Review of Renfrewshires Public Transport Provision FINAL

Renfrewshire Council · 26 April 2023
Back to Leadership Board — 26 April 2023 and its agenda

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To:  LEADERSHIP BOARD 
On:  26 April 2023 
Report by: DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENT, HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE 
Heading: Review of Renfrewshire’s Public Transport Provision 
1. Summary 
1.1 The Council approved in the March 2020/2021 budget £50,000 to support a review of
Renfrewshire’s public transport provision.  Shortly after the budget was approved the COVID 19
pandemic arrived and as part of the response the public were either asked not to use or
discouraged from using public transport for large periods over the following 18 months. As we
have emerged from the pandemic over the last 14 months, there are sustained changes to the
usage of public transport, in particular bus services, with bus patronage down in Renfrewshire
and although this has recovered to between 80 and 90% of pre pandemic usage, there are
continued impacts associated with hybrid and flexible working and learning arrangements.   
1.2 Renfrewshire’s public transport provision has broadly taken the same delivery model for at least
10 years, with commercial bus services serving Renfrewshire’s communities supported by
Council funding to subside parts of bus routes or times/ days of routes where the commercial
service provision would have ceased as agreed and delivered by Strathclyde Passenger for
Transport (SPT). There have been several changes to routes and provision to Renfrewshire’s
communities over this time, with communities experiencing reduced or altered services, be that
to locations, frequencies or time periods, with the latest changes to the bus network taking effect
from the 1st of May 2023. 
1.3 There are also several strategic national, regional and local drivers for Renfrewshire to take
cognisance of to shape and influence its public transport provision in the years ahead. Section 4
of the report will go into more detail with the key drivers set out below: 
• National & Regional Transport Strategies
• Local Transport Strategy
• Addressing the climate emergency 
• Transport (Scotland) Act – Enactment of Bus Provision Powers to Local Authorities
• City Deal, Cultural Venues and Levelling Up transport Infrastructure and business
locations
• Supporting access to employment

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1.4  This report sets out proposals to commence a Review of Renfrewshire’s Public Transport
Provision with a particular focus on the local and regional bus service provision in Renfrewshire. 
The review sets out with the ambition to have an affordable, sustainable, modern, efficient, fit for
purpose, and demand led public transport network to meet the current and future needs of
Renfrewshire’s communities connecting with work, health, learning and social opportunities,
whilst supporting and contributing to Renfrewshire’s climate goals. 
1.5 Some of the key strands to commence as part of the first phase of the Review will be to:
• Conduct extensive engagement with all communities in Renfrewshire to better
understand current and predicted travel behaviours, identify barriers to public transport
usage, identify needs and demands for public transport provision. 
• Undertake a network review of the current bus service provision 
• Undertake feasibility work in support of city deal infrastructure, business, and key
housing locations 
• Undertake a network review of the rail provision in Renfrewshire 
• Appraise the Bus provisions of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 setting out options,
costs, benefits and risks available through the provision of the Act 
1.6 A further report will be brought back to a future Leadership Board to update on the outputs from
the first phase of the review and to proposed next steps in the review. 
2.      Recommendations 
It is recommended that the Leadership Board: 
2.1 Notes the commencement of the Review of Renfrewshire’s Public Transport Provision 
2.2 Notes the first stages of the Review as set out in section 5 of the report 
2.3  Agrees for update reports to be brought back to the Leadership Board 
3.   Background 
Transport (Scotland) Act 2019
3.1 The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 is now the central legislation governing bus services in
Scotland. The Act updates statutory partnership models and introduces powers to allow a
transport authority to provide bus services, subject to several tests and criteria. SPT as the
regional transport authority for Renfrewshire would be the body responsible for this under the
current west of Scotland transport partnership model. 
3.2 There are several potential delivery models available for bus service provision going forward and
the Act sets out options including:

