Stagecoach announce bus fare increase for the Highlands and Moray

Stagecoach is set to hike bus fares by nearly five per cent from next month.

The operator said fares would increase on average by 4.8 per cent as of Sunday May 8.

This is cover what the company called “rising costs of running bus services” in the region.

Since 2019, costs across the bus industry have risen by around 12 per cent, mainly driven by fuel and staff wage increases.

Fares increases being made are below the annual rate of inflation (CPI) of 8.2 per cent.

Meanwhile te operator will shortly introduce 25 fully electric buses as part of an investment of £21.4m across Scotland which will improve air quality and support the Scottish Government’s environmental targets.

Peter Knight, Managing Director for Stagecoach Bluebird said: “Stagecoach has consistently delivered some of the lowest ticket prices in the country and we are committed to continuing to keep fares as low as possible for our passengers.

“Like many sectors of the economy, bus operators are seeing significant cost inflation, primarily driven by increased fuel and staffing costs. At the same time, the money bus operators receive in fares to keep services running remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels.

“As well as paying for the day to day running of the country’s vital bus networks, ticket costs help us to continue investing in improvements for our passengers, and pay for bus workers who have worked hard to keep communities connected and services running during the pandemic.”

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