Press releases

Bus company Arriva's long-running 'Going your way' campaign has delivered some its best results ever, with record patronage improvement and voucher redemption levels being attributed to the spring 2005 activity.

A key feature of the 2005 campaign has been increased activity along more key bus routes, and this was launched with the mail-out of travel vouchers worth nearly £5.3 million to 2.3 million households on 85 key corridors during April. At 2.2 per cent, the overall voucher redemption rate was the highest ever achieved, and the best performing individual corridor also hit a new high, at 7.8 per cent.

The aim of the 'Going your way' campaign is to deliver sustained patronage, and the spring activity has delivered patronage improvements on marketed corridors five clear points ahead of unmarketed corridors. Where complementary radio campaigns have supported the door-drop activity, even greater improvements have been achieved. The door-drops were further supported by bus rear posters and a UK-wide public relations campaign.

David Shadbolt, marketing manager for Arriva's UK Regions division puts this success down to the ongoing programme of research and tracking, backed up by 'test and learn' for each element of the campaign, which has led the continuing evolution of the campaign.

The 'Little books' were developed in conjunction with both bus and non-bus users, who helped to pinpoint the level and format of information they needed,

he explained,

and a continuous review of media and delivery sector performance means we can fine-tune our targeting to make sure we are consistently communicating with the right households.

A new style of mailer was delivered to 1.4 million households in key urban areas in time for the start of the school holidays in July. David Shadbolt said,

These give information to make it easier for people to enjoy their local attractions during the summer, and early results look encouraging. 'Going your way' continues to be a valuable tool in delivering government objectives of tackling congestion, improving accessibility and social inclusion, respecting the environment and supporting the economy by creating sustainable growth in the number of passenger journeys.

Notes to editors

• Arriva is one of the largest private sector providers of passenger transport in mainland Europe. Employing more than 30,000 people and providing more than one billion passenger journeys every year.
• Arriva provides transport services including buses, trains, commuter coaches and water buses in eight European countries - Denmark, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
• Arriva is the largest private bus operator in Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands and is London's largest operator. Arriva was the first private company to be awarded rail contracts in Denmark.
• In the last five years, the turnover of Arriva's mainland European operations has increased by more than 250 per cent to £514.8 million (€757.9 million).