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• Transport Authority run services – The Act gives local transport authorities the powers
to run local bus services. These bus services should be aligned to the authority’s policy
priorities to meet the needs of local residents. The services would need to comply with
standard market competition legislation. 
• Franchising - Franchising is a model where a transport authority awards exclusive rights
to run a bus route or routes for a set period to the most competitive bidder. A franchising
framework can cover the whole or any part of their area. The Scottish Government plans
to bring forward franchising regulations by the end of 2023. 
• Bus Service Improvement Partnerships – The Act allows local transport authorities to
form a Bus Services Improvement Partnership (BSIP) with bus operators within their area.
BSIPs provide an updated and revised model of how local transport authorities can work
with operators to improve the quality and efficiency of local services. The Scottish
Government plans to bring forward BSIPs regulations by the end of 2023. 
3.3 Buses provide significant flexibility as a transport mode and are capable of mass transit, playing
a significant role in daily lives and is often the mode of transport chosen by those on lower
incomes. 
3.4 The majority of bus services in Scotland are operated on a commercial basis by privately owned
operators with Transport Scotland subsidising a proportion of the costs of the bus network. Prior
to 2022 this was provided through a Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) with payments also
being made to operators under the national concessionary bus travel scheme. The BSOG was
replaced with a Network Support Grant (NSG), which continues to be administered by Transport
Scotland. The NSG continued to include temporary additional financial support to assist with
Covid recovery, although this funding has since ceased in March 2023. 
3.5 Whilst the bus operators run the services on a commercial basis, the Council is responsible for
the provision of the infrastructure associated such as bus shelters, access facilities and traffic
signals infrastructure. 
3.6 SPT carried out a Bus Scoping Study in 2022 to look at what a world class bus network would
look lie for the region and this will be brought into our network review to identify proposals for
future improvements to services. 
4. Strategic Drivers 
4.1 The Council recognises the importance bus services plays within the local area, particularly
providing options for accessing areas of employment especially when considering those using
bus services more regularly will come from lower income households. 
4.2 The key drivers that will shape public transport services across Renfrewshire are set out below
• National, Regional & Local Transport Strategies – The National and Regional
Transport Strategies have provided a framework for Councils to develop and deliver their
new Local Transport Strategies (LTS). Nationally and regionally the strategies have
identified several key priorities that Council’s must consider as part of their LTS, including,
creating a healthier environment, inclusive economic growth and improving quality of life.

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• Addressing the climate emergency - Transport is the second biggest generator of
carbon emissions in Renfrewshire. Identified public transport action plan interventions are
key to helping deliver Renfrewshire’s ambitious target to achieve net zero carbon
emissions by 2030. 
• Transport (Scotland) Act – Enactment of Bus Provision Powers to Local Authorities
– The challenges outlined as part of the Transport Act will need to be addressed as part
of the review with a preferred direction of travel identified.  
• City Deal & Levelling Up transport Infrastructure – We will need to review service
provision around these new business locations and engagement to identify the current
and expected future demands for public transport provision. 
• Supporting access to employment – Address any gaps in service provision to ensure
we can achieve inclusive economic growth. 
4.3 Consideration of these strategic drivers will form a central part of the network review and the
future creation of a Public Transport Action Plan which would sit as part of Renfrewshire’s
future Local Transport Strategy. 
5. Public Engagement Exercise and Network Review 
5.1 The first stage of the review will be to gather public opinions and evidence on current and future
demand for public transport provision across Renfrewshire. It is important that we assess gaps
in network provision as well as identifying what barriers there are preventing people accessing
public transport. 
5.2 The engagement exercise would be carried out over a significant period with it being a highly
visible public communications campaign including public roadshows, online and in person
events to reach as wide an audience as possible. 
5.3 The review will also include working with SPT and public transport operators to establish the
extent of the review and existing gaps and barriers in the network. This work as well as
establishing current demand will also assess the feasibility of infrastructure support for expected
future demand on public transport provision.
5.4 The review will also consider the provisions of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, outlining what
the potential options are and the costs, benefits and risks presented by each of the available
options. 
5.5 Although the initial focus will be on bus provision, the review will consider the current
infrastructure around rail provision and assess ways to improve access such as park and ride
facilities. 
5.6 It is proposed that once the public engagement period is concluded and the network review is
carried out, the information will be collated, and a report will be brought back to a future meeting
of the Leadership Board for consideration.

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Implications of this Report 
1. Financial – Council has allocated £50,000 to support this initial phase of the review, along with
resource support being provided from SPT 
2. HR and Organisational Development – none 
3. Community Planning 
Our Renfrewshire is thriving / Reshaping our place, our economy and our future –
By continuing to support public transport improvements we will continue to facilitate
access to employment and economic growth. 
4. Legal – none 
5. Property/Assets – none 
6. Information Technology – none 
7. Equality & Human Rights - The recommendations contained within this report have been
assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on
equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified
arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation,
the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and
monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 
8. Health and Safety – none. 
9. Procurement – none. 
10.  Risk – none.   
11. Privacy Impact – none. 
List of Background Papers - none 
Author  Gordon McNeil, Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure
e-mail:  gordon.mcneil@renfrewshire.gov.uk