Election / ‘Not right’ for SNP to ‘take credit’ for bus fare cap, Green candidate says
GREEN candidate Alex Armitage says it is “not right” that the SNP is “apparently taking credit” for the £2 bus fare cap trial which is taking place in Shetland.
It comes after an image was posted on SNP candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad’s Facebook page recently which used the £2 fare cap as an example of how the party is “doing more than any other party to tackle the cost of living”.
It said “any bus, any route, anywhere in Shetland – all for just £2”.
A trial of a £2 bus fare cap was launched in Shetland earlier this year by the SNP-led Scottish Government.
But Armitage said the trial was the result of Scottish’s Greens’ budget negotiations with the SNP.
When the trial, which is taking place across the Highlands and Islands, was announced in December the Scottish Greens also highlighted it was a policy secured by the party.
As the SNP has not had a majority of MSPs in the Scottish Parliament recently, it relies on support from other parties to pass budgets. This usually leads to negotiations on additions and changes to gain approval from opposition parties.
The same Facebook image with similar wording was used on Facebook by another SNP election candidate Maree Todd at the end of March, about the £2 fare cap trial starting in the Highlands.
“Using the example of a Green policy to make the statement that ‘the SNP are doing more than any other party to tackle the cost of living’ is behaviour that certainly raised a few eyebrows at the Shetland Greens’ campaign HQ,” Armitage added.
The councillor highlighted that Shetland residents also benefit from a further 20 per cent reduction in their bus fares by using the ZetTrans pre-pay bus card.
The SNP manifesto includes a pledge to roll out the £2 bus fare cap across Scotland, while the Greens want to see free bus travel for all.
“The cost of transport represents friction in our economy and our vision as Greens is to make public transport free at the point of use, just like the NHS and education,” Armitage continued.
“We believe that providing these universal basic services provides a strong foundation for an inclusive, thriving economy.”
Another previous Greens budget agreement saw free bus travel for young people increased to under 22s in 2022.
Armitage, in his role as a Green elected member, has twice tried to encourage Shetland Islands Council to explore free bus travel for all, but there was ultimately not enough support from his peers when it came down to votes.
Goodlad was repeatedly contacted for a response to Armitage’s comments but did not respond.
The full list of confirmed Shetland candidates for the election on 7 May, in alphabetical order, are as follows: Alex Armitage (Greens), Douglas Barnett (Conservatives), Vic Currie (Reform UK), John Erskine (Labour), Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP), Emma Macdonald (Liberal Democrats), Brian Nugent (Alliance to Liberate Scotland), Peter Tait (independent).
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