Free travel on the operator’s services for military and ex-military personnel will be available again on 11 and 13 November, including for cadets for the first time
Stagecoach has confirmed its ongoing commitment to the armed forces by extending its policy of free travel for veterans and military personnel to include cadets who wish to attend remembrance services. Free travel will be available on its bus and tram services across the UK on Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday this year.
The operator’s commitment to free travel, which is now in its second year, follows the launch of Stagecoach’s employee-led Veteran’s Network, which was launched last year to allow Stagecoach colleagues to come together as one voice to make change, raise awareness, help influence business decisions and introduce new ways of working to make the company even stronger. As a cause that is close to the hearts of many of its employees and customers, Stagecoach has been a long-time supporter of the Poppy Appeal, and in addition to free travel on 11 and 13 November, will be operating a number of Poppy Buses across its network. Poppies will also be displayed on the front of buses across the country with some destination blinds showing the message “we will remember them.”
Employees across the company will also be asked to respect the two minutes’ silence and, where safe to do so, drivers may pull over.
Stagecoach has also been a member of the Armed Forces Covenant since March 2015, recognising the value of serving personnel, regular and reservists, veterans and military families to both the country and businesses across the country. With remembrance services planned at memorials across UK, it is hoped that people wishing to pay their respects will take up the offer to travel for free to the service of their choice.
The company said that its commitment allows for the business to unite, and that it will offer free travel to all military, ex-military and cadet customers each year on Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday, as well as Armed Forces Weekend.
Simon Tramalloni, Operations Manager for Stagecoach in Preston & Chorley is co-lead for the Stagecoach Veterans Network. He previously served in the armed forces serving in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Africa and the Middle East. He said: “After the idea came about last year, I am so proud that we are now able to offer this to military cadets and celebrate a second year of offering free travel to military and ex-military personnel.
“Stagecoach has a strong commitment to supporting the armed forces and our veterans, and we have thousands of ex-forces personnel working across our business. The Veterans Network is allowing us to build on the work that Stagecoach has led over many years to identify how else we can support those veterans already working for us and those that may want to come and join the company.
“Remembrance Day and the Poppy Appeal are causes close to the hearts of many of our employees and customers and we are very pleased to be making this commitment that will hopefully help people to attend memorials across the UK.”
