RBS To Provide Free Bus Service On Hogmanay

Submitted by edg on Thu, 17 Dec '09 11.51am

Free buses will be laid on again this year for revellers attending Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations.

Between 23:45 and 04:30 over 150 buses will take approximately 25,000 passengers home, clocking up a total mileage of 8,000 miles and saving party-goers £100,000.

In Edinburgh, that's 65 buses around 5,000 seats, around 5,000 miles of bus routes servicing over 16,000 passengers.

The free bus service is being provided by Royal Bank of Scotland, with First and Lothian Buses, as part of its Here for You campaign. RBS is supporting free travel for everyone in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow this Hogmanay.

Jimmy Robertson, Regional Director, Edinburgh said: ‘Getting home late at night on New Years Eve can be tricky and expensive so we really wanted to do something helpful and simple for our customers. We are looking forward to helping Scotland get home swiftly and safely on the nation's biggest night of the year, and saving cash in the process."

Paul Thomas, Managing Director of First in Scotland East said: ‘We are excited to offer customers a special late night service this Hogmanay with free travel home for all - ensuring party-goers have a great start to 2010.’

The free bus services will run on from 23.45 on New Year's Eve until 04.30 on New Year's Day and details of all services can be obtained by logging on to www.firstgroup.com/rbshogmanay, http://www.nightbuses.com/hogmanay, or alternatively www.rbs.co.uk/hogmanay (live from Friday 18th December).

Ticket collection opens

Hogmanay organisers Unique Events, advises party-goers to collect their tickets for Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party early to avoid queues, from the Hogmanay Box Office at the Hub.  All pre-booked tickets must be collected by Wednesday 30 December.