Scottish Greens Pledge to Replace Council Tax and Make Bus Travel Free for All
The Scottish Greens have promised major reforms, including free bus travel Scotland-wide and a complete replacement of the council tax system. The announcement came during the party’s Autumn conference in Edinburgh.
Co-leaders Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay said their goal is to “bring hope back to this country’s politics.” Both leaders called for fairer taxation, stronger environmental protections, and better support for working communities.
Fairer Taxes and Public Ownership
Ross Greer described council tax as “unfair, outdated, and broken.” He argued it punishes low-income households while the wealthy pay less than they should. The Greens plan to replace it with a fairer, income-based system.
Greer also pledged to take buses back into public ownership. He promised to expand the current free travel scheme for under-22s to include everyone in Scotland. “The price of a bus fare keeps rising, but the service isn’t improving,” he said. “It’s time to put passengers before profits.”
According to Greer, public transport should be reliable, affordable, and sustainable. This move, he said, would cut emissions and make daily life easier for families and commuters.
Calls for Action on Communities and Industry
Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, spoke about her hometown of Grangemouth. She criticised how the oil refinery closure was handled, saying the site could have been nationalised to save jobs.
Mackay highlighted how local businesses and families continue to struggle. “You can’t rip a site like that out of a town without it affecting everyone,” she said. She urged future governments to stop using “just transition” as an empty slogan and start delivering real support.
