BCP Council and Morebus partnership recognised nationally for best practice

A successful partnership between Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council and Morebus has received national recognition after being highlighted by the Department for Transport (DfT) as an example of best practice.

This national recognition in the DfT’s ‘Enhanced Partnership Manual’ follows the success of several joint initiatives, including the ‘It’s Free to Go by Bus’ campaign, the ‘Commuter Club’ campaign, and measures to improve safety at bus stops across the conurbation.

Launched in August 2023, the “It’s Free to Go by Bus” campaign was created to encourage older and disabled residents to make greater use of local bus services following a 36% drop in concessionary journeys after the pandemic.

Promoted under the slogan “The best things in life are free!”, the campaign highlighted the financial, social, accessibility and environmental benefits of free bus travel. Supported by a dedicated helpline, it increased awareness among eligible residents, boosted community engagement, and helped support the recovery of bus patronage across the BCP area.

The Commuter Club initiative was launched by BCP Council and Morebus to encourage more people to travel to work by bus, helping to tackle congestion in Bournemouth, which has been ranked as the third most congested area in the UK.

Through the scheme, local businesses can sign up to provide employees with access to discounted bus travel, including introductory £1 fares through the Morebus app.

More than 50 businesses have signed up, with over 55,000 discounted journeys redeemed in the first year by residents, demonstrating strong demand from local employers and their staff.

Sai Krishna Kodumri, a BCP resident and Commuter Club user, said:

“I work in the IT department at Poole Hospital and have been using the Commuter Club for the past few months.

It has been absolutely fantastic and incredibly helpful, particularly for lower-income staff. My wife also uses the scheme, and we have both found it to be a valuable benefit that has made a real difference to us.”

BCP Council and Morebus also received recognition for improved safety at bus stops, helping to make bus travel safer, more accessible and more attractive for passengers.

Improvements include upgraded bus shelters, extended bus stop clearways, CCTV at 250 key bus stops, dedicated Transport Safety Officers and a text service which allows passengers to report incidents. This has helped tackle anti-social behaviour and enhance passenger confidence across the network.

These improvements are already delivering results. Passenger satisfaction has risen to 85%, up two percent on the previous year, with BCP ranked third in the country for overall passenger satisfaction.

Enhanced CCTV coverage and the presence of safety officers have also contributed to reductions in vandalism and anti-social behaviour at bus stops and transport interchanges.

Councillor Andy Hadley, BCP Council Cabinet Member for Climate Response, Environment and Energy, said:

“We are delighted that our partnership with Morebus has been recognised by the DfT as an example of best practice. This recognition reflects the strong collaborative work taking place across BCP to encourage more people to travel by bus and make public transport a safe and accessible option for everyone. Better bus services was a key theme in the feedback to our Local Transport Plan update.”

“Initiatives such as ‘It’s Free to Go by Bus’ and the ‘Commuter Club’, alongside improvements to bus stop safety, are helping more people choose public transport by making bus travel more affordable, accessible and attractive.

“This shows the positive results that can be achieved when councils and operators work together to improve local transport."

Richard Wade, Morebus General Manager, added:

“Customers across our region have seen, first-hand, the benefits of the strong partnership between Morebus and BCP Council. Whether through cheaper fares, enhanced safety, better information, improved accessibility or more reliable services, collaboration is key to achieving the best outcomes.

 “All this goes a long way to persuading those living and working across our area to leave their cars at home and travel by bus instead. This, in turn, is helping to reduce congestion and improve air quality here.

“Customer satisfaction levels have been consistently among the highest in the country over recent years, and we will continue working closely with BCP Council to ensure this remains the case.”