Telford pledges to strengthen travel and tourism during Catch the Bus Week

Arriva Midlands and Telford & Wrekin Council are marking the seventh annual national Catch the Bus Week by reaffirming their joint commitment to improving local public transport, travel and tourism facilities.

Councillor David Wright joined Arriva Shropshire’s General Manager, Jamie Crowsley, to officially launch the collaboration, which will see a number of exciting new initiatives unveiled over the course of the next 6 months, each designed to reshape transport in Telford and boost the public’s experience of travel.

Donning giant green promotional foam Catch the Bus Week hands, the pair were keen to showcase how working in partnership will be able to deliver economic growth, bolster access to employment and leisure, reduce congestion on Telford’s roads, and drive tourism to the area.

Jamie Crowsley, said: “Catch the Bus Week is a fantastic opportunity that helps celebrate all the positives of bus travel. Buses offer communities much needed lifelines, offering tangible social, environmental, and financial benefits, but we appreciate that we need to continue to invest in our local network to ensure it meets the evolving demands of our passengers.

“By working together with Telford & Wrekin Council we can think even bigger, and achieve more in the transport sector as a whole, beyond just our standard bus services. In the coming months we’re planning on implementing not just route improvements and refurbishments, but undertaking innovative service delivery trials and launching more comprehensive customer service facilities. It’s an exciting time, with lots to look forward to, and we’re proud and honoured to be able to partner with the Council to strengthen sustainable transport in Telford.”

Running from 1st to 7th July, Catch the Bus Week is an industry-wide initiative being supported by sustainable transport group Greener Journeys, which urges people to try using the bus instead of their car by challenging the preconceptions of bus travel.

Councillor David Wright, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Transport, said: “I am delighted to join Arriva to celebrate Catch the Bus Week and mark our partnership. There are lots of good things planned going forward and I would encourage our residents to use bus services as much as possible.”