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Campaign image withdrawn over foreign location
The Scottish government has removed a promotional photograph from its Highland bus travel campaign after social media users identified the scene as a Chinese mountain road rather than Scotland's rural landscape.
How the error was spotted
The image, used in advertisements for a £2 bus fare pilot scheme, depicted a winding road through hilly terrain with a green bus and bright green crash barriers-features uncommon in the Scottish Highlands. Observant users pointed out the resemblance to the Changbai Mountain region near the China-North Korea border.
The photograph, which included the Scottish government and Transport Scotland logos, was distributed across social media and transport websites, including Citylink and Stagecoach.
Rollout of the pilot scheme
The £2 fare cap initiative launched in phases across Scotland's islands and Highlands, beginning in Shetland on 30 January, followed by the Western Isles on 23 February and Orkney on 9 March. The full rollout across the Highlands and islands took effect on 23 March.
Criticism over oversight
Highland Tourism condemned the mistake, calling the decision to blame an external marketing agency "shameless." Willie Cameron, the organisation's director, told BBC Scotland that accountability should lie with those who approved the campaign.
"The responsibility goes back to whoever sent the brief across, when the campaign was ready to go out and being signed off. Why did nobody in the marketing team at Transport Scotland ask where the picture was taken?"
Willie Cameron, Highland Tourism
Cameron emphasised that Scotland has skilled local photographers capable of providing accurate images and questioned how the error passed approval.
Transport Scotland's response
A spokesperson for Transport Scotland stated that the marketing brief explicitly required images reflecting the local pilot areas and featuring the correct vehicle type. They confirmed that the incorrect image was supplied by the agency and has since been removed from partner communications and ongoing distributions.
"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 The image has been removed from partner communications packs and will be withdrawn from any ongoing distributions."
Transport Scotland spokesperson
