Central Buses has today announced that it had reached an agreement with The Green Bus Company (www.thegreenbus.co.uk) to allow The Green Bus’ passengers to travel on Central Buses’ services free of charge from September 2008. Central Buses have also been awarded a contract to operate four services for The Green Bus during the 2008/09 academic year. The ticketing agreement will mean that pupils who already subscribe to The Green Bus’ annual pass will be able to use Central Buses services not only on schooldays, but also during evenings, weekends and school holidays.

Ian Mack, Managing Director of The Green Bus, said, “This deal will mean that pupils get even more added value from their pass for The Green Bus. We provide them with a dedicated service to and from school and they will be able to use Central Buses’ services at other times. This is really the sort of retail thinking that will help us to deliver further modal shift: the more we can offer pupils and parents, the less likely they are to travel by car. Central Buses are one of a very small number of high-quality bus operators in the West Midlands, and we’re delighted to be building upon our relationship with them.”

Geoff Cross, Managing Director of Central Buses, said “We have worked with The Green Bus for some time, and we are very pleased to have been awarded a new contract to provide their services. The pupils travelling on non-schooldays are very likely to bring fare-paying friends with them, and so the ticketing deal really benefits everyone concerned.”