M8 bus lane statistics: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for information regarding the M8 bus lane between Edinburgh and Glasgow:

• Data on the utilization of the M8 bus lane, including the frequency of bus services using the lane over the past few years.
• Any assessments, reviews, or reports conducted on the effectiveness and impact of the bus lane on traffic flow and public transport efficiency.
• Any correspondence or feedback from bus operators regarding the use of this lane.
• Lastly how much the project cost and how it was funded.

Response

Data on the utilization of the M8 bus lane, including the frequency of bus services using the lane over the past few years.

Over the period from May 2024 to end April 2025 the annual average daily traffic figure (AADT) for the bus lane was 18 buses per day.

Any assessments, reviews, or reports conducted on the effectiveness and impact of the bus lane on traffic flow and public transport efficiency.

Transport Scotland does not have the information you have asked for because no specific assessments, reviews or reports on the effectiveness and impact of the bus lane on public transport efficiency in this area have been carried out.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Any correspondence or feedback from bus operators regarding the use of this lane.

Transport Scotland does not have the information you asked for, no formal feedback or correspondence has been received from bus operators regarding the use of the bus lane.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Lastly how much the project cost and how it was funded.

The project cost was a total of £2.85m and was funded by a combination of £1m in grant funding from the UK Government's Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) for Transport Scotland to participate in Project CAVForth, as well as from Transport Scotland's budget for transport infrastructure enhancements.

Note that Project CAVForth, which ran from 2019 to 2025, was a globally significant trial of UK autonomous bus capability operating a scheduled service between Fife and Edinburgh using the Forth Road Bridge and the bus lane.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.