A £700,000 amphibious bus, operated by Stagecoach Group, has undergone a two-day trial on the River Clyde.
According to Stagecoach, the aim of the test is to investigate possibilities of a full-time 'amfibus' service, that would link communities across the river.
Such an operation would make use of existing slipways running into the water, which will be modified to enable bus operation at low and high tides.
The 12.8m-long bus is built on a Volvo chassis, and incorporates a hull to allow floatation. Capable of carrying 50 passengers, the vehicle has maximum speeds of eight knots in the water and 60mph on the road.
The Scottish test follows an initial evaluation in Rotterdam harbour in the Netherlands, home to the bus builder, Dutch Amphibious Transport Vehicles BV.
"We are excited by the potential of this technology and we will be investigating how the vehicle performs in water conditions on the Clyde," says Brian Souter, Stagecoach Group chief executive.
"A new 'amfibus' service would be a Scottish and UK first, providing a seamless bus connection between two important local communities. It is a great example of the potential for new transport links using the country's rivers
