By Chris Marzella

Copyright dailyrecord

A sustainable bus service that has been ferrying visitors around Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park has been hailed a success after its second trial run. The Trossachs Explorer , which ran from July until last weekend, saw almost 6,000 passengers – a 15-per cent increase from the previous year. This service offers a more sustainable travel option, helping to reduce congestion, ease parking pressures, and protect the National Park’s environment by cutting down on car numbers, one of the largest sources of carbon emissions, during the busy summer season. Local businesses have also reported positive impacts from improved customer and staff access in what is one of the more remote areas of the National Park. Passengers have praised the social benefits of the service, with some describing it as a ‘lifeline’ that helps combat the effects of rural isolation while connecting them with nature for a physical and mental health boost. This year, the service was operated by local company McColl’s and ran seven-days-a-week between Drymen and Callander , featuring an extended route using low-emission, modern buses. Building on a successful initial pilot in 2024, this year’s Trossachs Explorer featured improvements based on feedback from last year, including a route extension starting from Drymen, improved connections to existing public transport services such as the Stirling Council-operated C60 bus service, and more accessible buses. Efforts are already in motion by the National Park Authority and collaborators to guarantee the Trossachs Explorer’s comeback in 2026, provided adequate funding can be obtained. Click here for more news and sport from the Stirling area. Gordon Watson, Chief Executive of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority said: “The Trossachs Explorer sustainable bus service has been amongst the most positively received projects the National Park Authority has delivered in recent years. Securing the return of the service following last year’s very popular initial pilot has had its challenges, most notably securing long-term, regular funding and sourcing a suitable operator. “Thankfully, through national and local partnership working and shared expertise, we were able to deliver an expanded, improved service which delivers for people and for nature this summer. “While those challenges remain as we return to market in the hope of securing the service’s return in 2026, the evidence and feedback received from a diverse range of audiences – from local young people and businesses to international visitors – clearly demonstrate that the need for reliable, sustainable public transport in the National Park is undeniable and vital to our journey to Net Zero by 2035.” Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop has praised the ongoing success of the Trossachs Explorer pilot, saying: “I welcome the continued success of the Trossachs Explorer pilot. This service is providing visitors to Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park with sustainable transport options that reduces reliance on cars and, importantly, it’s opening up new opportunities for people that don’t have access to a car.” She added: “I’m pleased to see the Scottish Government’s People and Place funding being used so effectively at a local and regional level to bring about these kinds of transport solutions for people and for communities. “The Scottish Government is investing over £188 million for active and sustainable travel in 2025-26, precisely to support projects which make sustainable travel easier, like the Trossachs Explorer pilot, in more places across Scotland.” Cllr Jen Preston, Convener of Stirling Council’s Environment, Transport and Net Zero Committee, expressed her delight at the project’s progress, saying: “I’m delighted to see that the Trossachs Explorer has built on the success of last year’s pilot with a more popular service over this summer. The increased use of the expanded service reaffirms that there is demand among residents and visitors for high-quality public transport in the National Park and rural areas of Stirling in particular. “Each journey made via the Trossachs explorer represents a car removed from the local road network, contributing to reducing vehicle emissions. Local communities also benefit from the improved connectivity, with the service linking up with other sustainable public transport options in the area, including the C60 bus service between Callander and Killin.” The Trossachs Explorer receives backing from the National Park Authority, Tactran via Transport Scotland’s People and Place programme, Stirling Council and Callander Community Council through the Braes of Doune Community Fund.