10% rise in bus passengers crossing the Forth Road Bridge

Stagecoach has announced a 10 per cent increase in passengers one year after cars switched to the Queensferry Crossing, leaving the Forth Bridge to buses.

The bus company operates 350 journeys per day across the bridge, connecting Fife and beyond with Edinburgh city centre, Edinburgh Airport and Livingston.

Express coaches operate up to every five minutes from Fife to the capital.

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The company says the increase means it now carries 80,000 passengers per week over the bridge.

Douglas Robertson, commercial director, Stagecoach East Scotland said: “The public transport corridor has provided longer bus lanes, which means more reliable services and quicker journeys as well as improved connectivity through the use of park and ride sites.

“Our investment in new vehicles throughout 2018 also had a positive impact on passenger usage.

“We launched 19 new coaches last year all operating over the Forth Road Bridge marking a spend of £5.1m and a significant investment in our Express City Connect network.

“The investment in bus priority measures on this corridor delivered direct improvements for our customers and a positive impact on usage of our coach network, proving that a commitment to developing public transport in terms of resource and infrastructure can have measured effect on passenger use, taking more cars off the road and improving the air quality of our towns and cities.”

The bridge was turned into a public transport corridor on February 2, 2018.