A new campaign by bus operator Transdev Blazefield encourages existing and potential customers to explore their local areas
‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ and ‘there’s an old sock for any boot’, are two phrases that I’ve heard in the last fortnight as I’ve regaled the joys of underrated destinations in the UK, as part of my Great Scenic Journeys business. These are locations that are often the brunt of unfair stereotypes and negative headlines. Stuck-up folk titter when I describe them as places to visit, while others make disparaging, condescending remarks, some say I’ve lost my marbles and scoff with hoots of derision.
I make no apologies for my unrelenting desire this year to drive awareness of the joys and hidden gems of some of our often-underappreciated places in the UK and to praise those who are striving to change negative perceptions of them. I also think we should have a zero-tolerance approach to decrying the communities that, whilst nowhere near perfection, make up the fabric of our wonderful nation.
For the above reason, I’m excited about a campaign that Transdev Blazefield is beginning, called ‘Go Local’, which focuses on the pleasures and benefits of people visiting and spending money in the communities where they reside. Of course, this shouldn’t be a surprise, as since the year dot Blazefield has always set up its operations, marketing, organisational structure, and ethos to reflect the specific locations in which it serves. Hence the existence of several ‘bus company’ brands and management structures embedded in each distinctly different location – Harrogate, Keighley, Blackburn, Burnley, York & Country, Coastliner, Team Pennine, Flyer and CitySightseeing York.
The Blazefield ‘Go Local’ campaign aims, through a variety of channels, to shine a light through its marketing more acutely on the hidden gem places to visit and things to see and do in some of its often-under-rated communities, whilst encouraging people to consider undertaking everyday activities such as shopping, for instance, more locally, rather than a longer distance trip or online retailing. It’s also working with local service providers to offer discounts to customers who arrive by bus.
Matt Burley, Blazefield’s hugely impressive marketing manager explains: “We serve some real standout places, many of which are known across the UK and beyond for their many delights – Leeds, Manchester, Harrogate and York, for example, as well as Skipton, which was recently voted the Happiest Place to Live in Great Britain in Rightmove’s 2025 Happy at Home index. But what makes our network even more fascinating is the sheer range of hidden‑gem destinations we serve, each with its own unique appeal.
Burley continues: “Our customers are rightly proud of their local area, but many don’t always realise just how many attractions, events, independent retailers and other things to do are right on their doorstep. We’ve used destination marketing for years to encourage new customers and additional journeys, but with our Go Local campaign we’re shining an even brighter spotlight on local attractions, shops and experiences.
“By using attractive photos and video, strengthening partnerships with local businesses, offering exclusive discounts to bus customers and promoting these fantastic destinations, we’re helping more people discover what’s just an easy bus ride away.”
I think Burley’s onto something. Most people I speak to care more for their local amenities than the big corporates often think, but the challenge is to get them to turn that affinity into genuine custom. It takes a lot to distract me during the working day, but if a post from ‘Shepperton Now’ appears on my Facebook feed, I will stop what I am doing and read it. If it suggests that a new shop is opening in our local High Street, then I’ll then excitedly phone ‘Er Indoors and give her the gossip. I’m sure there are millions of people like me and it’s about tapping into these folk and converting others who aren’t as interested in the latest arrival in their village or town and showing them why they should care.
That’s a narrative that the bus company can local contribute too just as Blazefield will be doing during the rest of 2026, by focusing intently on promoting those communities that often reside in the shadows, drawing attention to their many benefits and helping illustrate the benefits of using local community providers. The first two locations are Malton in North Yorkshire and Accrington in Lancashire.
A question the cynics will ask, no doubt, is whether bus companies can genuinely influence behaviours. This week I will initiate a workshop involving the bus, coach and rail operators in Lancashire, along with the county and local councils and tourism bodies to discuss ways to collaborate during 2026 to address the shared challenges of getting folk out their house to make a trip, ideally on public transport. I’ll let you know how we get on. We’ve got another event in York the following week too.
We’re helping more people discover what’s just an easy bus ride away
The reality is that few people go on the local bus company’s website to find inspiration for things to do at the weekend or to determine where the shops they need to buy the goods they require reside. That’s why it’s so important that bus companies are influencing as many shops as possible, pubs, restaurants and attractions so that they mention how easy it is to get there by bus on their own website and other marketing activity. They should also pool ideas, resource and marketing spend together to develop integrated campaigns and content, including itineraries.
