Taking the bus in Edinburgh is no longer an affordable choice for many people ... it is becoming prohibitively expensive.

Since 2015, the cost of a single bus ticket has risen from around £1.60 to £2.40. That represents an increase of approximately 50% in just over a decade, driven by repeated fare hikes year after year.

In 2015, a bus ticket was accessible.

In 2026, for many residents, it is no longer.

Students, low- and middle-income workers, pensioners, families, and those who rely on public transport every day are being hit the hardest. Wages have not increased by 50%. The cost of living has already soared. Yet once again, passengers are being asked to absorb another increase.

Public transport is not a luxury.

It is an essential service that enables people to work, study, access healthcare, and participate fully in daily life. Making buses more expensive pushes people toward financial strain, social exclusion, or increased car use ... directly undermining both social equity and environmental goals.

We are calling on Lothian Buses to keep bus and tram fares unchanged.

We ask for a halt to further increases, greater transparency in fare-setting decisions, and a people-first approach that recognises the real impact of rising costs on everyday lives.

This petition is not against public transport.

It is for a fair, accessible, and truly public transport system ... one that serves the community rather than placing an ever-growing burden on passengers.

Signing this petition means saying enough:

enough constant fare increases,

enough shifting costs onto passengers,

enough ignoring the real impact these rises have on people’s daily lives.

An affordable bus system is not optional ... it is essential for a city that works for everyone.