Transport / Higher bus costs and lower usage creates projected transport partnership overspend
SHETLAND’s transport partnership is projecting an overspend of more than £300,000 this financial year.
Around £100,000 of this relates to an increase in bus contracts following the retendering of several routes.
There is also an “underachievement” in bus income of £154,000 as passenger numbers stay below pre-pandemic levels.
But members of ZetTrans heard at a meeting on Thursday that the projected overspend will be offset by expected grant income of £126,000.
This means funder Shetland Islands Council is expected to pay an extra £202,000 to ZetTrans in 2022/23.
ZetTrans is also seeing a “significant rise” in the reimbursement from the Scottish Government for bus fares following the introduction of free travel for under 22s.
The figures were presented to a meeting of the transport partnership on Thursday.
During the meeting councillor Robbie McGregor expressed his wish to see further investigation into potential funding available for electric buses.
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