Indeed, any transport company shouldn’t over-estimate its influence on the behaviours of society. It’s a cog in a wider chain of agencies and factors coming together so that more folk go out the house. When I see that pubs are closing with such rapidity, I recoil. Over the years these have been at the heart of communities and such a good source of revenue for bus companies with customers getting on-board for a trip to the pub, so they can leave the car at home and enjoy a drink. A trip to the cinema, leisure centre, market and so on, may be less palatable if the pub is no longer part of the equation for the day and the impact of any closure becomes corrosive. Any marketing campaign by a transport company must not be overly ambitious, but look for small but valuable gains to celebrate and be patiently part of a longer-term, multi-agency approach.
The challenge is hugely complex. Locally-branded businesses, of which Blazefield is one, stand a better chance, in my view, of influencing local behaviours, rather than some nationwide conglomerate. In all its marketing, the brand personality should be enshrined in the community, celebrating its successes, being a friendly face, occasionally donating to good local causes, such that if the bus company is giving hints and advice on how folk should live their lives (and locally so), they are doing so from a position of being regarded as the credible on-the-doorstep friend. That’s why the hearty welcome and engagement from the driver when customers board the bus, is great for the here and now, but also carries greater strategic significance.
The impact that frontline employees as brand ambassadors within communities is excellently illustrated by Royal Mail, which, despite its critics, consistently scores more highly in terms of ‘trust’ than its competitors and is a 500+ years old institution that resonates with people, predominantly because of its helpful postmen and women. Our local postie, Andy, turned up at my Dad’s funeral, looks out for my elderly mother-in-law, helps us out with our mail when we are away, knows all the comings and goings locally and is seen as a community figurehead. As a former senior leader at Royal Mail, I’m unconvinced that top brass appreciate the role that their frontline folk genuinely have on the equity of their brand, but they should.
Bus companies can play a key role in building trust in them as forces for good in communities. Locally-branded buses, both interiors and exteriors, that resonate with communities, bus stops that imaginatively showcase great local destinations, friendly drivers that make customers feel that the company is on their side and a friend (worthy of being listened to) and visible managers, not only at community events but also visiting attractions, hotels, restaurants, pubs and other service providers to discuss collaborative working – it’s a winning formula.
Prioritising smaller independent businesses to engage with, is also key – these tend to extract greater affection, loyalty and affinity from people. They are viewed as underdogs and association with them will more likely add value to your bus company brand, positioning it as locally-focused, caring and friendly, rather than cosying up with a big corporate. The big chains and attractions often turn their noses up at bus companies or think that they should be paid just to be associated with their brand. There are some exceptions, however. Recently, at Great Scenic Journeys we’ve built up an Instagram following over a few accounts that we own, of around 500k and regularly receive messages from large chains seeking to work with the bus industry, along with very many smaller community providers looking for collaborative partnerships as part of a shared goal of getting folk to make a trip out.
With transport owning groups now predominantly owned by venture capitalists, it’s likely that they won’t have the same affinity with or interest in understanding the local communities they serve, let alone care for them. In any case, some might be in for the short term only before a quick sale. Will they even see the point in investing time, energy and financial commitment in community initiatives, even if ultimately over the long term the cumulative effect of these might put bums on seats?
We can’t though expect the venture capitalists to give an iota of interest in some of our communities, let alone visit them, if we talk them down continuously. It amazes me in conversations, how many folk have the rude, hurtful audacity to castigate the place you live in to your face. However, I’m also surprised by the many people who themselves diss the location in which they reside! Worst of all, though, many transport professionals titter about the towns and villages that their buses and trains serve – ‘Ho ho, good luck Alex in writing something positive about that location, it’s a right hell-hole mate’, they guffaw, in a classic Gerald Ratner moment. Then their tone deaf ears seal up, when I tell them I can find something appealing in every single place that their buses stop at.
Ultimately, to belittle the destination is as good as dissing their own product. I just don’t get it, but then again, these comedians tend to be those least likely to get out and engage with their communities. They’re beyond redemption, yet they’ll be the first to grumble and come up with excuses when revenue drops. Go local? This lot probably never get on a bus and always shop with Amazon online, or Tesco home delivery and spend weekends and evenings, glued to their on-demand TV like couch potatoes!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Alex Warner has over 30 years’ experience in the transport sector, having held senior roles on a multi-modal basis across the sector. He is co-founder of transport technology business Lost Group and transport consultancy AJW Experience Group (which includes Great Scenic Journeys). He is also chair of West Midlands Grand Rail Collaboration.
This story appears inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport.
