More than £1m in transport funding to head to Fife Council

Fife will get more than a million pounds in transport funding from the Scottish Government.

The money is coming from the government's Bus Partnership Fund for the central and northern parts of the Kingdom.

Cash is coming thanks to another successful bid by Fife's "Bus Partnership" after nearly £750,000 was given for the west of the region earlier this year.

It's expected to deliver bus priority measures that will reduce the impact of congestion on bus services, improve journeys times and increase bus use.

The funding will be used for consultations and scoping exercises to consider bus priority proposals with ambition to both improve bus service reliability and increase local bus usage.

The following bus corridors will be reviewed as part of the work:   

• Kirkcaldy - Glenrothes
• Kirkcaldy - Leven
• Glenrothes - Cupar
• Glenrothes - Leven
• St Andrews - Leven

Initial funding will be used to resource the development of appraisals and business cases.

It will then be subject to a further assessment by Transport Scotland before further funds could be released for the bus priority and improvement works.  

The local authority says promoting sustainable travel is a key component of the battle to tackle climate change, adding that more people using public transport is better for the planet.

It also says that more reliable bus services can also tackle inequalities and social exclusion, as well as support the delivery of economic growth.  

Fife was also a successful as part of the Tayside Bus Alliance bid.

It meant funding had been allocated to take forward an appraisal of the bus corridors in that region, including St Andrews to Dundee. 

Councillor Altany Craik, Fife Council's Transportation Convener, said: "This is another success for Fife's 'Bus Partnership' and is the first stage in taking these important proposals forward.

"Through this funding we aim to improve public transport services and infrastructure for people who live, work and visit Fife.

"We are now developing proposals so that residents and visitors can benefit from better journey times, a more reliable service and reduced congestion. 

"The Fund focuses on how bus services will be improved by addressing congestion.

"Our partnership approach is also expected to leverage wider bus service improvements to help tackle the climate emergency, reduce private car use and increase bus use.  

"A more efficient and attractive public transport system will help us deliver a sustainable, fairer and greener economic recovery, helping to tackle poverty, contribute towards improved air quality and a reduction in greenhouse gases." 

Douglas Robertson, the Managing Director for Stagecoach East Scotland, said: "This is really positive news for communities in Central and North Fife that funding has been granted by Transport Scotland's Bus Priority Fund.

"Following on from the successful award in West Fife, it means the Fife Bus Partnership can appraise and take forward some key priority measures all across the Kingdom.

"These will help us to reduce the impact of congestion on public transport, encourage modal shift, and work together to deliver a sustainable alternative to car travel."