A FIFE MSP has praised the free bus travel for youths scheme after new figures are released.

Mark Ruskell is celebrating the initiative and has welcomed the publication of new statistics from Transport for Scotland showing that that 74.5 per cent of eligible young people in Fife are taking advantage of this.

He said: "I am delighted that so many young people in Fife using free bus travel. It is opening up our community and our country, while helping our planet.

"I am very proud that we have introduced this and that so many are benefitting. It is a measure of the impact we are having with Scottish Greens in government, and a big step towards a more sustainable and better connected future.

"A whopping 3,893,614 free bus journeys have been taken in Fife by those eligible under the scheme since it was introduced in January 2022, while 50 million free rides have been taken across Scotland, the first country in the UK to offer free bus travel for young people."

He added: “With free bus travel in place for young people, and the scrapping of peak rail fares on the way, we are working to ensure that public transport is the best and most cost-effective option.

“These numbers are fantastic, but I want as many young people as possible to benefit. I would encourage those who have yet done so to visit Freebus.scot and register for their card today.”