‘Go Local’ to attract more customers
by Passenger Transport on Feb 12, 2026 • 4:26 pm No CommentsA new campaign by bus operator Transdev Blazefield encourages existing and potential customers to explore their local areas
‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ and ‘there’s an old sock for any boot’, are two phrases that I’ve heard in the last fortnight as I’ve regaled the joys of underrated destinations in the UK, as part of my Great Scenic Journeys business. These are locations that are often the brunt of unfair stereotypes and negative headlines. Stuck-up folk titter when I describe them as places to visit, while others make disparaging, condescending remarks, some say I’ve lost my marbles and scoff with hoots of derision.
I make no apologies for my unrelenting desire this year to drive awareness of the joys and hidden gems of some of our often-underappreciated places in the UK and to praise those who are striving to change negative perceptions of them. I also think we should have a zero-tolerance approach to decrying the communities that, whilst nowhere near perfection, make up the fabric of our wonderful nation.
For the above reason, I’m excited about a campaign that Transdev Blazefield is beginning, called ‘Go Local’, which focuses on the pleasures and benefits of people visiting and spending money in the communities where they reside. Of course, this shouldn’t be a surprise, as since the year dot Blazefield has always set up its operations, marketing, organisational structure, and ethos to reflect the specific locations in which it serves. Hence the existence of several ‘bus company’ brands and management structures embedded in each distinctly different location – Harrogate, Keighley, Blackburn, Burnley, York & Country, Coastliner, Team Pennine, Flyer and CitySightseeing York.
The Blazefield ‘Go Local’ campaign aims, through a variety of channels, to shine a light through its marketing more acutely on the hidden gem places to visit and things to see and do in some of its often-under-rated communities, whilst encouraging people to consider undertaking everyday activities such as shopping, for instance, more locally, rather than a longer distance trip or online retailing. It’s also working with local service providers to offer discounts to customers who arrive by bus.
Matt Burley, Blazefield’s hugely impressive marketing manager explains: “We serve some real standout places, many of which are known across the UK and beyond for their many delights – Leeds, Manchester, Harrogate and York, for example, as well as Skipton, which was recently voted the Happiest Place to Live in Great Britain in Rightmove’s 2025 Happy at Home index. But what makes our network even more fascinating is the sheer range of hidden‑gem destinations we serve, each with its own unique appeal.
Burley continues: “Our customers are rightly proud of their local area, but many don’t always realise just how many attractions, events, independent retailers and other things to do are right on their doorstep. We’ve used destination marketing for years to encourage new customers and additional journeys, but with our Go Local campaign we’re shining an even brighter spotlight on local attractions, shops and experiences.
“By using attractive photos and video, strengthening partnerships with local businesses, offering exclusive discounts to bus customers and promoting these fantastic destinations, we’re helping more people discover what’s just an easy bus ride away.”
I think Burley’s onto something. Most people I speak to care more for their local amenities than the big corporates often think, but the challenge is to get them to turn that affinity into genuine custom. It takes a lot to distract me during the working day, but if a post from ‘Shepperton Now’ appears on my Facebook feed, I will stop what I am doing and read it. If it suggests that a new shop is opening in our local High Street, then I’ll then excitedly phone ‘Er Indoors and give her the gossip. I’m sure there are millions of people like me and it’s about tapping into these folk and converting others who aren’t as interested in the latest arrival in their village or town and showing them why they should care.
That’s a narrative that the bus company can local contribute too just as Blazefield will be doing during the rest of 2026, by focusing intently on promoting those communities that often reside in the shadows, drawing attention to their many benefits and helping illustrate the benefits of using local community providers. The first two locations are Malton in North Yorkshire and Accrington in Lancashire.
A question the cynics will ask, no doubt, is whether bus companies can genuinely influence behaviours. This week I will initiate a workshop involving the bus, coach and rail operators in Lancashire, along with the county and local councils and tourism bodies to discuss ways to collaborate during 2026 to address the shared challenges of getting folk out their house to make a trip, ideally on public transport. I’ll let you know how we get on. We’ve got another event in York the following week too.
The reality is that few people go on the local bus company’s website to find inspiration for things to do at the weekend or to determine where the shops they need to buy the goods they require reside. That’s why it’s so important that bus companies are influencing as many shops as possible, pubs, restaurants and attractions so that they mention how easy it is to get there by bus on their own website and other marketing activity. They should also pool ideas, resource and marketing spend together to develop integrated campaigns and content, including itineraries.
