SYSTRA celebrates success on Strathclyde bus strategy 

Specialists at the multi-disciplinary engineering and consultancy company have supported Strathclyde Partnership for Transport to deliver the Strathclyde Regional Bus Strategy (SRBS) since 2023. 

And the project won the Best Practice in Transport Planning award at a ceremony in Glasgow earlier this month. 

SYSTRA, which has offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh , began by developing the Case for Change for the strategy before further work on an Options Appraisal in 2024. 

Teams then collaborated to support a formal public consultation on the options for bus reform which led onto the development of the final SRBS. 

Laurence Venables, Associate at SYSTRA, worked on the project and attended the awards alongside the client, partners and stakeholders. 

“It was a brilliant night with some worthy recognition for a wide variety of transport projects and teams across Scotland,” he said. 

“Working on the SRBS was both a privilege and a learning experience for our teams. We were able to develop a robust set of policies and measures, alongside an action plan, to deliver a transformed bus network for the region. 

“SYSTRA supported at all stages of the strategy development process, speaking to councils and operators, developing a comprehensive and ambitious network plan, and formulating a framework of bus reform options.” 

The draft SRBS was taken to formal consultation in 2025 and received more than 5,000 responses. The SPT Partnership Board approved the strategy in 2025 and the SPT has since moved forward with developing a franchising process for the region.

The awards handed out were testament to the progress being made, with bus initiatives notable by their prominence across all the nominations.

Laurence Venables, Associate at SYSTRA

And Laurence says the award recognition signals the importance of securing resilient bus provision and services to regions across the country. 

“This feels like a great time for bus in the UK,” he said. 

“There’s a growing recognition of its crucial role for communities and economies, supported by investment and policy moves to place it front and centre. 

“The awards handed out were testament to the progress being made, with bus initiatives notable by their prominence across all the nominations.” 

More here on how SYSTRA is helping local authorities and bus operators design and deliver innovative, financially viable and sustainable bus services.