Stagecoach West promotes value for money during 'Catch the Bus Week'
• Stagecoach West activities part of national Greener Journeys bus industry initiative
• ‘Catch the Bus Week’ to run from 4-10 July
• Stagecoach rated by passengers as best value bus operator in Britain
Stagecoach West is joining forces with sustainable transport group Greener Journeys to promote the benefits of bus use through the fourth annual ‘Catch the Bus Week’.
The campaign, which takes place from 4-10 July, aims to drive awareness of the benefits of taking the bus and encourage local people to make the switch from the car that week and consider leaving the car at home for some journeys in the future.
West along with Greener Journeys, which is spearheading the campaign, and hundreds of other participants all over the country – including bus companies, passenger organisations and local authorities – will be promoting the many benefits of bus travel through competitions, bus road shows and on board entertainment.
During Catch the Bus Week 2016, Stagecoach will be running a Twitter competition to promote bus use and highlight that it is great value for money.
Research carried out by Stagecoach earlier this year looked at the cost of around 35 key commuter routes in England, Scotland and Wales. It compared the weekly price of hopping on the bus with the cost of fuel and car parking for the same journeys.
The research found commuters can save an average of around £1,000 per year by catching the bus instead of travelling to work by car - despite falling fuel prices at the pumps. Bus travel costs are around 55% cheaper than the same commute by car, saving passengers an average of more than £90 a month, according to the study.
Stagecoach has three times been independently found to have the best value bus fares in Britain and a recent survey carried out by consumer group Transport Focus found that bus passengers rated Stagecoach as the best value major operator in the country.
Throughout the week, Stagecoach will highlight the economic, health, and environmental benefits of using the bus more often.
Economic benefits:-
- Buses are a vital driver of economic growth in the UK. Every £1 invested in bus infrastructure generates up to £7 of economic benefit.
- Bus users generates £64 billion of benefits to the UK economy
- Congestion costs the UK economy at least £11 million each year
Health benefits:-
- Travelling by bus is good for your health. It is a third less stressful than commuting by car
- Taking the bus frees your hands and you head. Allowing you to catch up on life admin, read a book or play games on your mobile- all whilst you get to your destination
- Walking to the bus stop can, on average, help you to achieve half of the Government’s recommended 30 minutes of exercise per day
Environmental benefits:-
- If everyone switched just one car journey a month to the bus, there would be one billion fewer car journeys on our roads and a saving of 2 million tonnes of CO2
- In 2015, low carbon emission buses saved nearly 70,000 tonnes of CO2 compared with their standard diesel equivalents
- Buses are vital to improving air quality. The latest models deliver a 95% reduction in NOx emissions compared with 2009 bus models
Claire Haigh, Chief Executive of Greener Journeys, commented:
“Once again, we are delighted to see the entire bus sector coming together to promote the benefits of the bus. From dance troupes on buses, to radio shows broadcast live from the top deck, we are always bowled over by the sheer breadth and scale of the creativity on show during the week, and 2016 is proving to be no different.
“The bus provides a vital lifeline from the youngest to the oldest in society, so it is fantastic to see its worth celebrated.”
Explore Gloucestershire
1 July
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