Gerry Lennon, Visit Belfast, Alistair Hamilton, Invest NI and John French from the Consumer Council NI are calling on businesses to ‘Get On Board’ Northern Ireland’s first ever Bus and Train Week which runs from 6 June to 12 June 2016.
Bus and Train Week is a new initiative to encourage more people to give the bus and train a go, and to emphasise the importance of public transport to the economy and wider society. The week is based around six key themes which demonstrate how an efficient public transport system makes our economy stronger and supports education, tourism, environmental responsibility and health and active travel while also building a more inclusive society. Throughout the week there will be events, special fares and other activities taking place with a number of local authorities, community organisations and business representatives involved.
Invest Northern Ireland, CEO, Alastair Hamilton has welcomed the initiative from Translink saying:
“Public Transport is good for business. Transportation is the backbone of a strong and prosperous regional economy like Northern Ireland, with a focus on attracting inward investment. As a location, Northern Ireland has exactly what investors are looking for – a workforce that is educated, smart, innovative and results-driven. It is vital that we have the necessary infrastructure including an efficient bus and rail network to transport those people to and from their jobs. Many Northern Ireland companies are already on-board, and I’ll be taking the train on 6 June to show my support for the first ever Bus and Train Week in Northern Ireland.”
Gerry Lennon, CEO, Visit Belfast also talks about the benefits to Tourism:
“An effective and user-friendly public transport system is an important element of any city’s tourism offering and can enhance the visitor experience by allowing tourists to make their way around the city with ease. The Belfast Visitor Pass, which tourists can purchase from the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre, gives visitors an easy, cost-effective way to explore all that Belfast has to offer by public transport – as well as availing of exclusive discounts and offers for many of the city’s top visitor attractions. So what are you waiting for, get on-board the inaugural Bus and Train Week and give public transport a go.”
John French, Chief Executive, Consumer Council Northern Ireland.
“The Consumer Council safeguards and promotes the interests of passengers travelling to, from or within Northern Ireland. We are encouraging everyone to get on-board Bus and Train Week 2016 and see the benefits it can bring. Find out how much money you can save and how public transport can improve your daily journey. Throughout the week of 6 – 12 June there will be a range of special offers across all of Translink’s services, which means you can save even more.”
At the announcement Chris Conway, CEO, Translink, also talked about value of public transport to everyone Northern Ireland, including the economy:
“Translink is focused on providing integrated public transport, to enable a thriving Northern Ireland. Public transport is essential for a modern progressive region, with research indicating that every £1 spent on public transport contributes £4 to the wider economy. Buses and trains support local communities in cities and towns across Northern Ireland. They drive economic growth and social inclusion, reduce congestion, get people to work and education, and benefit the environment.”
Chris continued, “Customers will benefit from a range of discounted fares in addition to our everyday value tickets across all of our services, and an exciting programme of events is planned. So we are asking people and organisations to ‘Get On Board’ Bus and Train Week 2016 and help us promote the many benefits of public transport. In particular we would love for people who don’t normally take the bus or train to give it a try, so they too can see the benefits for themselves.”
A series of events and celebrations will be hosted in stations, businesses and organisations across Northern Ireland during the week of the 6 June to 12 June. For more information and a full list of special offers visit www.translink.co.uk/busandtrainweek. Join in the conversation online using #GetOnBoardNI.