Stakeholder Comms Toolkit

Purpose

This toolkit provides stakeholders with clear, consistent messaging and practical resources to help promote the £2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot. It enables partners (Regional Transport Partnerships, operators, local authorities, community groups, etc.) to amplify awareness and understanding through their own channels. This will help to ensure passengers know what the pilot is, where and when it applies, and how to access accurate information.

Communications and marketing activities are being implemented in three phases;

Phase One: ZetTrans (Shetland) operational implementation
Phase Two: HiTrans (Highlands and Islands) operational implementation
Phase Three: pilot closure

This Stakeholder Toolkit covers Phase One and part of Phase Two of our activities. Further iterations of the toolkit will be published.

Background

The Scottish Government’s £2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot is a 12-month initiative to introduce a simplified fare structure to make bus travel more affordable and easier to understand. Supported by a £10 million investment, the pilot is designed to:

Encourage modal shift by increasing fare-paying patronage.
Promote equity by supporting low-income passengers and those in fragile communities.
Improve access to employment, education, and essential services.
Test feasibility of a fare cap model, including financial and operational viability.
Identify opportunities to protect and enhance the bus network.

Following a successful Expression of Interest process, the Scottish Government is working jointly with Regional Transport Partnerships HiTrans and ZetTrans to deliver the pilot in Shetland and the Highlands and Islands region.

The pilot is being introduced in a phased approach:

It commenced on 30 January 2026 in the ZetTrans region, meaning across the Shetland Islands single journey tickets on participating local bus services cost passengers £2 until January 2027.
It commenced on 23 February 2026 in the Western Isles, which is part of the HiTrans region, meaning across the Western Isles single journey tickets on participating local bus services cost passengers £2 until February 2027.

Journeys made under the National Concessionary Travel Schemes remain unchanged.

Find out more at transport.gov.scot/twopound.

Phase One

Shetland

Tone

Factual, clear, neutral, and helpful. Avoid political framing.

Assets

A range of promotional resources are available for download to help partners and stakeholders in their communications about the pilot. This includes social media graphics, posters and screen display graphics.

You can view and download resources from our Google Drive.

You can also access editable social media graphics which will allow you to add your logo on Canva via the links below. Please ensure you create a copy of any template before editing, the master versions should not be altered.

Key lines

Headline

“Bus journeys for £2 in Shetland.”

Core message

“From 30 January, single adult and child bus fares in Shetland are capped at £2 as part of a 12-month Scottish Government pilot.”

Call to action

More info: transport.gov.scot/twopound

Key points

Applies to single tickets only (adult and child).
Concessionary travel is unchanged.
Available on all participating local bus services in Shetland.
The pilot is scheduled to run for a 12 month period and will end in Shetland in January 2027.

Key lines for Gaelic translations

Headline

“Tursan bus airson £2 ann an Sealtainn.”

Core message

“Bho 30 Faoilleach, tha prìsean tiocaidean bus singilte inbheach is cloinne ann an Sealtainn air an cuingealachadh ri £2 mar phàirt de phìleat Riaghaltas na h‑Alba. Thig am pìleat gu crìch ann am Faoilleach 2027.”

Call-to-action

“Barrachd fiosrachaidh: transport.gov.scot/twopound”

Copy library

Short-form copy (social posts, posters, etc.)

“Bus journeys for £2 in Shetland – from 30 January for 12 months. Single adult and child tickets only. Ends January 2027. More info at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

“Take the bus for £2! From 30 January, single fares in Shetland are capped at £2. Pilot ends January 2027. Visit transport.gov.scot/twopound for details.”

“£2 fares are here! From 30 January, single bus tickets in Shetland cost no more than £2. Find out more at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

“Affordable travel starts now. £2 single bus fares in Shetland from 30 January. Ends January 2027. Learn more at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

“Your bus journey for just £2. Shetland pilot starts 30 January. Single tickets only. Visit transport.gov.scot/twopound”

Medium-form copy (Facebook, LinkedIn, newsletters, etc.)

“Big news for bus users in Shetland! From 30 January, single fares are capped at £2 as part of a 12-month pilot. This means cheaper, simpler travel for everyone. The pilot ends January 2027. Find out how you can travel for less at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

“Travel for less with £2 single bus fares in Shetland. From 30 January, local bus services are offering capped fares for adult and child single tickets. Available for a limited 12 month period. Find all the details at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

“Making bus travel more affordable. From 30 January, Shetland passengers pay no more than £2 for single journey tickets. Available until January 2027. Concessionary travel is unchanged. Want to know how you can take part? Visit transport.gov.scot/twopound”

“From 30 January, single bus fares in Shetland cost no more than £2. This is part of a Scottish Government pilot to make bus travel more affordable and support sustainable transport. The pilot is available until January 2027. Concessionary travel remains unchanged. Find out more at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

Long-form copy (blogs, mailshots, press releases, etc.)

