A travel pass that covers bus journeys across Stagecoach East Midlands and trentbarton busses for people connected with West Nottinghamshire College and Nottingham Trent University has been shortlisted for a national award.
Nottinghamshire County Council developed the multi-operator ticketing scheme with West Nottinghamshire College, Nottingham Trent University (NTU), Stagecoach East Midlands and trentbarton to “give students more flexibility than the college’s private bus network could offer while also strengthening the local economy and making the future of the local bus network sustainable”, the council said today in a statement.
More than 185,000 journeys were made using the travel scheme in the first three months since the scheme was launched in September 2023. It is now in line to win the Bus Initiative of the Year Award by the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transport’s Bus Centre of Excellence.
Before the scheme was launched, two services a day were available. But the multi-operator season tickets offer students, staff and apprentices at West Nottinghamshire College and NTU with unlimited travel in the catchment area seven days a week.
The scheme also saw trentbarton extend its route 90, Ripley to Sutton-in-Ashfield service, to Mansfield meaning that West Notts College’s four main campuses on are now all connected by bus.
“Such are the positive impacts of the scheme that retailers in Mansfield and Ashfield have since reported an increase in footfall and sales thanks to more students being able to travel into town centres using their season tickets outside of college hours and terms”, the council said in its statement.
Nottinghamshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport and environment, Cllr Neil Clarke MBE, said: “One of our biggest priorities as a council is to ensure that communities across Nottinghamshire have good bus services and we are proud that we have been able to support young people in the Mansfield and Ashfield areas to choose the bus as their primary mode of transportation.
“The multi-operator student ticketing scheme in and around Mansfield is a shining example of a progressive, innovative bus initiative, achieved through effective partnership working and we are delighted to have been recognised for this through being shortlisted for this prestigious award.
“Collaboration was the key to, and the reason for, this scheme’s success and I would like to thank our partners for helping us to achieve these positive outcomes for young people attending West Notts College and Nottingham Trent University.”
The scheme was developed with no additional funding and had to be developed at a cost that was no more than that of the private bus services offered by the college. The 24-hour validity of the travel pass means that those with it are using it for leisure and retail use in addition to college and university work.
“It is great to hear that students aren’t just travelling to get to and from college and that the local economy has seen a boost thanks to the multi-operator ticket”, Cllr Clarke Said. “Around five per cent of journeys made using the new tickets have been at weekends and this scheme is a great example of how travelling by bus can be embedded into daily life if the network is strong and affordable and we are proud to have played a role in ensuring that this is the case for young people in Mansfield and Ashfield.”
The managing director of trentbarton, Tom Morgan, said: “This initiative shows what can be accomplished in partnership in the East Midlands where a precise requirement is identified, a long-term objective considered and a specific solution developed between forward thinking bus companies, educational institutions, and supportive local authorities, all with a common goal of encouraging young people onto public transport.”
The winner will be announced on 13 June at an awards ceremony in the prestigious 8 Northumberland Ave premises in London.
The other nominees for the category are Arriva, for Stop and Stay; Liverpool City Region Combined Authority for “Moving Buses Forward” franchising consultation; Realise, for Route to Success; Transport for London, for Bus Safety Strategy; and a second Transport for London entry, for Superloop a new express bus network.
