Harrogate Bus Co brings back free electric buses
Transdev-owned The Harrogate Bus Company is bringing back free travel on its electric buses on Sundays.
The ‘Sunday Freeway’ free journeys on the electric buses is resuming thanks to Harrogate BID – the Business Improvement District set up in 2019 to bring local firms together to provide extra incentives to attract more people to shop local.
Harrogate BID’s sponsorship of free Sunday journeys in the run-up to Christmas 2019 helped the Harrogate Electrics buses generate a rise of up to 90 per cent in the number of customers travelling, compared with the same period a year earlier.
“As well as reducing emissions and congestion, free Sunday travel on our pioneering Harrogate Electrics buses will make it easier to support our local economy” – The Harrogate Bus Company CEO, Alex Hornby
The Harrogate Bus Company CEO, Alex Hornby, said: “We’re delighted that Harrogate BID are able to again work in partnership with us to support our ‘Sunday Freeway’ on our Harrogate Electrics buses for the first two months of the New Year.
“As well as reducing emissions and congestion, free Sunday travel on our pioneering Harrogate Electrics buses will make it easier to support our local economy and help keep our town’s traders in business into 2022. Our buses are among the safest places to be, with an enhanced cleaning regime in place to keep everyone safe.
“It’s been an incredibly challenging time for Harrogate’s businesses, with previous lockdowns and now the prospect of further restrictions. More than ever, it’s now up to us all to support them in the vital first few months of the New Year by taking advantage of free travel on Harrogate Electrics buses.”
Harrogate BID chair and business owner, Sara Ferguson, said: “This is the third time we have partnered with our local bus operator, and on both previous occasions it helped to increase the number of passengers heading into Harrogate town centre. This year, we have chosen January and February, which can be quiet months for the retail and hospitality sectors. Harrogate town centre is well worth a visit at any time of the year, and we hope the added incentive of free bus travel will make it even more appealing.”