“From 30 January, the Scottish Government and ZetTrans are introducing a £2 bus fare cap pilot in Shetland. This means all single bus fares cost no more than £2 on participating local services. The pilot aims to make bus travel more affordable, support sustainable transport, and gather evidence for future fare policy. It runs until January 2027. Concessionary travel remains unchanged. For full details on how you can hop on board and save money, visit transport.gov.scot/twopound”

“We’re excited to announce that from 30 January, bus travel in Shetland is capped at £2 for single journey tickets. This 12-month pilot is part of a Scottish Government and ZetTrans initiative to make public transport more accessible and affordable. Available for a limited time only so hop on board now! For more information, including FAQs and eligibility details, visit transport.gov.scot/twopound.”

“Cheaper bus travel is here! Starting 30 January, single fares in Shetland cost no more than £2. This pilot is designed to help reduce travel costs, encourage sustainable transport, and support local communities. Available until January 2027. Learn more at transport.gov.scot/twopound.”

Phase Two

Western Isles

Tone

Factual, clear, neutral, and helpful. Avoid political framing.

Assets

You can view and download resources from our Google Drive folder.

Key lines

Headline

“£2 bus fares in the Western Isles”

Core message

“From 23 February 2026, single adult and child bus fares in the Western Isles are capped at £2 as part of a 12-month Scottish Government pilot.”

Call to action

More info: transport.gov.scot/twopound

Key points

Applies to single tickets only (adult and child).
Concessionary travel is unchanged.
Available on all participating local bus services in the Western Isles.
The pilot is scheduled to run for a 12 month period and will end in the Western Isles in February 2027.
The pilot is launched in Shetland on 30 January 2026 and will end there in January 2027.

Key lines for Gaelic translations

Headline

“Taraidean bus £2 anns na h‑Eileanan Siar”

Core message

“Bho 23 Gearran 2026, thèid taraidean bus singilte dha inbhich agus clann anns na h‑Eileanan Siar a chur aig £2 mar phàirt de phìleat 12‑mìosan aig Riaghaltas na h‑Alba.”

Call-to-action

“Barrachd fiosrachaidh: transport.gov.scot/twopound”

Copy library

Short-form copy (social posts, posters, etc.)

“£2 bus fares in the Western Isles! Single journeys capped at £2 for 12 months from 23 February. More info at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

“Bus journeys for £2 in the Western Isles. From 23 February, single adult and child tickets are capped at £2 for 12 months. Find out more at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

“Travel for £2 across the Western Isles. Single fares capped at £2 for one year from 23 February. Visit: transport.gov.scot/twopound”

Medium-form copy (Facebook, LinkedIn, newsletters, etc.)

“The £2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot launches in the Western Isles on 23 February 2026. For 12 months, single fares on participating routes will be capped at £2, helping make everyday travel simpler and more affordable. The pilot also supports more sustainable travel choices across the islands. Learn more at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

“From 23 February, bus users in the Western Isles can benefit from £2 single fares on participating routes as part of a year‑long pilot. The initiative aims to make bus travel simpler and reduce costs for passengers. Concessionary travel remains unchanged. Learn more about how you can save on travel costs at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

“Cheaper bus travel is here in the Western Isles! From 23 February 2026, single fares on participating bus routes are capped at £2 for 12 months. The pilot offers a simple way to save on everyday journeys while supporting more sustainable travel across the islands. Find out more at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

Long-form copy (blogs, mailshots, press releases, etc.)

The Scottish Government and HiTrans are introducing the £2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot in the Western Isles. From 23 February 2026, single fares on participating bus services are capped at £2. The pilot runs for 12 months, until February 2027. It aims to make bus travel more affordable, support a shift to sustainable transport and provide data to inform future approaches to fares policy. Concessionary travel schemes remain unchanged. Find out more at transport.gov.scot/twopound.

