Call for Islanders to ditch the car and embrace Catch The Bus Month this September

Islanders and visitors are being encouraged to find out how easy and convenient it is to travel by bus.

To mark Catch the Bus Month - a nationwide campaign running throughout September - We are helping to raise awareness of the benefits of travelling in this way, particularly among those who don’t normally use public transport.

“According to official figures, the number of local bus passenger journeys in England saw an increase of almost 20 percent in the year ending March 2023, and studies show that it is a third less stressful than travelling by car. Taking the bus can also help achieve half the government’s recommended 150 minutes’ moderate exercise per week, so there are plenty of reasons to want to increase usage still further,” said Southern Vectis head of communications, Nikki Honer.

“We are certainly working hard to encourage more people on-board. Over recent years, we have invested millions of pounds in new buses to serve our comprehensive network of routes across the region. The seating on these state-of-the-art vehicles is more comfortable than ever, and each sports the latest Euro 6 low emissions engine.

“They also offer USB charging points for smartphones and hand-held devices, and contactless ‘tap on tap off’ ticketing facilities.

“Planning travel and buying tickets is now easier than ever too - thanks to the Southern Vectis app, offering customers the chance to tailor their plans, track their intended bus in real time and pay for tickets instantly.

“During catch the Bus Month, we are offering new app customers 10 percent off a monthly pass. All they need to do is enter 10CTBM24 when they buy their ticket.

“The cost of travelling across the island offers excellent value-for-money for all our customers (new and existing) with the £2 fare cap for a single journey still in place - part of the Government’s Help for Households initiative.

 “We want as many people to travel with us as possible, and Catch the Bus Month gives us an excellent opportunity to encourage more people to try sustainable transport. With just one fully-loaded double decker having the potential to take up to 75 cars off our roads, we hope we can help ease congestion on the Isle of Wight during September and beyond.”

For further details about the national campaign, visit bususers.org

Why not explore the island further with our great days out and join in on Catch the Bus Month! Make use of the £2 single fare running throughout Catch the Bus month. Plan you journey in our APP.

We would love to see your days out by bus so don't forget to tag us on social media.