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Self-driving bus service beginning in Scotland this month

02 May 2023

Stagecoach will begin what is believed by the UK government to be the world’s first self-driving bus service over the Forth Road bridge in Scotland on May 15 2023.

The service will run between the Ferrytoll Park and Ride Fife and the Edinburgh Park train and tram exchange. The route is 14 miles in total.

The fleet will be comprised of five single-decker buses which will be able to travel on pre-selected routes at speeds of up to 50mph and, although the vehicles are self-driving, a ‘safety driver’ will be onboard to monitor the autonomous technology. A ‘bus captain’ will board passengers, take tickets and answer questions and queries.

The service has the capacity to provide around 10,000 passenger journeys each week.

Transport minister for the Scottish government Kevin Stewart said, "This is an exciting milestone for this innovative and ambitious project, and I very much look forward to seeing Project CAVForth take to the roads next month.

"Our trunk road network can provide a wide range of environments as a diverse testing ground, and the ground-breaking and globally significant Project CAVForth will really help Scotland establish its credentials on the world stage."

Stagecoach UK managing director Carla Stockton-Jones said, "We are excited to introduce the UK's first autonomous bus fleet in east Scotland which is also home to our headquarters and where it all began over 40 years ago.

"We are proud to be at the forefront of transport innovation with this project that marks a significant milestone for public transport and we look forward to welcoming our customers on board in the coming months."

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