I’m excited after organising two workshops that brought public transport operators together with tourism sector representatives
Last time round, I mentioned to you lot that I was organising two workshops with transport operators, local and combined authorities and the tourism sector to plan a collaborative approach to the spring and summer season – and beyond! Well, they’ve happened now, and despite my nerves (as many readers will know, I’m quite unsociable and don’t like gatherings, let alone arranging them), they were, in my view and judging by feedback from attendees, a real success! Relief!
I dreamt up the idea for the workshops, having felt for some time in my Great Scenic Journeys business that the transport sector needs to do more to help generate reasons to travel and work with tourism providers. There are examples of excellent work being undertaken by Destination Marketing Organisations across the UK, so it would be wrong of me to suggest it isn’t happening, but it still feels patchy and sometimes doesn’t involve those who can make a difference in some transport organisations. Furthermore, conversations don’t tend to examine the psychological reasons people aren’t going out and what can be done collaboratively to address them.
So, at Great Scenic Journeys, we first met with Lancashire County Council for a workshop in Preston, in their delightful top-floor auditorium, a couple of weeks ago, and then with North Yorkshire Council at the fabulous Impossible York Wonderbar and Tea Rooms last Friday. We called these sessions ‘In it Together for 2026’ – okay, you may say that sounds naff, but my creative juices couldn’t conjure up anything better!
If you’ve ever tried to organise an event, which I’m sure you have, it needs patience, persistence and the ability to take knock-backs and not take them personally. None of these is an attribute that I am remotely good at, and so it has been a roller-coaster of emotions over the last two or three months. We made them ‘invitation only’ and limited to around 25-30 guests. The intention was that they would be ‘seminars’ or ‘workshops’ rather than conferences – the ability to network but also discuss and develop plans, rather than a series of one-way, self-congratulatory presentations. We did realise the benefit of speakers, but confined them to brief talks, almost in a speed-dating style.
Persuading people to attend wasn’t as hard as I thought, albeit a couple of the big owning groups were wondering what it was all about and there was scepticism that it would turn into an event just to promote my business ‘from an oily salesman in Surrey’ (in the words of one such organisation). However, the turnout was brilliant – 30 in Lancashire and 27 in Yorkshire with only one ‘blow out’ on the day! The transport operators turned out in force, and I must particularly thank Northern, LNER, Avanti, TransPennine and Grand Central for their attendance, as I am sure they anticipated the slant would be very much bus- and coach-related. I have criticised train companies for not being as engaged as they should be in working with other modes, but my experiences over the last two weeks were hugely encouraging.
I’ve always had a vision of creating a ‘Park Run’ equivalent for public transport
So, what did we learn? Well on both days we found out more about the societal changes that are making it harder to persuade people to go out, much of which I’ve discussed on these pages previously, but we heard it from the tourism sector and attractions. We discovered more about the popularity of solo travel and detox-style experiences – indeed, the word ‘experience’ came up frequently. People want this more and more now, and they want authentic, curated and quirky trips out. We have 700k Instagram followers across our various social media accounts at Great Scenic Journeys and, of course, as we learnt from the delegates at our workshops, the digital aspect is all consuming. Attractions, in particular, rely on identifying quirky content that differentiates them in a crowded market.
There was an agreement among all present at both workshops that their roles have gone beyond merely delivering a proposition to customers. They now need to be almost sociologists, understanding trends in detail but trying to get their heads round what is needed to overcome the unwillingness among whole swathes of the population to even venture out. At the Lancashire workshop, there was a real desire from attendees to work with Great Scenic Journeys and other stakeholders to infiltrate medical practices, charity shops, community groups, and welfare institutions, and to promote the benefits of a leisure journey by bus, coach, or train for mental health and general wellbeing. We would display in surgeries and the like, details of the nearest Great Scenic Journey and those further afield, along with itinerant packages, suggestions for things to see and do and discounts at community providers. Graham Vidler, Confederation of Passenger Transport chief executive, even went so far as to suggest that prescriptions issued to patients should include advice on taking a leisure trip on public transport! Love it!
The discussion around the health benefits of a trip out by public transport included the role of coach excursions. The coach operators spoke of an ageing market that, unless there is a significant multi-faceted marketing intervention, poses an existential threat to the sector. There’s a need for those approaching retirement to be made aware of the pleasures, convenience, mental and physical health benefits that can be enjoyed by a coach excursion, almost as a lifestyle choice. With some targeted digital promotion and possibly celebrity endorsers or ‘brand heroes’, there is potential to generate untapped demand.
In keeping with the ‘In it Together’ mantra of the workshops, mutual help can be provided by each sector to achieve the common goal of getting bums on seats and ultimately increase visitor numbers to destinations. I’ve always had a vision of creating a ‘Park Run’ equivalent for public transport. The joy of a ‘Park Run’ is that, across the country, it creates, in effect, an ‘event’ designed for everyone every Saturday morning. I have a mate who, every week, asks: “What has Park Run got in store for me this week?” He’s not the fittest, nor even the most sociable, but the Park Run concept provides engagement, accessibility, is manageable (5k maximum), and it’s at the heart of communities. I’d love a situation where transport companies lay out a Great Scenic Journey each Saturday for customers. We discussed this at the Lancashire workshop, and there was consensus that a bus or rail operator should do this in conjunction with coach operators. So, for instance, the bus or train would pick you up for a section of the trip, and then the coach would meet you to take you on a tour, maybe of a city or to more remote parts beyond.
