The average price of diesel has reached a record 199.18p a litre across the UK, prompting renewed calls for Scotland’s £2 bus fare cap pilot to be extended nationwide.
Scottish Greens transport spokesperson Patrick Harvie has called on the Scottish Government to introduce the cap across Scotland, arguing that rising motoring costs are placing increasing pressure on household budgets.
The RAC confirmed on Monday that diesel had passed the previous record of 199.09p set in June 2022.
A typical 55 litre family car now costs almost £110 to fill with diesel, according to the motoring organisation.
The increase has been particularly sharp in recent weeks, with the average diesel price rising from 184.99p on 4 September to 199.18p on Monday.
Petrol has also climbed significantly and now averages 174.13p a litre, although it remains below its previous record.
The record diesel price has brought renewed attention to the cost of transport for households and businesses, particularly in rural areas where alternatives to private cars can be limited.
Scotland already has a £2 bus fare cap pilot operating across the Highlands and Islands, with the scheme covering the HITRANS and ZetTrans areas.
Harvie now wants the policy extended throughout the country.
He said:
“Now more than ever, it’s important to have a reliable and cheap public transport system to connect our communities to jobs, hospitals, education and leisure because leaving people dependent on private car travel is just too high a price for many households in Scotland.
“Those on the lowest incomes already struggle to choose between putting food on the table and heating their homes, and the price of keeping a car is pushing many households beyond their budget.
“That’s why the Scottish Greens are pushing to make bus travel as cheap and easy as possible.
“Scotland already has a £2 bus fare cap in Strathclyde, the Highlands, and the Islands thanks to political pressure from the Scottish Greens, but now the Scottish Government must go further.
“We need a nationwide £2 bus fare cap to immediately help households cut their day-to-day spending.”
The Highlands and Islands pilot is backed by Scottish Government funding and was introduced during 2026 to test whether cheaper fares can make bus travel more affordable and encourage greater use of public transport.
Harvie said:
“We know that making public transport cheaper is beneficial for both people and planet.
“The Scottish Greens secured free bus travel for young people, ensuring millions of free journeys are taken every year to schools, college, work, or to meet friends.
“We also scrapped the peak-rail fares on ScotRail, ensuring commuters no longer had to pay an unfair tax on getting to work.
“It’s time to bring in the £2 bus fare cap nationwide.”
The call comes as the Scottish Government has separately provided up to £6.2 million of additional support to bus and community transport operators facing increased fuel costs during 2026.
For Highland households heavily dependent on cars, however, the latest diesel figures underline the scale of the pressure at the pumps, with the UK average now sitting just below £2 a litre.
