Press releases

• 71 per cent of northern and 80 per cent of southern respondents said they would use the bus more frequently if they knew more about what services were on offer.
• Eavesdropping, gossiping, daydreaming and snoozing still popular on-bus activities.
• 2.6 million households receive service information and discount travel offers.

A recent bus users' survey carried out for Arriva asked customers about a number of different activities to establish whether there were any differences between how men and women behave and react on buses - and if the north-south divide really exists for bus users.

The survey accompanies a UK-wide campaign giving people an opportunity to find out more about bus services in their area and giving discounts on tickets as an incentive to travel. Leaflets also contain simple route maps and detail which bus to catch to a range of key destinations.

Households on 74 of Arriva's busiest routes and networks will receive information about their local service, including times of the first and last buses, how often they run and details about money saving ticket deals.

Catherine Mason, marketing and customer service director for Arriva's UK Bus division explains:

The campaign recognises that many people are put off bus travel because they don't know when and where the bus goes. Although elements of the survey are fun, 71 per cent of northern and 80 per cent of southern respondents said they would use the bus more frequently if they knew more about what services were on offer.

Arriva has invested nearly £190 million in new buses over the last four years and this heavyweight campaign, now in its third year of activity, takes the next logical step of telling both existing and potential customers how to get the best from their local Arriva bus service.

Leaflets are being distributed to almost 2.6 million homes between March and May 2003.

Ends