The areas which will trial a £2 bus fare cap in Scotland throughout 2026 have been confirmed.
Following a £10 million investment from the Scottish Government, the 12-month-long project will cover the Highland, Moray, Argyll and Bute and island communities in the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland.
The Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) HiTrans and ZetTrans were selected to deliver the scheme, which is designed to make bus travel more affordable and accessible.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop says: “Scotland’s public transport system is a key enabler for growth and opportunity, helping people and communities to connect to jobs, education, retail, public services, leisure, social and family networks.
“I am pleased to confirm the establishment of the bus fare cap pilot, another way in which we can help people to make positive and proactive travel choice to use bus and address affordability issues.
“I very much look forward to working with HiTrans and ZetTrans, and relevant bus operators within these areas, to progress the launch of the pilot and make bus travel more affordable, improve access for low-income communities, and support sustainable travel for people across those regions.”
Greig Mackay, Bus Users UK’s Director for Scotland, who was one of four representatives on the panel to consider bids from four different RTPs to run the pilot, welcomes the scheme.
“Bus Users UK advocates for the millions of passengers across Scotland who rely on these lifeline services,” he says. “Playing such a central role in this process ensures passengers are fully represented in decisions that will affect communities across the region.
“Making bus travel more affordable doesn’t just benefit the people who rely on it – it encourages modal shift which reduces congestion and improves services reliability, making buses more viable and protecting them for the future.”
