Bus operators across the country offered free travel over Armed Forces Day weekend, enabling service personnel, veterans and cadets to attend parades, displays and community events fare-free.
Offers ranged from single-day concessions to weekend-wide schemes, with several operators linking the initiative to commitments under the Armed Forces Covenant and to former service personnel within their own ranks.
Network-wide offers
Stagecoach, which has been a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant since March 2015, once again provided free travel across its bus network (excluding Megabus, Transport for London and Bee Network services) on 27-28 June for serving military personnel, service families, veterans and cadets.
The initiative builds on annual free travel arrangement for military personnel and veterans on Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday. It also points to its colleague-led Veterans Network and its Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award, received in 2024.
Says Simon Tramalloni, Head of Operations for Stagecoach Manchester and Merseyside and Armed Forces and Veterans Co-Lead: “Through our Veterans Network, we are dedicated to ensuring Stagecoach remains a deeply supportive environment for the military community, both as passengers and as valued colleagues.”
First Bus similarly offered free travel on 27 June to serving personnel, cadets and veterans. Passengers could travel by wearing uniform or medals, showing a valid identity card or displaying the Ministry of Defence Veteran’s Badge.
The operator also encouraged former military personnel working at its depots to wear associated military dress while in service.
Rob Pymm, Director of Customer Proposition, First Bus, says: “We have many veterans working for First Bus across our businesses, and we’re very proud of their efforts and sacrifice. This is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to them, as well as honouring all men and women who choose to serve and protect the freedoms of our country.”
Regional initiatives
In Greater Manchester, the Bee Network extended free travel across bus and tram services on 27 June to Regular and Reserve personnel carrying an MOD90 card, veterans with a Veterans’ badge or Veterans’ Railcard, and cadets travelling in uniform.
“Supporting the Armed Forces Covenant is something we take very seriously, and we’re committed to doing our part to make Greater Manchester an Armed Forces-friendly city-region,” comments Danny Vaughan, Chief Network Officer at Transport for Greater Manchester.
Go North East offered free travel on 27-28 June for veterans, cadets and serving personnel, including those travelling in uniform. The operator says the concession enabled the Armed Forces community to attend events including a Newcastle city-centre parade, celebrations in Seaburn and a family fun day in Stanley.
“Supporting the Armed Forces community is really important to us as many of our colleagues have served their country before joining Go North East,” says Managing Director of Go North East Ben Gilligan.
Adds Sarah Jones, a Go North East driver and British Army veteran: “I think it’s great that we’re offering free travel for the Armed Forces community this weekend. For drivers who are also veterans, anything we can do to show connection and support to our brothers in arms is really important.
“I think the reason so many veterans choose a career in the bus industry is because it’s one of the few careers that instils camaraderie – from the minute you walk into the bus depot, you’re acknowledged, you’re supported and most importantly, valued!”
Blackpool tribute
Blackpool Transport paired its free travel offer for for veterans and serving Army, Navy and RAF personnel on 27-28 June with a longer-term commemorative initiative.
The operator is inviting the local community to submit names of current and former service personnel for a dedicated tribute bus, while selected names are also due to appear on poppies displayed on trams ahead of Remembrance Sunday.
The operator is also seeking optional donations for charity Empowerment, which supports members of the Armed Forces community in Blackpool and the Fylde coast.
“Every name submitted will represent a story, a sacrifice, and a connection to our local community that we should all be immensely proud of,” comments Blackpool Transport Managing Director Lea Harrison, himself a former member of the forces. “We want to recognise as many local military personnel as possible, and our special bus will remain an eye-catching tribute to our local heroes for the foreseeable future.”
