John Swinney says scheme to cap bus fares offers travellers a ‘huge saving’

A pilot scheme that will cap single bus fares at £2 offers a “huge saving” for travellers, John Swinney has said.

The First Minister was speaking as he visited Inverness in the Highlands – one of the areas of Scotland chosen by the Scottish Government to trial the cut-price travel scheme.

The fare cap initiative, announced as part of the latest Scottish Budget, has already been introduced in both Shetland and the Western Isles.

In the wake of that, it is due to be introduced in Orkney on Monday March 9, and then in the Highland, Moray and Argyll and Bute areas two weeks later on March 23.

Mr Swinney said the scheme “makes bus travel more affordable for everyone and improves access for low-income communities in rural areas”.

A single adult fare from Wick to Inverness is currently £31, while the cost for an adult to take the bus from Elgin to Inverness stands at £15.60 – with Mr Swinney saying the £2 fare cap “is a huge saving”.

Speaking on a visit to Inverness bus station, where he met apprentices who use buses to get to and from work, the First Minister said that the scheme is about “making it easier and cheaper for people to get around”.

Mr Swinney said: “The pilot will help to significantly reduce costs of travel across the Highland network. For example, a single adult fare from Elgin to Inverness, currently £15.60, would be capped at £2.

“This is just one measure we are taking to help people with the rising cost of living, including scrapping peak rail fares to help commuters, and continuing to provide free bus travel for under 22s, over 60s and disabled people.”