Young people across West Yorkshire challenged to drive future of greener travel

Bus operators Arriva (@ArrivaGroup), First and Transdev and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (@WestYorkshireCA) have joined together with ESG and social value experts Ahead Partnership (@AheadP_ship) to launch a creative challenge for young people across the region, designed to encourage the next generation to choose a greener mode of travel and take the bus.

The bus operators and WYCA, together forming the West Yorkshire Bus Alliance, have over the past two years delivered highly engaging initiatives reaching over 3,500 young people in schools and colleges across the region, helping communicate the benefits of greener travel and futures offered by jobs in the sector. 

Now, the Alliance is opening this year’s Bus to the Future challenge to anyone aged 11-18 years old across West Yorkshire. Entrants are invited to design a marketing campaign concept to promote bus travel and engage audiences, which might include posters, social media and new media such as TikTok, film or animation. Entries must be submitted by 31 January 2022, for judging by an expert panel, with the winners receiving free bus travel vouchers.

The work forms part of a wider commitment to help reduce carbon emissions, meet important environmental targets and tackle the Climate Change Emergencies declared within the region, an issue which has been brought sharply into focus at the COP26 summit in Glasgow this month. The bus operators involved have actively introduced important changes in recent years to their vehicles and made it even easier for people across the region to travel by bus.

Stephanie Burras CBE, chief executive at Ahead Partnership said:

“Bus to the Future has been a highly popular initiative over the past two years, helping young people understand the need for sustainable forms of transport and helping direct them towards future careers in an exciting and changing sector. It’s fantastic to see this year’s challenge opened-up to all 11-18 year-olds across West Yorkshire, and we hope that entrants will let their creativity and imaginations flow. Public transport is for everyone and has an ever-increasing role to play in helping drive down emissions and promoting a greener future for our region.”

Tracy Brabin, metro mayor of West Yorkshire, added:

“Bus to the Future is a fantastic opportunity for young people to learn more about the future of public transport and how they can contribute to a successful, greener future in West Yorkshire.

“Public transport offers a great opportunity to help our region meet environmental targets, and there are a number of ways that the next generation can get involved in this, from choosing to travel by bus to considering a career in this exciting sector. This challenge offers the opportunity to get involved by innovating ways of getting more people to take the bus; I’d encourage any young person to enter and look forward to seeing the entries.”

“With this in mind, we need to ensure that the next generation are switched-on to the positive impact that choosing the bus can make and the vast potential of careers in the sector – and what better way to do this than to get our young people involved. Last year was a great success and we received some really creative entries – we’re looking forward to seeing the innovative ideas submitted this year.”

Entrants are invited to work alone, in pairs or as part of a team, and the winning idea will receive bus travel vouchers as a prize for their creativity.

Developing teamwork, communication and resilience, and providing entrants with a glimpse of some of the skills needed for careers in transport, marketing, customer services, environmental sciences and creative industries, the challenge brings careers development and creativity together in a fun way.

To find out more about the initiative and download the challenge pack, please visit Ahead Partnership’s website.