£2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot Launches In Highland, Moray And Argyll And Bute
Thousands of bus passengers will enjoy more affordable bus travel with the launch of a £2 fare cap from today (Monday, March 23).
People across Highland, Moray and Argyll and Bute will benefit from the year-long Scottish Government pilot scheme.
They join those in Shetland, where the scheme was introduced on January 30, the Western Isles, which joined on February 23, and Orkney on March 2.
As well as making bus travel easier and cheaper, the initiative is also aimed at encouraging greater use of public transport.
It caps the maximum single adult bus fare at £2, with participating operators reimbursed by Transport Scotland.
The government is working with Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) to deliver the Regional Bus Fare Cap Pilot in a £10 million investment.
It is expected to have a significant impact in rural and island areas where journeys can be longer and fares can be comparatively high.
Cutting travel costs can therefore ease financial pressures, particularly on lower-income households, while improving connectivity to employment, education, healthcare and other services.
Making travel more affordable is also expected to lead to a rise in the number of people swapping cars for buses which can help support and improve existing services.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop said: “I’m really pleased to see the £2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot now live right across the Highlands and Islands, delivering on a key Scottish Government Budget commitment.
“This means that both local and longer journeys will be significantly cheaper for passengers in the area, making everyday travel simpler while supporting more people to choose sustainable transport.
“I look forward to seeing the positive impact it brings for local communities and the wider region throughout the pilot.”
HITRANS chair Uisdean Robertson said: “The bus fare cap pilot is fantastic news for the Highlands and Islands.
“It will make bus travel cheaper and more accessible, particularly for lower-income families.
“It will also encourage greater use of public transport and strengthen the sustainability of local bus services.”
Robert Andrew, a HITRANS board member and chair of the Bus Service Improvement Partnership Group, said: “It is great that residents and visitors in the HITRANS area will benefit from the £2 bus fare cap.
“With the volatility and increases in fuel prices adding to cost of living pressures, making bus travel cheaper at this time will hopefully encourage many people to switch to bus travel and help to reduce congestion and emissions across the area.”