Go-Ahead launches national ‘Better By Bus’ campaign

The Go-Ahead Group has launched a new national advertising campaign, Better by Bus, encouraging more people to choose bus travel and highlighting the benefits this brings to customers, communities and the environment.

The new campaign will run over the next 12 months across England, from the Isle of Wight up to Yorkshire.

Better by Bus will be delivered through a targeted, multi-channel advertising and communications campaign, running across radio, digital audio, billboards and on-bus branding. Radio activity will generate around 16.5 million impressions delivered through four four-week bursts, alongside 24 million digital audio impressions across the 12-month campaign. As part of the campaign, 58 of Go-Ahead’s buses will be out on the roads with vibrant artwork reminding people of the wide-ranging benefits of travelling by bus.

In England, buses are already the most popular from of public transport with 11 million people already using them each day. This campaign aims to grow that by reminding people of the affordability, ease, environmental impact and the accessibility of bus travel.

Some of the benefits of travelling by bus include:

• A petrol car journey emits up to 3.5 times more CO₂ emissions per passenger than the equivalent bus journey
• A fully loaded double decker bus removes up to 75 cars from the road per journey
• No single bus fare on routes included in the scheme will exceed £3
• On average, bus passengers spend £32 per return journey in local shops, cafés and restaurants, underlining the important role buses play in supporting high streets and local businesses.

The Roads and Buses Minister Simon Lightwood said: “We know that buses are absolutely crucial for people to get to work, school, or just to see family and friends. It’s great to see Go-Ahead encouraging more people to choose the bus. With the Bus Services Act now in force and the government recently investing £3 billion to support both local authorities and bus operators, there has never been a better time to get on board. We are giving local leaders and operators the tools to shape services, so they are more reliable, more affordable, and greener for everyone”.

Dan Lewis, Chief Commercial Officer, Go-Ahead Group commented: “This campaign isn’t just about promoting Go-Ahead, it’s about encouraging even more people to leave their cars and use the brilliant bus services on offer across the country. We are confident that once people learn about the wider benefits of bus travel, from providing value for money to reducing congestion and environmental impact, they will join the 11 million people who already take the bus every day in England.”