WEST Midlands Mayor Andy Street is backing a campaign to encourage more people to travel by bus and be in with the chance of winning a four-week ticket to ride.
The Mayor got on board to help launch Catch the Bus Week in the West Midlands, part of a nationwide campaign promoting bus travel.
As part of the launch Andy recorded a video message urging people to try the bus. Watch it on the West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) YouTube channel at http://bit.ly/2tsHxDz
He said: “Here in the West Midlands we have one of the biggest and best bus networks in the country carrying more than 267 million passengers a year.
“Bus travel is a clean, comfortable and safe way of getting out and about, with more vehicles now boasting features such as wifi and leather seats.
“If you’ve not been on a bus lately then leave the car at home and see for yourself just how good it can be.”
Catch The Bus Week runs throughout this week and is organised by bus and coach advocates Greener Journeys.
It is being backed by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), the transport arm of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) which the Mayor chairs.
Catch The Bus Week aims to cut carbon and congestion and boost economic growth by encouraging people to switch from private cars to bus.
Road congestion currently costs the West Midlands economy more than £2 billion a year.
As part of the campaign, people are being offered the chance to win free bus travel. The Bus Selfie prize draw is open to anyone who uploads a selfie of themselves on the bus to the Network West Midlands Facebook page.
They will go into a draw where the winner will receive a four week multi-operator nBus pass on the Swift smartcard, with five, one-day nBus multi-day Swift passes also up for grabs.
A further four week pass can also be won by uploading a picture of your bus ticket and being entered into a draw. Sign up at www.networkwm.com/ctbw
Staff from Network West Midlands – the partnership set up by TfWM and the region’s bus, tram and train operators, will be out and about on the bus network during the week.
They will be giving away a number of pre-loaded Swift smartcards while promoting the online competitions at the following locations:
· Tuesday, July 4 – Solihull, Mell Square, 9am to 3pm
· Wednesday, July 5 – Birmingham, High Street, 9am to 3pm
· Wednesday, July 5 – Birmingham, University Hospital, as part of NHS Catch The Bus Day with National Express West Midlands, 11am-2pm
· Thursday, July 6 – Wolverhampton, New Cross Hospital, with National Express West Midlands, 11am to 2pm
· Thursday, July 6 – Birmingham, Perry Barr One Stop Shopping Centre, 12pm to 4pm
· Friday, July 7 – Dudley, Merry Hill Shopping Centre bus station – 10.30am to 12.30pm
· Saturday, July 8 – Coventry, Godiva Festival site, 11am to 5pm
· Sunday, July 9– Coventry, Godiva Festival site, 11am to 5pm
Staff will also be visiting railway stations with park and ride facilities, handing out information and free bus tickets to encourage car drivers to consider using the bus to get to their local station.
For more information go to www.networkwm.com/ctbw
