THE Scottish Government is providing additional funding of up to £29 million to help bus operators maintain services during the coronavirus pandemic.
It takes the total support for bus services already provided of up to £162.3m since June.
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “We know how vital bus services are in keeping Scotland moving during the challenges faced by the Covid-19 pandemic – ensuring people can travel to work, access health services, or visit their loved ones. The funding fills the gap between the additional costs of running services due to Covid-19 and severely reduced ticket income due to reduced demand from fare-paying passengers and the impact of physical distancing measures.”
The Transport Secretary added: “While we remain committed to supporting our transport network and doing all we can to help the bus industry deliver services, we also ask the public to follow the latest travel guidance and walk, wheel or cycle wherever they can.”
Meanwhile, Unite Scotland taxi driver members will hold a mobile protest at the Scottish Parliament this morning over what they say is lack of support for their industry compared to other forms of transport.
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