Indeed, any transport company shouldn’t over-estimate its influence on the behaviours of society. It’s a cog in a wider chain of agencies and factors coming together so that more folk go out the house. When I see that pubs are closing with such rapidity, I recoil. Over the years these have been at the heart of communities and such a good source of revenue for bus companies with customers getting on-board for a trip to the pub, so they can leave the car at home and enjoy a drink. A trip to the cinema, leisure centre, market and so on, may be less palatable if the pub is no longer part of the equation for the day and the impact of any closure becomes corrosive. Any marketing campaign by a transport company must not be overly ambitious, but look for small but valuable gains to celebrate and be patiently part of a longer-term, multi-agency approach.
The challenge is hugely complex. Locally-branded businesses, of which Blazefield is one, stand a better chance, in my view, of influencing local behaviours, rather than some nationwide conglomerate. In all its marketing, the brand personality should be enshrined in the community, celebrating its successes, being a friendly face, occasionally donating to good local causes, such that if the bus company is giving hints and advice on how folk should live their lives (and locally so), they are doing so from a position of being regarded as the credible on-the-doorstep friend. That’s why the hearty welcome and engagement from the driver when customers board the bus, is great for the here and now, but also carries greater strategic significance.
The impact that frontline employees as brand ambassadors within communities is excellently illustrated by Royal Mail, which, despite its critics, consistently scores more highly in terms of ‘trust’ than its competitors and is a 500+ years old institution that resonates with people, predominantly because of its helpful postmen and women. Our local postie, Andy, turned up at my Dad’s funeral, looks out for my elderly mother-in-law, helps us out with our mail when we are away, knows all the comings and goings locally and is seen as a community figurehead. As a former senior leader at Royal Mail, I’m unconvinced that top brass appreciate the role that their frontline folk genuinely have on the equity of their brand, but they should.
Bus companies can play a key role in building trust in them as forces for good in communities. Locally-branded buses, both interiors and exteriors, that resonate with communities, bus stops that imaginatively showcase great local destinations, friendly drivers that make customers feel that the company is on their side and a friend (worthy of being listened to) and visible managers, not only at community events but also visiting attractions, hotels, restaurants, pubs and other service providers to discuss collaborative working – it’s a winning formula.
Prioritising smaller independent businesses to engage with, is also key – these tend to extract greater affection, loyalty and affinity from people. They are viewed as underdogs and association with them will more likely add value to your bus company brand, positioning it as locally-focused, caring and friendly, rather than cosying up with a big corporate. The big chains and attractions often turn their noses up at bus companies or think that they should be paid just to be associated with their brand. There are some exceptions, however. Recently, at Great Scenic Journeys we’ve built up an Instagram following over a few accounts that we own, of around 500k and regularly receive messages from large chains seeking to work with the bus industry, along with very many smaller community providers looking for collaborative partnerships as part of a shared goal of getting folk to make a trip out.
With transport owning groups now predominantly owned by venture capitalists, it’s likely that they won’t have the same affinity with or interest in understanding the local communities they serve, let alone care for them. In any case, some might be in for the short term only before a quick sale. Will they even see the point in investing time, energy and financial commitment in community initiatives, even if ultimately over the long term the cumulative effect of these might put bums on seats?
We can’t though expect the venture capitalists to give an iota of interest in some of our communities, let alone visit them, if we talk them down continuously. It amazes me in conversations, how many folk have the rude, hurtful audacity to castigate the place you live in to your face. However, I’m also surprised by the many people who themselves diss the location in which they reside! Worst of all, though, many transport professionals titter about the towns and villages that their buses and trains serve – ‘Ho ho, good luck Alex in writing something positive about that location, it’s a right hell-hole mate’, they guffaw, in a classic Gerald Ratner moment. Then their tone deaf ears seal up, when I tell them I can find something appealing in every single place that their buses stop at.
Ultimately, to belittle the destination is as good as dissing their own product. I just don’t get it, but then again, these comedians tend to be those least likely to get out and engage with their communities. They’re beyond redemption, yet they’ll be the first to grumble and come up with excuses when revenue drops. Go local? This lot probably never get on a bus and always shop with Amazon online, or Tesco home delivery and spend weekends and evenings, glued to their on-demand TV like couch potatoes!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Alex Warner has over 30 years’ experience in the transport sector, having held senior roles on a multi-modal basis across the sector. He is co-founder of transport technology business Lost Group and transport consultancy AJW Experience Group (which includes Great Scenic Journeys). He is also chair of West Midlands Grand Rail Collaboration.
This story appears inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport.
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