“Great news for bus users in the Western Isles! Single fares on participating routes are now capped at £2 as part of a 12‑month pilot, following the initial launch in Shetland. The pilot makes everyday journeys more affordable - whether travelling to work, heading to school, visiting friends or exploring the islands. Find out more about how you can hop on board and save money at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

“£2 single bus fares are now live in the Western Isles. Participating services are offering capped £2 single fares, helping make everyday travel easier and more affordable for residents and visitors alike. This 12-month pilot is part of a Scottish Government and HiTrans initiative to make public transport more accessible and affordable, reducing everyday travel costs and encouraging more people to choose the bus. See how the £2 bus fare works at transport.gov.scot/twopound”

Accessibility and language guidance

Use a colour contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 (3:1 for large scale), in line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2. A ratio of 7:1 is preferable for print assets. Our assets follow the Transport Scotland colour palette for accessible contrast and brand recognition.
Use a simple and easily readable font for better legibility.
Optimum font size for print assets is 16pt. This ensures legibility on posters and other out-of-home formats.
Provide alt text for all digital images.
Use plain English; avoid jargon.
Consider whether Gaelic translations would be helpful in your communications, where possible.
Ensure PDFs and web content are screen reader compatible.
Include QR codes alongside short URLs for easy mobile access.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the £2 bus fare cap pilot?

The £2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot is a 12-month Scottish Government initiative designed to make bus travel more affordable and easier to understand. Under the pilot, single journey fares on participating local bus services will cost no more than £2.

The pilot is being delivered jointly with HiTrans and ZetTrans and will run across Shetland, and the Highlands and Islands region (excluding Helensburgh and Lomond).

This 12 month pilot is being introduced on a phased basis, beginning in Shetland on 30 January, the Western Isles on 23 February, and rolled out at a later date across the wider Highlands and Islands region.

For more information visit transport.gov.scot/twopound.

Q. When does it start and end?

The 12 month pilot is being introduced on a phased basis. It launched in Shetland on 30 January and ends in January 2027. It launched in the Western Isles on 23 February and ends in February 2027.

It is also being rolled out across the wider Highlands and Islands region and dates will be confirmed in due course.

Find out more information at transport.gov.scot/twopound.

Q. Which bus services are included?

Registered local bus services where the operator has agreed to take part in the pilot are eligible. Premium-fare services are excluded from the pilot, e.g. tour buses, premium night services or private-hire services.

If you are unsure, contact the bus operator directly to check if your route is included.

Q. Does it apply to return tickets, day tickets, or season passes?

No.

The £2 cap applies only to single journey tickets. Return, day, multi‑journey, and season‑ticket products are not included.

Q. Are child fares included?

Yes.

The fare cap applies to child single tickets as well as adult single tickets, if the cost of the fare is usually over £2.

However, children and young people under the age of 22 are eligible for free travel with a valid National Entitlement Card (or Young Scot NEC) through the existing National Concessionary Travel Schemes. Visit transport.gov.scot/under22 for more information.

Q. Does this affect concessionary travel?

No.

The pilot does not affect the National Concessionary Travel Schemes. Concessionary cardholders can continue to access free journeys with a valid National Entitlement Card. Visit transport.gov.scot/concessionary-travel for more information.

Q. How do I know if my journey is eligible?

A journey is eligible if:

it is a single adult or child journey
the bus service is a participating, registered local bus service operating entirely within the relevant Regional Transport Partnership (RTP) area

Passengers should check:

operator websites and social channels
local posters and bus stop information
transport.gov.scot/twopound

Q. Will the pilot expand to other areas?

No.

The pilot is limited to the two selected Regional Transport Partnership areas - HiTrans and ZetTrans - following an Expression of Interest process overseen by the Scottish Government. There are no plans to expand the pilot to additional regions.

Q. Why is the Scottish Government running this pilot?

The pilot aims to:

improve affordability for passengers
support modal shift towards sustainable transport
promote equity in fragile and rural communities
improve access to employment, education, and essential services
test the feasibility of a flat‑fare model and gather evidence to inform future national fare policy

Q. What happens when the pilot ends?

The pilot is due to run for 12 months. After that point, normal commercial or local authority fare structures will resume. Please be aware that, as this will be one year from launch, commercial fare prices may have increased. Check with your bus operator before travelling.

Q. Where can I find more information?

Information on the £2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot, including eligibility details and updates, is available at transport.gov.scot/twopound.

Contact

For more information on the £2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot, please visit transport.gov.scot/twopound

Passengers looking for information on the Pilot’s policy should contact RBFP@transport.gov.scot.

If you are a bus operator or local authority and need help or advice about the £2 Bus Fare Cap pilot please contact Lorraine.Caddle@transport.gov.scot and Laura.McKenna@transport.gov.scot.

If you need advice on the pilot communications please contact Gillian.Kelly@transport.gov.scot and Rachael.Morris@transport.gov.scot.