Stagecoach East Scotland’s AB1 service from Edinburgh Park to Ferrytoll, which was the UK’s first full-size autonomous bus service, will come to an end due to low passenger numbers on 14 February 2025, the operator has announced.
The CAVForth project, which was billed as a trial when it was launched in May 2023, involved five self-driven Alexander Dennis Enviro200AV shuttling the 14-mile route across the Forth Road Bridge.
A statement from Stagecoach East Scotland reads: “We are proud to have achieved a world-first with this service, demonstrating the potential for self-driving technology on a real-world registered timetable in East Scotland.
“While this was a trial of cutting-edge technology and a new route linking Ferrytoll with Edinburgh Park, passenger numbers have been too low to continue operating the service beyond the project’s end.
“We sincerely thank you for your support and custom during this innovative project, it has provided a wealth of learnings that will inform the continued development of autonomous technology in the UK.”
The buses have two members of staff on board – one to monitor the technology and another to take tickets and deal with customer enquiries.
Part-funded by the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), the project was the result of a collaboration between Fusion Processing Ltd, Stagecoach, Alexander Dennis, Transport Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University, Bristol Robotics Lab, and the University of the West of England.
Prior to its launch, it was announced that the service would be extended by 20 miles to Dunfermline.
