National Bus Travel Concession Schemes (Scotland) Amendment Order 2026
Summary
The Scottish Ministers have issued the National Bus Travel Concession Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No. 2) Order 2026, setting funding levels for bus travel concessions. For the financial year beginning April 1, 2026, funding is set at £248.2 million for older and disabled persons and £220.6 million for young persons.
What changed
This Order amends existing schemes to establish specific funding allocations and reimbursement rates for bus travel concessions for the financial year commencing April 1, 2026. For older and disabled persons, the capped funding level is set at £248,200,000, with a reimbursement rate of 53%. For young persons (aged 5-15 and 16-21), the capped funding is £220,600,000, with reimbursement rates of 48.1% and 72.5% respectively.
These changes directly impact the financial planning and operational reimbursement for bus operators in Scotland participating in these concessionary schemes. While the effective date is April 1, 2026, the specific funding amounts and reimbursement percentages require operators to adjust their financial models and potentially their service planning to align with the allocated budgets and reimbursement structures for the upcoming financial year.
What to do next
- Review updated funding levels and reimbursement rates for older/disabled and young persons' bus travel concessions.
- Adjust financial projections and operational plans for the financial year beginning April 1, 2026, based on the specified funding caps and reimbursement percentages.
- Ensure compliance with the reimbursement rates for eligible journeys made by different age groups of young persons.
Source document (simplified)
Status:
This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
Scottish Statutory Instruments
2026 No. 159
TRANSPORT
The National Bus Travel Concession Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No. 2) Order 2026
Made
18th March 2026
Coming into force
1st April 2026
The Scottish Ministers make the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 40(1), (3) and (4) and 52(4) of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005(1) and all other powers enabling them to do so.
In accordance with section 52(3) of that Act(2), a draft of this instrument has been laid before and approved by resolution of the Scottish Parliament.
Citation and commencement
- This Order may be cited as the National Bus Travel Concession Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No. 2) Order 2026 and comes into force on 1 April 2026.
Amendment of the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Order 2006
- —(1) The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Order 2006(3) is amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).
(2) At the end of article 12(2B), insert—
“ (q) for the financial year beginning on 1 April 2026 £248,200,000. ”.
(3) At the end of article 12(2D), insert—
“ (n) 53% for the financial year beginning on 1 April 2026. ”.
Amendment of the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Young Persons (Scotland) Order 2021
- —(1) The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Young Persons (Scotland) Order 2021(4) is amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).
(2) For article 12(3) substitute—
“ (3) The Scottish Ministers must make reimbursement payments to operators at the reimbursement rate specified for each financial year, within the capped level of funding specified for that year. ”.
(3) After article 12(3), insert—
“ (3A) The capped level of funding is £220,600,000 for the financial year beginning on 1 April 2026. ”.
(4) After article 12(4D), insert—
“ (4E) The reimbursement rate for the financial year beginning on 1 April 2026 is—
(a) 48.1% in relation to eligible journeys on eligible services made by eligible persons aged 5 to 15 years old,
(b) 72.5% in relation to eligible journeys on eligible services made by eligible persons aged 16 to 21 years old. ”.
JIM FAIRLIE
Authorised to sign by the Scottish Ministers
St Andrew's House,
Edinburgh
18th March 2026
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Order)
Article 2 of this Order amends article 12 of the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Order 2006 to set the capped level of funding and the reimbursement rate for the financial year 2026/2027.
Article 3 of this Order amends article 12 of the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Young Persons (Scotland) Order 2021 to set the capped level of funding and reimbursement rates for the financial year 2026/2027.
(1) 2005 asp 12.
(2) Section 52(3) has been modified by paragraph 5 of schedule 3 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 10) and relevantly amended by section 110(3)(a) and (b) of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 17).
(3) S.S.I. 2006/107, as relevantly amended by S.S.I. 2010/140, S.S.I. 2013/114, S.S.I. 2015/133, S.S.I. 2017/71, S.S.I. 2018/98, S.S.I. 2019/119, S.S.I. 2020/104, S.S.I. 2021/175, S.S.I. 2022/115, S.S.I. 2023/108, S.S.I. 2024/107 and S.S.I. 2025/99.
(4) S.S.I. 2021/175, as relevantly amended by S.S.I. 2021/381, S.S.I. 2022/115, S.S.I. 2023/108, S.S.I. 2024/107 and S.S.I. 2025/99.
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