Arriva makes it even easier to get a ticket to ride

Next time people in Paisley nip down to the corner shop, they may well come back with more than just a bottle of milk and a paper – because from 1 March, local shops offering the PayPoint service will be selling Arriva bus tickets too.

Ian Craig, director and general manager of Arriva Scotland West explains: “We know from market research and customer feedback that people want us to introduce easier ways to buy bus tickets. What could be simpler than buying your bus ticket from your local newsagent or convenience store?

"Both adult, student and child, weekly and 4-weekly tickets are available and no form filling or photographs are involved. All people have to do is ask for the ticket they want and then hop on whatever Arriva service suits them best.

"With no need to find change at the bus stop, boarding times will be faster, and of course customers can still buy their day and weekly tickets on the bus from bus drivers if they want to.”

He said: "We believe this represents a significant improvement to the service we offer customers especially as the 80 or so shops with a PayPoint service in the area are within a short walk of an Arriva bus service.

"Many of our customers will already be familiar with the convenience of topping up their mobile phones or paying their BT, Scottish Gas or Scottish Power bills at PayPoint and now they can buy their bus tickets at the same time."

There are currently more than 10,000 PayPoint outlets across the UK and Northern Ireland, processing around four million transactions a week. PayPoint is not only fast and efficient but also gives customers a wider choice of how, when and where to make their payments.

PayPoint’s Managing Director Dominic Taylor said: “I’m very pleased that PayPoint are working with Arriva to make it easier for customers to purchase bus tickets, whilst bringing benefits to our PayPoint retailers at the same time.”

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For more information please contact Kate Flint, head of media relations, Arriva plc on 0191 520 4106 or Peter Binns, marketing manager at PayPoint on 01707 600324

Notes to Editors:

• PayPoint is the UK's leading branded network for 'over the counter' payments with over 10,000 retail outlets throughout the UK. This ticketing service involves over 80 shops, all of which are within a short walk of Arriva bus services.
• An electronic bitmap image photo showing a PayPoint transaction is available on request.