THE latest weapon in the battle to prevent abuse of the Scottish Government's free bus travel scheme will be launched today.
Infrastructure Secretary Alex Neil has introduced a 24-hour free "fraudbuster" telephone line, which will target companies engaged in overstaging.
This is a fraudulent practice that involves passengers being given a ticket for a longer journey than they actually make, so the bus firm can recoup more public money from Transport Scotland, which administers the scheme.
The initiative follows a dramatic increase in the level of complaints about the £187 million scheme, which provides about 148 million free bus trips every year to disabled passengers and those over 60.
In April, The Herald revealed that Transport Scotland investigated 208 reports of overstaging last year, up from 31 in 2009.
The public is also being encouraged to provide information on other suspected abuses, such as passengers using the passes of deceased relatives to get free travel.
Mr Neil, who is to visit a call centre in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, where the helpline will be managed, said: "Bus passes are a lifeline for pensioners and disabled people and it is disgusting that any individual or company would abuse that. However, it has been an ongoing problem that costs millions of pounds every year.
"We know people want to report abuse of the scheme but are unsure where to turn. This phone line will ensure they are able to give us that information."
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