Arriva is celebrating its one millionth passenger journey using PayPoint.

The scheme was introduced to make it easier for people to buy bus tickets when and where it is most convenient for them.

Joining forces with PayPoint means that Arriva customers across the UK can purchase weekly or monthly passes at their local shops, while buying a pint of milk or newspaper.

It also has the added bonus of improving journey times, with passengers not having to search for change as they are boarding.

Mike Woodhouse, marketing manager Arriva UK Regions, said: “This is fantastic news and shows how successful our partnership with PayPoint has been.

“Our customers told us they wanted more choices for buying bus passes when it is most convenient for them.  This delivers that convenience and hopefully makes bus travel even easier for many existing and new customers.

“Innovative schemes like this are vital to show more and more people how convenient it can be to use buses and leave the car at home.  Reducing congestion and its environmental impact is becoming increasingly important to people today.”

The partnership was first trialled by Arriva in Scotland in 2004 before being rolled out across the UK in 2005.

There are over 16,000 outlets using dedicated PayPoint terminals located in convenience stores, forecourts, supermarkets and off licences up and down the country, and the millionth person got their ticket from a shop in Northumberland.

Mike Igoe, PayPoint Retail Director, said: “Our partnership with Arriva has allowed us to provide customers with a convenient and flexible way to purchase bus tickets and we are delighted to hear that we have reached the one millionth customer milestone.

“Not only is our service beneficial for customers, PayPoint retailers are also benefiting from increased revenue and footfall in stores.”

Photo attached: (l-r  Amy Tweddle winner, Lynsey Carrick, store manager Coop Haltwhistle, John Fozzard, marketing manager Arriva North East)

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Contact:
Corporate communications, Arriva plc on +44 (0)191 520 4106. For media enquiries outside normal office hours, Arriva can be contacted via its 24-hour media pager service on +44 (0)7623 920 615.

Notes to Editors:
Arriva is one of the largest private sector providers of passenger transport in mainland Europe, employing nearly 33,000 people and providing more than one billion passenger journeys every year.

Arriva provides transport services including buses, trains, commuter coaches and water buses, and operates in nine European countries: Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

Arriva is the largest private bus operator in Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands and is London’s largest bus operator.

Revenue from Arriva’s mainland European operations has doubled in the past three years to £621.2 million.

Arriva was the first UK transport company to become a signatory of the European Road Safety Charter – http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/roadsafety/charter.htm.