£2 bus fares introduced across Ayrshire and the wider west of Scotland

• Single bus journeys within the SPT area will cost no more than £2 from Monday 7 September
• The new fare applies across a wide range of Stagecoach services, including journeys around Ayrshire and longer trips into Glasgow
• Customers can pay on board by contactless or cash, with day, weekly and longer-duration tickets continuing to offer choice for regular travellers

Bus customers across Ayrshire and the wider west of Scotland will be able to make single bus journeys for no more than £2 from Monday 7 September, as a new Scottish Government-funded fare scheme gets underway across the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) area.

Customers will always pay the lower fare where an existing single journey costs less than £2.

The new £2 fare can be used on a wide range of Stagecoach services, covering everything from short journeys across town and longer trips into town from surrounding communities, to express services travelling into Glasgow.

Examples include journeys between Ayr and Largs on service 585, Ayr and Ballantrae on services 358 and 360, and longer-distance journeys between Ayrshire and Glasgow on services X76 and X77.

For journeys that travel beyond the SPT area, the £2 fare will apply to the part of the journey within the scheme area, with the usual fare applying for the remainder of the journey.

Customers can buy their single ticket on board the bus and pay by contactless or cash.

For those who use the bus regularly or use multiple services when travelling, Stagecoach’s range of day, weekly and longer-duration tickets will continue to provide choice and may offer better value than buying multiple £2 singles.

Fiona Doherty, Managing Director of Stagecoach South Scotland, said:

“We’re pleased to support the Scottish Government’s £2 single fare initiative, giving customers across Ayrshire and the wider west of Scotland another affordable and convenient way to travel by bus.

“Whether it’s a short journey across town, a longer trip into town or an express journey into Glasgow, the new fare gives customers greater flexibility when choosing how they travel.

“With Catch the Bus Month also taking place throughout September, it’s a great opportunity to leave the car at home, give the bus a try and see where it can take you.”

The introduction of the £2 single fare follows the Scottish Government’s commitment to extend affordable bus travel across more of Scotland, building on the success of its pilot scheme in the Highlands and Islands.

Customers can find full details of the scheme, including the routes and journeys covered, frequently asked questions and a map showing the scheme boundaries, on the Stagecoach website before travelling.