Scottish Government Withdraws Bus Campaign Image
The Scottish government has removed an image used in a campaign promoting bus travel in the Highlands following concerns about the photograph's location.
The advertisement, which supports a pilot scheme, features a bus traveling on a winding road through a landscape resembling the rural Highlands.
However, attentive social media users observed that the road included bright green crash barriers and a green bus, features uncommon in northern Scotland.
Instead, it was suggested that the image might depict the Changbai Mountain area near the border of China and North Korea.
Transport Scotland Confirms Image Error
Transport Scotland acknowledged that an external marketing agency provided an incorrect image, which has since been removed from communication materials.
The photograph shows hilly mountain terrain with extensive rock and grass areas, along with a small stream at the bottom of a valley.
At first glance, the scenery appears similar to the Scottish hills, but the distinctive features of the road reveal its true location.
Campaign Distribution and Pilot Scheme Details
Since its launch, the advertisement has appeared across social media and transport websites such as Citylink and Stagecoach.
The pilot scheme began in Shetland on 30 January, followed by the Western Isles on 23 February and Orkney on 9 March.
The marketing campaign promotes a £2 bus fare cap pilot introduced across all of the Highlands and islands starting 23 March.
The image included logos of the Scottish government and Transport Scotland at the bottom.
Transport Scotland Statement
A Transport Scotland spokesperson told BBC Scotland News that the marketing brief
"clearly" specified that images should reflect the local area where the pilot is taking place and feature the correct vehicle type.
They added:
"An incorrect image was then provided by the marketing agency. The image has been removed from partner communications packs and will be withdrawn from any ongoing distributions."
