Scottish Greens Pledge Free Bus Travel And Basic Income In Election Manifesto

The Scottish Greens have unveiled an ambitious and wide-ranging manifesto ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, placing bold social and economic reforms at the centre of their campaign. Among the headline proposals are free bus travel for all citizens and the introduction of a universal basic income (UBI)—policies that aim to tackle inequality, reduce living costs, and accelerate the transition to a greener economy.
📢 Breaking News Overview According to recent reports published on April 14, 2026, the Scottish Greens launched their election manifesto outlining sweeping reforms across transport, breaking news welfare, education, and taxation.
The party leadership emphasized that these policies are designed to respond to the cost-of-living crisis, climate emergency, and social inequality across Scotland.
🌱 Key Highlights of the Scottish Greens Manifesto The manifesto is one of the most comprehensive policy packages presented in the 2026 election cycle.

It focuses on reshaping Scotland’s economy and public services through progressive reforms.
🚍 Free Bus Travel for All One of the most eye-catching pledges is universal free bus travel.
7 The Scottish Greens argue that removing fares would:
Ease financial pressure on households Encourage public transport use Reduce carbon emissions Support workers, students, and rural communities The policy builds on an existing scheme that already provides free bus travel to under-22s in Scotland.
The party also supports bringing bus services into public ownership, ensuring affordability and accessibility across the country.
💷 Universal Basic Income (UBI) Another cornerstone policy is the introduction of a universal basic income, which would provide regular, unconditional payments to citizens.
6 The Greens believe UBI would:
Reduce poverty and inequality Provide financial security during economic uncertainty Support people transitioning between jobs Simplify the welfare system The manifesto includes plans for pilot schemes and eventual rollout, funded through progressive taxation.
🏠 Additional Major Policies Beyond transport and income support, the manifesto outlines a broad transformation of public services and infrastructure.
🏡 Housing & Social Welfare Build 80,000 social homes by 2031 Expand rent controls Improve tenant protections These measures aim to address Scotland’s ongoing housing crisis and affordability issues.
🏫 Education Reforms Reduce primary class sizes to 20 pupils Expand free childcare hours Introduce play-based early education models The party also proposed raising the school starting age and reshaping early learning systems.
🏥 Healthcare Investment Hire thousands of doctors and teachers Expand NHS services Improve access to mental health care The Greens emphasize a public-service-first approach to healthcare delivery.
🌍 Climate & Energy Policies 6 Ban new oil and gas licenses Invest in renewable energy Expand low-carbon infrastructure The manifesto aligns strongly with climate science and aims to position Scotland as a global leader in sustainability.