Scottish Citylink today further improved its service to make travelling easier for elderly passengers.

The leading coach company has been working to ensure it meets the needs of passengers taking advantage of free concessionary travel.

The company is lowering the cost of pre-booking a seat for free concession travel from £1.50 to just 50p per journey. The nominal charge will go towards meeting part of the administration costs incurred in making the booking and Citylink will meet the balance of the cost.

The changes to the scheme are part of Citylink’s commitment to customer service and goes beyond the requirements stipulated by the local councils who manage concessionary travel schemes.

Concession customers can still travel on a non-reserved basis free of charge by obtaining their free ticket on board the coach from the driver.

Scottish Citylink participates in eight council schemes including Aberdeenshire and Moray; Angus; Clackmannan, Falkirk and Stirling; Dumfries and Galloway; Fife; Highland; Perth and Kinross and SPT.

Paul Murphy, Marketing Manager for Scottish Citylink, said: “The senior age group is important to Citylink and we hope that this change will be welcomed and encourage more customers to make full use of the free concession schemes.”

Jess Barrow of Age Concern Scotland, said: "Age Concern Scotland is delighted that Scottish Citylink is reducing the booking fee to 50p. This will be very welcome news for many older people who like to book their tickets ahead. We are pleased to be working with Scottish Citylink to improve their services for older people, who rely heavily on bus services to get around. Age Concern Scotland hopes to see no booking fee at all when the new national concessionary fare scheme is introduced."

Notes to Editor:

• The 50p charge is applicable to making a seat reservation in conjunction with free concessionary travel only
• Unreserved travel is available at no charge.
• Citylink is the only bus/coach company in Scotland which offers seat reservations
• Full details of concessionary travel with Citylink are available at http://www.citylink.co.uk/councilconc.htm
• The Scottish Executive has made over £100m available to Councils to administer the Concession Schemes in 2004/5

Issued by the BIG partnership on behalf of Scottish Citylink.

For further information please contact:

Kay Pullar on 0141 333 9585.