Statutory Function 3 (SF3)
To advise the Scottish Ministers in relation to their functions insofar as they relate to smart ticketing arrangements.
This Statutory Function requires the completion of initial evidence gathering and baselining work and is not scheduled to commence until 2025/26. Progress in this area will be recorded from 2025/26 onwards.
Contribution to wider policymaking
The Board has contributed to wider Transport Scotland Work streams, including the NTS2, and information sharing between Board and Scottish Government via the Transport Scotland member.
Advice to Scottish Ministers
As of 30 June 2025, there have been no direct recommendations to Ministers. The first Ministerial recommendations are likely to be put forward in summer 2025 via the proposed Standards & Technical Advisory Report following the conclusion of the baselining work undertaken in year one.
Dissenting Opinions
There were no dissenting opinions during the reporting period.
Governance
The Board is chaired by Dr Andrew Seedhouse, supported by a Transport Scotland supplied secretariat. Due to resourcing issues in 2024, this has been offered by a joint secretariat/sponsor post for part of the reporting period.
The Board reports directly to the Scottish Ministers, facilitated by a Transport Scotland Sponsor. Sponsorship sits separately to Transport Scotland’s’ membership of the Board, which is appointed to in representation of the national concessionary scheme and the Scottish Ministers vision for smart and integrated ticketing. Sponsorship sits within Transport Scotland’s overall smart ticketing policy and delivery function. Transport Scotland have published both a statement on the relationship between Scottish Government and the Board, and the mandatory Framework Agreement.
Director of Bus and Active Travel Bettina Sizeland is the Senior Responsible Officer for NSTAB and has attended initial meetings in an observer capacity during its mobilisation, to ensure early activity and founding principles are aligned with the statutory purpose of the Board.
The Board have in place a specific conduct, expenses, and appraisal policy, which are referenced in the terms and conditions of membership. Members are required to attend a formal induction on appointment, which gives more detailed information about the purpose of the Board, the expectations of members, and key contacts for complaints or ‘whistleblowing.’
The Board is subject to the standard governance arrangements for sponsored public bodies as set by Scottish Ministers.
Finance
Funding for Board activities is administered directly by Transport Scotland in line with the Scottish Public Finance Manual and subject to Scottish Government governance and controls.
Membership of the Board is voluntary, however members are entitled to claim for reasonable expenses, such as travel costs. In line with other Transport Scotland advisory bodies, any associated spend is accounted for within Transport Scotland’s own accounts.
Reflection and Forward Planning
As NSTAB progresses into Year Two of its workplan, the focus now turns from evidence gathering to shaping formal advice for Ministers, centred on the development of the Board’s first Standards & Technical Advisory Report, due for submission in summer 2025. This will mark a significant transition from research to recommendation, consolidating the insights gained during the first reporting period into clear, actionable proposals.
A key milestone in this process will be the NSTAB Technical Standards Workshop, scheduled for May 2025. This dedicated session will bring together the sector led members, technical advisors, and external stakeholders to test assumptions, refine priorities, and help structure the Standards & Technical Advisory Report. Drawing on the Benchmarking Review, international best practice, and supplier engagements, the workshop will ensure the recommendations are evidence-led, feasible, and aligned with policy ambitions.
The Standards & Technical Advisory Report will outline a pathway toward greater integration, accessibility, and consistency across Scotland’s smart ticketing systems. It will focus on priority actions needed to support the Scottish Government’s Smart Delivery Strategy, Fair Fares Review, and Climate Change Action Plan. These will include recommendations on the adoption of national technological standards, customer-centric ticketing models, and scalable account-based and contactless solutions.
Year Two will also see the further development of the "quick win" initiatives initiated during 2024, including enhanced integrated ticketing pilots, retail standardisation efforts, and the continued promotion of inclusive design practices. These short-term actions will complement the longer-term reforms proposed in the Advisory Report.
Together, the May workshop, Advisory Report, and ongoing workstreams will form a coordinated response to Scotland’s strategic smart ticketing ambitions. They signal the Board’s transition from groundwork to leadership, and from exploration to impact, laying the foundations for a smarter, simpler, and fairer ticketing future.