BUS passengers in Irvine will be the first in the UK to pilot a new Stagecoach scheme where single and return tickets can be bought using the company's app.

In a drive to simplify bus travel, Stagecoach West Scotland launched the pioneering initiative on Monday, April 15.

It will initially be exclusive to Irvine town services, before singles and return tickets are rolled out across the UK.

Stagecoach is also encouraging customers to make the switch to the Stagecoach Bus app to reduce the environmental impact of paper tickets and speed up boarding times.

Irvine Times: It will initially be exclusive to Irvine town services before rolling out singles and return

In addition to purchasing multiple tickets on the app, customers can also plan journeys and track buses in real time.

Fiona Doherty, managing director at Stagecoach West Scotland, said: “At Stagecoach, we prioritise good customer experience and ease of use of our services and the pilot launch of single and return tickets on the Stagecoach Bus App is another major step in that journey.

"Our team is on hand to support customers with any questions they may have, and we value all feedback from customers using the app for the first time and those who have been app users for a while.

"We are committed to offering an inclusive range of products, customers who may not have a smartphone will still be able to purchase a single or return ticket from the driver.”

Stagecoach team members will be available at pop-up events across Irvine and on local bus services to assist customers and promote the benefits of app tickets and travel.

Customers can enter competitions and giveaways to win free travel.

Visit stagecoachbus.com for more information.