Glasgow to trial free public transport

Glasgow will become the first city in Scotland to trial free public transport, after councillors approved a £225,000 (US$284,000) budget to fund a pilot for 1,000 residents.

The nine-week trial will provide selected participants with a smart card granting unlimited access to the city’s buses, trains and subway.

The scheme will explore the social, economic, and environmental benefits of universal free travel and how this might affect transport policy.

While full details of the proposed trial have yet to be announced, the council has indicated that adults aged between 22 and 59 will be included.

“Funding for a free public transport pilot was included in the recent budget which would give 1,000 city residents access to free public transport for a nine-week duration,” a Glasgow City Council spokesperson told Cities Today.

“Officers are currently exploring options to deliver the pilot.”

Reducing car travel

The city’s long-term goal is to reduce car travel by 30 percent and reach net zero emissions by 2030, with increased public transport use seen as a key part of that strategy.

Last month, the council announced the roll-out of 500 new on-street cycle-storage units as part of a contract with storage provider Cyclehoop.

According to the council, the new units will mark a “significant expansion” of the scheme and will help to encourage cycling across the city.

“Our on-street cycle storage programme has proven hugely popular over the last few years with strong demand for more spaces across the city,” said Councillor Angus Millar, Glasgow city convener for transport.

“I am delighted that the planned expansion will help to meet that demand and help break down a barrier that we know stops people from using their bike on a regular basis. Living in a flat can put people off cycling because they’ve nowhere to put their bike at home or it’s unsafe to leave it in the stairwell of their block.

“Access to safe, secure storage at street level close to people’s homes is making cycling more accessible for everyday journeys for people living in flats and I look forward to more people across Glasgow benefiting from this roll-out in the coming years.”

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