel between their home island and the Scottish mainland, and free inter-island ferry travel for all island residents under the age of 22 within Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides. Island residents who have a National Entitlement Card (NEC) – which you might also know as your saltirecard or bus pass – also automatically receive ferry vouchers. The vouchers are for four single (or two return) free ferry trips each year from their home island and the Scottish mainland.

The SNP Scottish Government has also announced plans at their party conference to nationalise bus services in Scotland.

Many MSPs wanted to speak during the debate about all forms of transport across Scotland from cycle routes, buses, trains, ferries, and the infrastructure which supports connectivity. The debate was extended by half an hour to enable those who wished to contribute to do so.

Liam McArthur, LibDem Constituency MSP for Orkney reminded the Chamber of the debate he had led before the parliamentary recess on regional air services in the Highlands and Islands.

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Liam McArthur said:

“Like Tim Eagle, during my time as Orkney’s MSP since 2007, I cannot think of an issue that has been raised with me more consistently than the issue of transport. Islanders are uniquely dependent on our ferry and air networks, whether to travel to and from the Scottish mainland or between the islands themselves.”

This was a measure to reduce the lack of cabins and sleeping spaces for the overnight routes of Shetland/Orkney/Aberdeen. He also brought up the thorny issue of RET (Road Equivalent Tariff), a subject we have covered many times in The Orkney News, and the problems surrounding its introduction.

Stephen Flynn is the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport in the Scottish Government. He reminded the Chamber that the SNP Scottish Government does not have “an endless pot of money” and that “the capital budget that is available to the Scottish Government has been cut” by the UK Labour Government.

He defended his Government’s Concessionary Travel Scheme which the Conservatives do not wish to see extended any further, and apologised for not being able to answer the many diverse points which MSPs had raised, due to lack of time.

Following the debate Tim Eagle said:

“My hope is that Mr Flynn really was listening and that we will finally see the Scottish Government turn its attention to these matters. The SNP have another full term of government ahead of them. I believe that voters across rural Scotland will judge them by the progress they make in resolving these problems.”

Concessionary Bus Journeys for Local Authorities:

Local Authority	Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme	Older & Disabled Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme
Aberdeen City	34,108	58,958
Aberdeenshire	41,195	79,034
Angus Council	15,834	39,181
Argyll & Bute	11,068	33,929
City of Edinburgh	94,979	149,576
Clackmannanshire	6,186	14,368
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar	3,272	9,310
Dumfries and Galloway	17,746	54,126
Dundee City	24,890	43,109
East Ayrshire	18,634	37,365
East Dunbartonshire	16,372	36,143
East Lothian	18,329	36,222
East Renfrewshire	17,181	27,864
Falkirk	22,717	43,648
Fife	63,492	121,414
Glasgow City	101,674	158,680
Highland	29,137	75,818
Inverclyde	11,457	26,260
Midlothian	16,937	28,562
Moray	12,887	29,013
North Ayrshire	21,077	45,754
North Lanarkshire	54,726	88,509
Orkney Islands	2,858	7,901
Perth & Kinross	21,518	52,100
Renfrewshire	28,778	53,731
Scottish Borders	15,677	38,424
Shetland Islands	3,749	7,562
South Ayrshire	14,189	40,114
South Lanarkshire	54,748	95,256
Stirling	13,175	25,762
West Dunbartonshire	14,826	28,010
West Lothian	27,185	47,941
Total as at 01 October 2026	850,601	1,633,644

You can follow the debate on this link:

And that of the Transport Committee here:

Fiona Grahame

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