A new £2.75million fleet of 10 coaches will soon be taking to the roads in Moray.
Stagecoach is upgrading the vehicles on the number 10 route, which runs from Inverness to Aberdeen through Elgin, and which is used by 700,000 people every year.
The changes will lead to the vehicles currently used on the service replacing older buses elsewhere in Moray.
Concerns have repeatedly been raised by Elgin Community Council about old vehicles being used in the region.
And last night, Moray MP Douglas Ross described the investment as “overdue”.
Mark Whitelocks, managing director of Stagecoach North Scotland, said: “This investment is all about delivering better coach services in our area.
“We’re committed to encouraging more people to travel by bus and we hope that, when the community see the new coaches, they will make the bus a better choice for their travel needs.
“The 10 new coaches demonstrate our investment in greener, more efficient vehicles that link communities, places of employment and essential services.”
All the new buses will be in operation by the end of November – the first of them is expected to start welcoming passengers at the beginning of that month.
Despite the investment, Mr Ross intends to continue to press Stagecoach to protect rural services elsewhere in Moray.
He explained: “I’ve been contacted by constituents who have experienced delays and cancellations due to broken-down vehicles, so it’s good new vehicles are coming in a matter of weeks.
“I also understand the buses they are replacing will take the place of older vehicles in the fleet, including on the number 35 service from Elgin to Buckie, reducing the age of local vehicles by three years.
“This is welcome, but long-overdue investment, and more needs to be done to address the concerns of constituents, who are living in areas which have had services removed.”
The new coaches will feature updated tracking technology for customers to check the progress of the service online, in addition to free wi-fi and toilets.
