Highland Council sets out 10 year public transport plans with focus on rural links
Written by MartyM on 28 May 2026
By Jamie McDonald
Highland Council sets out 10 year public transport plans with focus on rural links
Highland Council has outlined a new decade long transport strategy aimed at improving public transport across the region, with a strong focus on rural and island communities.
The draft plan sets out proposals for 2026–2036 and is intended to make bus travel more reliable, affordable and better connected.
A key priority is strengthening services in remote areas, where routes have long been seen as limited or inconsistent.
The strategy is built around five main themes: improving access for rural areas, better integration between buses, ferries and trains, faster and more reliable journeys, simpler fares, and moving towards a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035.
Fare reform is another key element, with proposals to introduce a £2 single-fare pilot currently being trialled in parts of the Highlands.
However, there are challenges. The local authority admits there are funding constraints, with the high cost of fuel an issue. There is also a lack of bus drivers on the network.
Committee chair Ken Gowans described the draft as a “bold and forward-looking vision” and said public consultation would be “crucial”.
He said the aim was to build “a more reliable, integrated and community-focused public transport network for the Highlands”.
The strategy will now be subject to consultation before any final decisions are taken.
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