Ministers urged to put car clubs and bike shares at heart of smart ticketing overhaul

Collaborative Mobility UK called on the Scottish Government to ramp up its spending

Scottish ministers have been urged to put car clubs and bike shares at the heart of a smart ticketing overhaul to encourage more people to take trains.

A new report from national shared transport charity Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK) also calls on the government to ramp up spending to integrate such schemes with the rail network.

CoMoUK said last year’s renationalisation of ScotRail provides an opportunity to explore greater integration of sustainable transport through “mobility hubs”. These bring together public transport, bike facilities and shared travel options such as car clubs. Currently, 25 rail and light rail stations in Scotland have bike sharing options nearby, with 30 stations providing access to nearby car clubs.

ScotRail

The report recommends allowing passengers to pay a combined fare for multiple journeys, potentially using existing public transport smartcards or apps.

It said shared transport is crucial if the Scottish Government is to achieve its goal of zero emissions by 2045 and reduce private car use by 20 per cent by 2030.

Rachael Murphy, Scotland director of CoMoUK, said: “If Scotland is to meet its ambitious climate change targets, we must harness the full potential of shared transport and reduce our reliance on the private car. Our report shows that integrating sustainable modes of transport like shared transport and rail is crucial in achieving this goal.

“By combining payment for public or shared transport, passengers can benefit from a simpler and cheaper combined fare for multiple journeys, making it more convenient and more affordable than using private cars.”

A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said it is launching a “national smart ticketing advisory board” later this year. She said ScotRail continues to explore “all feasible options to increase cycle usage to stations, including investing in infrastructure”.

She added: “The recently opened Inverness Airport station features bike racks and active travel paths for both platforms. The planned enhancements at Stirling station will significantly increase bike storage space and the new station at Levenmouth will also feature bike storage facilities and active travel links to nearby communities.”