Doubts raised over SNP pledge to extend £2 bus fare cap to Glasgow area within 100 days of being re-elected

The uncertainty follows alarm among bus operators last month about the lack of progress towards meeting the deadline.

Mr Flynn opened a Scottish Government-led debate at Holyrood on Wednesday by stating it would be “making progress within our first 100 days to extend the cap to Glasgow, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire and Inverclyde”.

However, when asked by Glasgow Labour MSP Paul Sweeney whether the cap would be introduced by August 16 - 100 days after the Scottish elections - Mr Flynn said: “I am not entirely sure that that date has been given by anyone on these benches, and I am not entirely sure where he got it from.”

SNP leader John Swinney announced during the election campaign on April 27: “Within the first one hundred days, we will extend the £2 bus fare cap to Glasgow, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire and Inverclyde.”

It was part a document “setting out the actions we would take within the first one hundred days of forming a government”.

However, part of the Scottish Government motion for the debate stated: “That the Parliament...endorses the introduction of the £2 cap in Glasgow, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire and Inverclyde as quickly as is practicable as part of the next phase of a national rollout.”

Mr Flynn then told the debate: “As the First Minister has set out, and as per our manifesto commitment, we are now working at pace to expand the benefits of a £2 fare cap beyond the Highlands and Islands.

“Initially, this means making progress within our first 100 days to extend the cap to Glasgow, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire and Inverclyde.

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“Beyond that, we will bring forward the legislation needed to deliver a nationwide £2 fare cap by the end of this Parliamentary term.

“And I can assure the chamber that my officials are already working with operators, regional partners and stakeholders to make sure that we deliver on this promise to the people.”

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In answer to Mr Sweeney’s question about the cap being delivered by August 16, he added: “What I have been very clear about is that we will stick to what we said in our manifesto in relation to the 100-day commitments, and will move the issue forward as quickly as we possibly can.”

Mr Sweeney later called on the cabinet secretary to be clearer about what he meant.

He told The Scotsman: "Stephen Flynn should be aware of his own party's election commitments on this key policy area.

“As he didn't provide a clear answer to my question in the chamber, I hope that he will clarify whether the SNP intend to stick to their election promise of capping bus fares at £2 in Greater Glasgow and Strathclyde within the first 100 days of this term of Parliament, which would be by the 16th of August.

“Glaswegians have been paying the highest bus fares in the UK for too long, so they deserve clarity on when the fare cap will actually take effect.”

When asked if it could confirm the introduction date, a spokesperson for Transport Scotland said: “I’d point you to exchanges in the chamber on costs/100 days commitments in the first instance by way of comment from Mr Flynn.”