MSP challenged planned 10% increase in bus fares for Highland residents
Stagecoach have informed local authorities who fall under the HiTrans Regional Transport Partnership that they intend to implement the fare increases from Sunday.
Councils were informed this week that fares will increase by an average of 10.2%.
The firm also intends to withdraw all child multi-ride tickets and only have child singles available for those who do not have a free bus pass, reflecting the popularity of the free bus travel for under-22s scheme introduced following negotiations between the Scottish Greens and the Scottish Government.
Across Scotland, over 50 million free journeys have been undertaken using the free bus pass for under-22s since they were introduced in January 2022.
Ariane Burgess, the Scottish Green MSP for the Highlands & Islands said: “While I am delighted that so many young people in the Highlands & Islands are using free bus travel, it’s dismaying to see bus companies like Stagecoach make fares ever more expensive.”
Stagecoach operated at a profit of £72.7m in the last financial year and reported £1.17bn of revenue growth.
She added: “I am very proud that the Scottish Greens have introduced free bus travel and that so many are benefiting. It is opening up our communities and our country, while helping our planet.
"It is a measure of the impact we are having with Scottish Greens in government and a big step towards a more sustainable and better connected future.
“With free bus travel in place for young people, and the scrapping of peak rail fares on the way, we are working to ensure that public transport is the best and most cost-effective option but this work is being undermined by repeated and unsustainable cost increases.”
“I would encourage those who have yet done so to visit Freebus.scot and register for their card today and urge local authorities to make use of the £46m Community Bus Fund available over the course of this Parliament to explore running their own bus services.”
