The Friends of the Far North Line
Cairdean Na Loine Tuath
the campaign group for rail north of
Inverness - lobbying for improved services for the local user, tourist and freight
operator
The Cross Party Group on Sustainable Transport published a report of its 2024-25 inquiry into transport inequalities in Scotland.
The report, authored by the group's secretariat, Transform Scotland, of which FoFNL is a member, covers the whole topic in great detail.
The report is available on our website, with a link on this issue's companion page. The Executive Summary and the report's recommendations give an idea of what was covered, and what should be done to improve access for all to public transport.
Mark Ruskell MSP, one of the group's Vice Conveners commented, "This report helps focus minds on what transport policy should be delivering for the most vulnerable in our society. Get that right and we'll have better transport options for all."
To this we would add that what we refer to as the "Highlands Railway Deficit", the result of the difficulty of making a 'business case' for investment in railways which serve areas with smaller populations, imposes inequality on all residents and visitors who wish to use Highlands railways.
Transport plays a vital role in enabling access to work, education, healthcare, and social connections. But in Scotland today, too many people are being left behind by a system that doesn't recognise or meet their needs. From high costs and unreliable services to safety concerns and physical inaccessibility, transport inequalities are reinforcing wider patterns of social and economic exclusion. These issues are particularly acute for:
In 2024-25, the Scottish Parliament's Cross-Party Group on Sustainable Transport launched an inquiry to understand how Scotland's transport system contributes to inequality - and what must change. Over four themed evidence sessions, the Group heard from experts, advocates, and community representatives. Across all groups, similar challenges emerged:
The inquiry heard from witnesses on the themes of transport poverty, children & young people, gender, and disabilities. The 'key messages' at the end of each section of this report highlight the witnesses' views as to how problems in each area can be alleviated. In this section, we present four cross-cutting recommendations which, if implemented, would provide a pathway towards the proactive reduction of transport inequalities.
Define transport poverty & collect the data that will allow it to be alleviated
1.1 Adopt a shared definition of transport poverty which includes affordability, availability, accessibility, reliability, and safety; and develop metrics for each dimension to allow progress towards its alleviation be monitored and evaluated.
1.2 Mandate systematic collection of disaggregated transport data, including trip purpose, frequency, mode, and intersectional demographic information, to inform budgeting and to monitor progress against transport poverty indicators.
Tackle transport inequalities through participation and budgeting
2.1 Require all transport authorities (local, regional & national) to implement lived experience participation through co-design with those most affected by transport inequalities, to identify unmet need and ensure that services are shaped by the voices of those who need them most.
2.2 Ensure that all transport authorities apply equality budgeting to ensure investment decisions prioritise the alleviation of inequalities suffered by children & young people, women, disabled people and those on low incomes. This is grounded in the Fairer Scotland Duty, which since 2018 has placed a legal responsibility for public bodies to "reduce inequalities of outcome caused by socio-economic disadvantage, when making strategic decisions".
2.3 Require health impact assessments of transport plans and policies to identify how they are likely to affect different population groups and their wider impacts on health and wellbeing.