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.