Aberdeenshire Council has launched an ambitious new 10-year Passenger Transport Strategy, outlining its key objectives for passenger transport services in the region between now and 2035.

The updated strategy incorporates general policies for both public and other forms of passenger transport.

Key 'transport objectives' within the strategy include enhancing bus service reliability by reducing journey cancellations, making bus travel more affordable to a wider range of people, and increasing the proportion of Aberdeenshire residents with access to key service centres via public transport.

The strategy also aims to improve bus punctuality, expand the availability of public transport through both scheduled and demand-responsive services, and reduce bus journey times to key service centres across Aberdeenshire.

The strategy's development was informed by a report commissioned from Stantec UK, funded through a Scottish Government Community Bus Fund grant. This report included accessibility analysis and market research.

Following extensive public consultation and input from the council's six area committees, the new strategy, recently approved by the Infrastructure Services Committee, will concentrate on achieving three key outcomes:

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• Improving life opportunities and the quality of life for Aberdeenshire residents through appropriate passenger transport provision, supporting resilient and connected communities.

• Increasing bus ridership by encouraging a shift from car travel to passenger transport.

• Reducing carbon emissions by decreasing the total number of vehicle trips made annually and increasing the proportion of trips made using low and zero-emission passenger transport vehicles.

To deliver these outcomes, the strategy outlines four key objectives: addressing barriers that prevent or discourage bus travel, improving the quality of the bus-user experience, decarbonising the passenger transport fleet, and establishing a financially sustainable network of passenger transport services.

Cllr Alan Turner, chair of the council's Infrastructure Services Committee, commented: "I think we are all agreed that this is an aspirational passenger transport strategy for the next decade and a crucial aspect will be that it remains sustainable throughout its duration. We fully recognise that with such an ambitious strategy comes the need for significant investment and I know our services are firmly focused on attracting the necessary external funding in the months and years ahead to deliver our objectives."

ISC vice-chair Cllr Isobel Davidson added: "I very much welcome the new passenger transport strategy and I'm particularly pleased to see that it links very closely to the 'connected communities' aims within the Aberdeenshire Council Plan 2024-2029 to ensure we collaborate with partners and communities to attract investment to enhance travel and transport connections between our towns and villages."

The strategy is available to view here: publications.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/passenger-transport-strategies-and-policies