The pilot of the Trossachs Explorer Shuttle Bus, launched by Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, has come to an end, having welcomed 5,137 passengers during its run from 1st July to 30th September 2024. Having exceeded expectations, the hope is that similar public transport services will operate in 2025, subject to appropriate funding being secured.
The transport pilot is one of the first projects announced as part of the new National Park Partnership Plan which sets out a long-term vision for the National Park as a thriving place that is nature positive and carbon negative, with more sustainable transport to and around the Park playing an important part.
Of the millions of visitors to the National Park each year, 79% travel by car*. The dominance of car travel is one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions in the National Park and puts huge pressure on popular locations and their communities, with parking and congestion.
Having run seven days a week between key visitor locations, including Aberfoyle and Callander, the Trossachs Explorer made it easier for visitors and locals to access some of the Park’s most scenic areas without needing a car. The pilot also linked with services from Stirling and Glasgow to enhance car-free accessibility. Impressively, 52% of passengers travelled for free under the National Concession Card schemes, including young people under 22 and those over 60, highlighting the bus’s success in opening up the Trossachs to a diverse range of audiences.
Posted On: 08/10/2024
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