Glasgow is set to trial artificial intelligence technology in a bid to reduce bus journey times and enhance public transport efficiency.
The initiative is backed by the Scottish Government's Bus Infrastructure Fund, which has awarded £1.27 million to support improvements across the city and wider region.
Part of the funding will enable a twelve-month pilot of AI-powered traffic signals along Pollokshaws Road - a key transport corridor connecting the Southside to the city centre.
Smart signals at more than twenty junctions will use real-time and historical data to prioritise buses and reduce delays.
The initiative builds on a smaller-scale trial conducted last year, which delivered journey time reductions of up to 50%. The pilot aims to replicate and expand these benefits along the full length of Pollokshaws Road, making public transport faster, more reliable, and more appealing.
While Glasgow's current technology effectively manages traffic flow, the AI system enhances the ability to model bus movements, enabling earlier interventions and smoother journeys -particularly during peak hours, major events, and unexpected disruptions.
While the focus of the pilot is on improving bus journey times, all road users stand to benefit. By easing congestion along the shared corridor, the smarter signals are expected to reduce delays, cut emissions, and improve overall traffic flow.
Alongside the AI pilot, the grant award - secured through a council-led bid to the Bus Infrastructure Fund on behalf of the Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership - will also support design work for several infrastructure projects aimed reducing at congestion and making bus travel more attractive across the region:
• Pollokshaws Road Bus Corridor - connecting Eastwood Toll to Glasgow city centre, this project includes extended bus lanes and a proposed segregated busway beside Pollok Park, improving links through the city centre to the Royal Infirmary.
• Paisley Road West Bus and Active Travel Corridor - a comprehensive corridor of bus priority and active travel measures, stretching from Paisley town centre to Glasgow city centre.
• Hope Street Improvements - upgrades to the passenger environment featuring wider footways, modernised junctions, improved pedestrian crossings, upgraded bus shelters, and real-time passenger information.
Cllr Angus Millar, City Convener for Transport and Climate welcomed the funding award, saying: "This investment represents an important step forward in creating a better, quicker and more reliable bus network across Glasgow. By trialling AI-powered traffic signals on one of our busiest corridors, we're exploring how new technologies can deliver improvements for bus passengers and make travelling by bus an easier option for more people.
"The funding will also support design work for several major infrastructure projects that will allow us to cut journey times through bus priority measures. This includes two key bus corridors and improvements to Hope Street - one of the city's busiest interchange points, with high volumes of services and passenger numbers.
"By investing in bus priority design work now, we're laying the groundwork for future delivery. This early-stage work allows for detailed planning and consultation, ensuring that future infrastructure will benefit passengers across the city and beyond for years to come."
Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity Jim Fairlie said: "Ahead of Scotland's National Innovation Week, I'm pleased we're supporting Glasgow City Council with almost £1.3 million from the Scottish Government's Bus Infrastructure Fund.
"I recently visited Glasgow's Operations Centre at Eastgate to learn more about the transformational impact that artificial intelligence and machine learning will bring to bus prioritisation across the city. Our investment will help improve bus infrastructure and speed up bus journeys, making buses even more attractive for people working, living in or visiting Glasgow.
"For our communities and for our climate, this crucial investment will support a shift away from cars and towards more sustainable bus services, by making public transport a more attractive and accessible transport option for even more people."
Dr George Hazel OBE Chair of Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership said: "For many people across the City Region, bus travel is essential - connecting them to work, education, healthcare, and more. By investing in the planning and design of smarter, more efficient bus infrastructure, we're helping to create a fairer, greener transport system that supports economic growth, reduces car dependency, and makes public transport a more attractive and accessible option for all."
The Bus Infrastructure Fund is the Scottish Government's primary fund for the development, design and construction of bus infrastructure, with £20 million allocated to the fund in 2025-26.
The council's City Administration Committee approved acceptance of the £1.27 million grant award at its meeting on 18 September 2025.