Perth and Kinross residents to enjoy free bus travel once a month as part of new initiative

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Perth and Kinross residents can enjoy free bus travel on the first Saturday of the month from April 2024.The one-year initiative was agreed as councillors set the 2024/25 budget and follows on from the free bus travel offered to Christmas shoppers on Saturdays in December.Elected members agreed to allocate £120,000 for the scheme and an investment of £325,000 over three years to develop a fully-costed business case for new models of public transport delivery.The news comes in the same week Stagecoach proposed a raft of changes to local bus services.

Announcing the free bus scheme SNP council leader Grant Laing said: "This will encourage more people to make the switch to public transport, as well as demonstrating to commercial operators where there is potential growth in passenger numbers." Councillors also agreed to fully reject the officers' proposal of a £775,000 reduction in local bus service provision with councillors from across the chamber demonstrating a desire to not only protect bus services but improve them.The Labour group tabled a £325,000 Buses 2030 proposal to look at changing the way public transport works which the SNP agreed to incorporate into its budget.Bailie Alasdair Bailey represents the Carse of Gowrie ward which he said has been "disproportionately" affected by the timetable service changes announced by Stagecoach.

He said: "Invergowrie, Longforgan, Inchture, Errol are left with no buses you can hail apart from the 8pm and Sunday ones supported by the council.

But this is not time for the rest of you to have your heads in the sand. This is coming to your wards too; you mark my words!" The Labour councillor described the Stagecoach announcement as a "timely reminder" that "the current model just