Executive Summary

The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (NSTAB) is a statutory advisory non-departmental public body. Its primary role is to provide independent technical and strategic advice to Scottish Ministers on smart ticketing systems and the associated national technological standards. NSTAB is not a delivery body but seeks to shape policy through insight driven, evidence-based recommendations that support inclusive, accessible, and integrated ticketing in Scotland.

NSTAB formally commenced with an inception meeting in November 2023 and held its first working meeting in January 2024. Operating on an eight-week cycle, it has convened nine times to date. Membership comprises a balanced mix of transport operators, passenger representatives, and technical experts, with legislation ensuring modal and user diversity. In response to sectoral complexity, particularly in the bus industry, dual representation has been introduced with shared voting rights.

NSTAB’s initial workplan, published in August 2024 and aligned with the Scottish Government’s Smart and Integrated Ticketing and Payment Strategy, sets objectives for 2024–2028. These focus on advising Ministers across three statutory functions: the strategic development of smart ticketing, national technological standards, and wider ticketing arrangements.

Significant progress has been made in this first reporting period. Key outputs include the ‘Benchmarking Review,’ a comprehensive analysis of existing Scottish ticketing systems and international comparators. It identified fragmentation, accessibility gaps, and inconsistent technological standards. In response, NSTAB is preparing a Standards & Technical Advisory Report with strategic and technical recommendations.

The Board also identified and is advancing several "quick win" projects, including enhancing integrated bus tickets, piloting multi-modal QR standards, and opportunities to develop transitional ticketing for under-22s. In parallel, it contributed to policy initiatives such as the Fair Fares Review and Climate Change Action Plan and engaged with UK-wide developments like Project Coral’s cEMV broker solution.

Although no recommendations have yet been issued to Ministers, NSTAB’s research and stakeholder engagement have laid the foundation for submissions in summer 2025. The Board operates under established public body governance, supported by Transport Scotland and overseen by the Director of Bus and Active Travel.

NSTAB's early contributions represent an important step toward shaping smart, integrated, and inclusive ticketing systems that support a more equitable and sustainable public transport network in Scotland.

Reporting Period

November 2023 – March 2025

As the Board was formally commenced towards the end of the 2023-24 financial year, this first annual report includes the November 2023 inception meeting and January 2024 start meeting, which would otherwise require a separate report. All future annual reports will be specific to the previous financial year.

Overview of the Board

Legislation

The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (“NSTAB”) is a relatively new public body, arising from Section 27C of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001, as inserted by Section 43 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019.

It is further supported by the following secondary legislation

  • The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (Public Services Reform) (Scotland) Order 2024 (2024 No. 129)
  • The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (Gender Representation on Public Boards) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 (2023 No. 156)
  • The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (Scotland) Regulations 2023 (2023 No. 80)

Purpose

The Board’s key functions are to advise Scottish Ministers on smart ticketing arrangements and the national technological standard for smart ticketing. The Board also has the function of issuing advice and recommendations to the Scottish Ministers in relation to the strategic development of smart ticketing in Scotland.

NSTAB is an advisory board, rather than a delivery body, its function is to provide insight led, objective technical advice that will inform Ministers decision making, rather than to deliver ticketing schemes directly.

An inception meeting was held in November 2023, which covered the governance arrangements applicable to the Board, member inductions, initial introductions, meeting schedule approval and formal inception of the Board as an Advisory non-departmental public body. This was followed by the first ‘working’ meeting in January 2024. The Board meet every 8 weeks, with six meetings held in 2024 and three to date in 2025. Meetings are hybrid, a mixture of in person and online, with the Chair, Sponsor and Secretariat normally attending in person.

NSTAB published its initial four-year workplan in August 2024, covering the period up to 2028. The plan was made with specific reference to Transport Scotland’s Smart and Integrated Ticketing and Payment Strategy, which was published the same month.