GREEN MSPs have been “instructed” not to back another budget without securing “real action” to take buses back into public hands.

Despite legislation passing in 2019 for buses to enable franchising as a first step to public ownership, the SNP Scottish government has yet to issue guidance or set aside funding to allow it to go ahead.

Now, after a motion from Glasgow Govan councillor Dan Hutchison was passed at the party’s autumn conference in Edinburgh on Saturday, progress on those points will be regarded as “red lines” in future Holyrood budget negotiations. 

Speaking after his motion passed, Mr Hutchison said: “Green MSPs have been instructed by the party that another budget without real action on Scotland’s largest emissions contributors is not permitted. 

“For too long have the Scottish government held up progress, handing millions to corporate interests while we see unacceptable bus prices, unreliable services and cuts to essential routes.”

Welcoming the development, transport campaigners Get Glasgow Moving said: “We welcome this motion from the Scottish Greens as a step towards delivering better buses and we hope other political parties will also get on board.”