£2 bus fare cap pilot launches in Orkney

Bus passengers in Orkney are the latest in the Highlands and Islands to benefit from a £2 cap on fares from Monday (March 9).  

The year-long Scottish Government pilot scheme aims to make bus travel easier and cheaper, while encouraging greater use of public transport. 

It caps the maximum single adult bus fare at £2, with participating operators reimbursed by Transport Scotland. 

The scheme was introduced in Shetland on January 30 and in the Western Isles on February 23. 

The roll out will also continue across Highland, Moray and Argyll and Bute from March 23. 

The Scottish Government is working with Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) and Shetland’s Transport Partnership (ZetTrans) 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: “It’s great to see that the £2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot is now live in Orkney, following the earlier launches in Shetland and the Western Isles. This means that, for the duration of the pilot, no one will pay more than £2 for a bus journey in Orkney, the Western Isles or Shetland. 

“The pilot delivers on a key Scottish Government Budget commitment and aims to make bus travel more affordable, improve access for low-income communities, and support sustainable travel for people across the HiTrans and ZetTrans regions.  

“With the pilot now live across Orkney, the Western Isles and Shetland, it is already helping to make everyday travel simpler and cheaper 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 as the pilot continues.” 

Ranald Robertson, Partnership Director for HITRANS, said: “The fare cap pilot could have major benefits  for the Highlands and Islands. 

“It will improve the affordability and accessibility of bus travel, with the expected increased use of public transport helping to make services more sustainable.” 

Kristopher Leask, an Orkney Islands Council councillor and HITRANS board member, said:  

“I'm delighted to see the bus fare cap launch in the Highlands and Islands, and Orkney specifically. 

“Buses are first and foremost public services, making amenities and travel accessible to our community.  

“The bus fare cap proposed by HITRANS and secured by Scottish Green MSP's with the Scottish Government is a step in the right direction. 

“Bus services should be run for the public interest and accessible to all, this pilot is the start of wider reform that we at HITRANS are working towards.  

“I look forward to hearing from our community what their experiences of the pilot are and continuing our nationally leading increases in bus user numbers here in Orkney."