Highland pupils take the lead on promoting better behaviour aboard buses

Students from Inverness Royal Academy are using their creative talents to encourage respectful travel after teaming up with Highland Council to produce a new film focused on bus etiquette.

The school's filmmaking club spent time at the council's bus depot and travelled on a live bus service to gain first-hand experience before filming a short video highlighting the simple dos and don'ts of travelling by bus.

The project combines practical filmmaking with a wider message about treating fellow passengers, drivers and public transport with respect. After capturing footage on location, the students are now editing the final production, which aims to encourage positive behaviour across the network.

Councillor Ken Gowans, chair of Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee, praised the initiative, describing it as an excellent example of young people using their creativity to make a positive contribution to public transport while developing valuable real-world skills.

The project comes as demand for bus travel among younger passengers continues to grow. Since Scotland introduced free bus travel for under-22s in January 2022, more than 6.5 million journeys have been made by young people within the Highland Council area alone, underlining the importance of promoting positive travel habits for the next generation of passengers.