Southern Vectis is offering local car drivers the chance to avoid rising fuel costs by switching to the bus, and trying its services for half the cost of regular weekly app tickets.
With prices at fuel pumps creeping towards £2 per litre – and predicted to go much higher – many are reconsidering their travel options, and the local bus operator is urging them to embrace green and efficient public transport.
Customers using the Southern Vectis app for the first time can now travel in any zone as often as they like for their first week with 50% off standard 7-day tickets, by using the discount code FUEL.
Andrew Wickham, Managing Director of Southern Vectis, says:
“These are challenging times for many reasons, and the cost of fuel is adding to the concerns of people across the Isle of Wight.
“People are now travelling far less by car and, although we have yet to receive official figures, we have seen with our own eyes the reduction in congestion across the island.
“We know, though, that those living here still need to go about their daily lives – and bus travel can help them do that. As managing director of a bus operator, you would expect me to encourage people to use sustainable transport – but travelling by bus, rather than by car, really does help reduce congestion and pollution. And now it can have a positive effect on people’s bank balances too.
“The world is a very different place than it was even a few weeks ago, and many of us are considering life adjustments for the future. Even seemingly small changes, like switching from car to bus, can have a hugely significant impact – not only on the pockets of individuals but also for our environment.
Article continues below this advertisement “Just one full double decker bus has the potential to take up to 75 cars off the road – so we’re hoping for a positive response from local people and the chance to make an impact on the quality of the air we breathe here on the island.
“In support of this, Southern Vectis is offering potential passengers the chance to try out bus travel for their first week from just £13.”
For more information visit islandbuses.info/fuel.
What a wonderful idea. We have to cut down the use of internal combustion engines. We have a car but I catch the bus whenever it’s just me, they are convenient and comfortable, and require me to take a little more exercise which is good.
It cost 14.40 return to Whitwell return 2 people by bus , so it’s cost 75p poss less for 2 people in our car from Ventnor to Whitwell . So how’s this a good deal , our buses are to expensive, and most of time empty, so why not half the fares and put more bum on seats , no way can we afford using a bus
Wish there where bus that to Northbrooke care home. No choice have to use car and I hate that road. People speed up that windy twisting road.
What utter rubbish, there is nothing good for the enviroment about a nearly empty bus (as they usually are) clogging the roads, and people need to get around on time and reliably, a mobile germ factory is not the answer. Less cars on the road? where? you need to get out more Mr Wickham.
There is nothing green about the busses, they say they take 75 cars off the road but quietly ignore the line of vehicles stuck behind their busses and increasing pollution plus massive areas of the island have no service as those possible routes are not profitable.
That is as useful as a chocolate teapot if you have a near non existing bus service in your village
This is just a promotion exercise, for commercial reasons.
As someone just below the retirement age, I was looking forward to getting my free bus pass. However I have just learned that my 76 year old friend had to produce a doctor’s letter to prove that she is unable to drive, in her application for a bus pass.
So it looks like I will have to keep firing up my 18 year old diesel, for many years yet, to go shopping in Newport.
The bus passes are nothing to do with anyone’s ability to drive, they are a state funded national scheme which is solely based on age.
Sorry, but it’s not as simple as that. The journey I make by car is around 20 minutes, by bus it would take an hour and that doesn’t include the waiting time. Does your bus offer a door-to-door service?
Also, a 20 minute journey in a car is cheaper than an hour’s journey on a bus. You need to reduce your prices ALL THE TIME, not just for a week.
In my car I don’t have to listen to people shouting, swearing or listening to music on their phones.
Plus, if I do any bulky shopping how do you propose I get it home?
Brilliant idea I will use it if you can get me from my house to work on one bus that picks me up at 7am and gets me to work for 7:20am?
“People are now travelling far less by car and, although we have yet to receive official figures, we have seen with our own eyes the reduction in congestion across the island.
Are you an idiot Mr Wickham, or do you take us for idiots? Which is it?
Get a motorbike/scooter instead, 100 miles to the gallon,zero congestion. And a blast to ride.