Music fans in Scotland are being given the chance to take a carbon neutral route to Britain’s most environmentally-friendly festival.

Scottish Citylink, the official travel provider for the Hydro Connect festival, will be helping revellers to attend the event with a clear conscience after the coach company teamed up with Scottish Hydro Electric to offset passengers’ carbon emissions.

Scottish Hydro Electric, the official event sponsors, have agreed to neutralise the atmospheric effect of the coaches’ exhausts through projects such as planting trees for every passenger who travels on Citylink’s services to the event at Inveraray Castle.

Regular bus services will be running between major cities and towns withon Scotland and the festival site from the morning of Friday August 29 until Monday September 1.

The carbon offsetting scheme is a vital part of Hydro Connect’s green credentials and the Citylink deal is part of an ambitious plan to make the event car-free within three years.

Public transport will be essential to the success of the plan, and Scottish Citylink is committed to helping festivalgoers reduce road congestion and their own carbon footprint.


 

“Citylink’s fast and frequent services are already the most affordable way to travel around Scotland, and passengers can rest assured that by taking the bus they are doing their bit to help the environment too.”

More than 5000 festivalgoers are expected to take advantage of Citylink’s services, which will be departing from 24 Scottish towns and cities throughout the weekend.

Scottish Hydro Electric will also be giving each passenger a free gift which could prove invaluable in Scotland’s unpredictable climate – a waterproof poncho made from recycled materials.

Anna Crampin, Sponsorship Manager for Scottish Hydro Electric, said: “Encouraging Hydro Connect to become a car-free event is an important contribution to our entire partnership focus.  We’re committed to being as green as we can be and to help everyone at the festival to do the same.  We’d like to reward people for choosing an environmentally friendly travel option by giving them a reusable poncho and paying to offset their carbon emissions.”

Citylink’s Hydro Connect services will be running between the event site and the following locations from Friday August 29 until Monday September 1:

Aberdeen, Ardrishaig, Arrochar, Aviemore, Callander, Campbeltown, Crianlarich, Crieff, Dalmally, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Glasgow Airport, Inverness, Kennacraig, Lochearnhead, Lochgilphead, Oban, Perth, Pitlochry, Stirling, Tarbert, Tarbet, Taynuilt and Tyndrum.

All services must be booked in advance in order to guarantee travel. Prices for travel start from £15. For more information and to book tickets, call 08705 505050 or visit http://www.citylink.co.uk/connect08.html

For more information on how to be more energy efficient, visit www.hydro.co.uk 

Issued by the BIG Partnership on behalf of Scottish Citylink

For further information or interview requests, contact Elaine Brewer on 0141 333 9585 (office), 07795 435484 (mobile) or elaine.brewer@bigpartnership.co.uk or  Ross Barker on 0141 333 9585 (office), 07963 349762 (mobile) or ross.barker@bigpartnership.co.uk