A £6M driverless bus route between Edinburgh and Fife is to be scrapped due to a lack of passengers.
The scheme, operated by Stagecoach, was heralded as a world first with the buses on the route having no drivers.
It ran on a route crossing the Forth Road Bridge between Fife and Edinburgh since 2023 but has now been scrapped.
The scheme was aimed at reducing congestion along the 14-mile route and preventing traffic from coming to a standstill on the bridge.
The £6m bill for the scheme was partly funded by the UK Government, having the capacity to carry 10,000 passengers a week.
Despite the driverless nature of the buses, two staff members were required on board each bus for safety reasons.
The route had hoped to address congestion on the Forth Road Bridge with the bridge being one of the busiest commuter routes in Scotland.
When it was launched it was lauded as a revolutionary and ambitious scheme, widely reported as a world first.
Stagecoach said that the bus route’s actual passenger numbers “did not reach expectations” with the scheme subsequently being scrapped over the low passenger numbers.
They continued: “We are proud to have achieved a world first with our CAVForth autonomous bus service, demonstrating the potential for self-driving technology on a real-world registered timetable in East Scotland.
“Although passenger adoption did not meet expectations, the trial has significantly advanced the understanding of the operational and regulatory requirements for autonomous services, delivering what was expected from this demonstrator project.
“The partners remain committed to exploring new opportunities for self-driving technology in other areas across the UK, ensuring that this exciting innovation can play a transformative role in future transport networks.”
