Stagecoach and Highland Council have teamed up to provide a week of free bus travel for passengers in Badenoch and Strathspey.
Instead of paying a fare, passengers will be able to hop on board buses within the Strathspey ticket zone and travel free of charge between Monday 26 February and Sunday 3 March 2024.
Passengers who have a free U22, 60+ or disabled concessionary bus pass should use their pass as normal to travel.
The initiative is being supported through Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) funding, which is aimed at encouraging more people to reduce their car use in favour of more sustainable alternatives such as walking, cycling and public transport.
Stagecoach North Scotland Managing Director David Beaton said:
“By providing a week of free travel in partnership with Highland Council, we hope to encourage more people to choose the bus for their commuting and leisure travel over the next week, and in the future.”
Chair of Highland Council’s Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee, Cllr Russell Jones, said:
“I am delighted that the Council is partnering with Stagecoach for this initiative to provide free bus travel across Badenoch and Strathspey next week.
“Hopefully this will encourage more people to consider bus travel in the future, reduce the reliance on cars, and represent another way in which we can reduce the region’s carbon footprint.”
Stagecoach drivers in Aviemore were recently rewarded for their green driving skills, with four drivers achieving Fleet Elite awards this year, under a comprehensive driving safety measurement programme managed by GreenRoad, whose safety & telematics system serves professional drivers in the UK, Ireland, Europe, the Middle East, America, Australia and New Zealand.
Last year Stagecoach launched the Aviemore Adventurer (service 30) in the area, which offers those taking part in walking, cycling and skiing activities the opportunity to travel most sustainably between Aviemore and Cairngorm Mountain Car Park.
The specially-fitted vehicle can carry bicycles and snow sports equipment, and no reservation is required.
Stagecoach has also recently invested £40m in renewing their fleet across the Highlands.
This investment included 40 new Euro 6 vehicles for Aviemore and Tain, to further renew the fleet and reduce carbon emissions on longer distance routes, as part of an ongoing investment into improving public transport in the area.
Free travel extends to the following bus services:
- 133
- 136
- 137
- 138
- 139
- 140
- 337
- 30
- 37 / 37A
- X37
- 39
- M39
This free travel offer also extends to services to and from Inverness, however, free travel offer does NOT apply to local Inverness services.
