SEVERAL night buses operating across one Scottish city during the festive season will be free.
Aberdeen City Council has contracted ten routes across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to First Bus.
The festive season will see the routes operate on weekends from November 16 until January 1.
Funding for the buses will be from bus lane enforcement revenue, and will operate on Friday night/Saturday morning and Saturday night/Sunday morning only.
The council hopes more people will spend time in the city centre and then use the "safe and free transport" from midnight to approximately 3.30am.
Aberdeen City Council co-leader Ian Yuill said: “I am delighted that the Council is able to provide these free night bus services.
“Aberdeen’s night buses were very popular in the past and I’m sure they will be just as popular this year, especially during the festive period when more people than normal are out enjoying the cafes, restaurants, and pubs in the city centre.
“The night buses will provide a safe and efficient transport for visitors to our city centre. I hope as many people as possible take advantage of this free and safe transport home.”
His co-leader councillor Christian Allard added: “The return of the night buses will be welcomed by not just people enjoying a night out but also by businesses in the city centre.
“The Aberdeen City Council move will help to support businesses by giving people another transport option for getting home.”
David Adam, operations manager for First Aberdeen, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be running Aberdeen’s night bus network over the festive period, supporting the city’s night-time economy while also helping people get home safely and completely free of charge at the weekend.
“We are aware of the challenges people have experienced in getting home from a night out, an event or indeed after a nightshift in the city centre in the early hours of the morning and hope the night bus network will allow more people to enjoy all that Aberdeen has to offer.”
The free night bus services in Aberdeen are:
- N1, city centre: Dubford/Ashwood/Danestone, via King Street
- N61, city centre: Ellon via Balmedie and Newburgh
- N17, city centre: Bucksburn/Dyce, via Great Northern Road
- N9, city centre: Inverurie, via Blackburn and Kintore, via Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
- N12, Torry: Northfield/Northfield – Torry, via city centre and Rosemount
- N23, city centre: Kingswells, via Summerhill and Sheddocksley
- N6, city centre: Westhill, via Queens Road
- N201, city centre: Banchory, via Cults and Peterculter, via North Deeside Road
- N18, city centre: Kincorth/Cove
- N7, Garthdee: Stonehaven/Stonehaven – Garthdee, via city centre, Portlethen and Newtonhill
Further information can be found here.