There was a feeling that government subsidies could maybe be used to help create social mobility where it doesn’t exist. One tourism attendee at the Lancashire workshop provided insights from the education sector of deprived communities in Burnley where whole swathes of young pupils have never seen the seaside. Across the UK, there will be countless communities where youngsters and indeed many in adulthood have not enjoyed the joys of a trip to the seaside, or seen beautiful countryside or enjoyed the sights, history and experiences of our wonderful cities. Subsidised and free travel, on city sightseeing tours or on excursions can potentially change lives and they need not be that costly, in the overall scheme of welfare funding.
The train companies hold the key for bus and coach. With such nationwide, indeed international, reach, as well as depth of marketing expertise and spending power (relative to other transport modes), they can have a massive impact in promoting ‘add-on’ travel to other destinations they don’t serve and in promoting attractions. In our Yorkshire workshop, there was a real appetite from the bus and coach operators to offer discounts to rail customers, for example, on the City Sightseeing York service, on our multi-operator Scenic Explorer product across the Region, or through integration with coach excursions. Of course, the benefits are that, if embraced by the train companies (and why wouldn’t they?), they can be promoted on their websites, as part of their rewards schemes, and to their huge databases.
They must be fixated on delivering an ‘experience’ that just happens to involve something on wheels
There’s also an opportunity for the bus and coach sector to help rail companies. It always troubles me when I hang around pubs in somewhat deprived places how many people say they have never, for instance, been to London or other locations served by longer distance rail services. On buses and in the communities of Bridlington, Filey, Scarborough and many more, there’s an opportunity to introduce travel to London, Newcastle, Edinburgh and other great destinations through integrated and discounted pricing and a more connected end-to-end experience.
Finally, once this marketing lark has been mastered, there’s a job to be then done in providing a compelling proposition in keeping with the expectations of excited leisure customers venturing on a trip out. Attention to detail is everything and Avanti has been working with ourselves, bus and taxi operators to identify and progress practical, ‘quick wins’ to achieve a more integrated experience. Other rail companies have also been embarking on their own schemes.
Challenges exist though in terms of anti-social behaviour and noisy or unruly customers with their phones blaring, ruining the experience for others’, however fab the view from the window or the destination. There were some interesting insights from the attractions about how the jocular and versatile nature of their own staff helps nip in the bud instances where some customers might be affecting others’ enjoyment. Indeed, it seemed there was a lot to learn from the tourism sector about customer service, per se.
My advice to open top bus companies, coach excursion providers, or indeed anyone providing a leisure route is that if they approach the design and delivery of their implementation with a bus, coach, or rail mentality, they will fail. They must be fixated on delivering an ‘experience’ that just happens to involve something on wheels. The tourism providers at our workshops spoke engagingly and helpfully to transport colleagues about their obsession with customer service and creating a high-octane, fun experience.
A word too about the local and combined authorities. Franchising, BSIP funding, and greater control over service specification have all shifted power across the bus industry. From my experience, the civil servants are keen to listen, learn and engage constructively. They don’t profess to be marketing experts, despite the increased onus on them to find ways to increase patronage. Their active involvement in our workshops, in my own dealings with regional authorities, and in developing ideas is a real positive. No big time charlies or showboaters there.
I was genuinely nervous about how the past fortnight would go, and whilst our two events might seem insignificant in the overall machinations of the UK’s public transport and tourism sectors, they filled me with hope. I am grateful to all those who attended, for their contributions, and for their willingness to meet up more regularly. To be honest, I’m underselling how I feel right now. If truth be told, I don’t think I’ve felt so excited in ages!
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.
How can we entice people to go out?
by Passenger Transport on Mar 2, 2026 • 12:11 pm No CommentsI’m excited after organising two workshops that brought public transport operators together with tourism sector representatives
Last time round, I mentioned to you lot that I was organising two workshops with transport operators, local and combined authorities and the tourism sector to plan a collaborative approach to the spring and summer season – and beyond! Well, they’ve happened now, and despite my nerves (as many readers will know, I’m quite unsociable and don’t like gatherings, let alone arranging them), they were, in my view and judging by feedback from attendees, a real success! Relief!
I dreamt up the idea for the workshops, having felt for some time in my Great Scenic Journeys business that the transport sector needs to do more to help generate reasons to travel and work with tourism providers. There are examples of excellent work being undertaken by Destination Marketing Organisations across the UK, so it would be wrong of me to suggest it isn’t happening, but it still feels patchy and sometimes doesn’t involve those who can make a difference in some transport organisations. Furthermore, conversations don’t tend to examine the psychological reasons people aren’t going out and what can be done collaboratively to address them.
So, at Great Scenic Journeys, we first met with Lancashire County Council for a workshop in Preston, in their delightful top-floor auditorium, a couple of weeks ago, and then with North Yorkshire Council at the fabulous Impossible York Wonderbar and Tea Rooms last Friday. We called these sessions ‘In it Together for 2026’ – okay, you may say that sounds naff, but my creative juices couldn’t conjure up anything better!
If you’ve ever tried to organise an event, which I’m sure you have, it needs patience, persistence and the ability to take knock-backs and not take them personally. None of these is an attribute that I am remotely good at, and so it has been a roller-coaster of emotions over the last two or three months. We made them ‘invitation only’ and limited to around 25-30 guests. The intention was that they would be ‘seminars’ or ‘workshops’ rather than conferences – the ability to network but also discuss and develop plans, rather than a series of one-way, self-congratulatory presentations. We did realise the benefit of speakers, but confined them to brief talks, almost in a speed-dating style.
Persuading people to attend wasn’t as hard as I thought, albeit a couple of the big owning groups were wondering what it was all about and there was scepticism that it would turn into an event just to promote my business ‘from an oily salesman in Surrey’ (in the words of one such organisation). However, the turnout was brilliant – 30 in Lancashire and 27 in Yorkshire with only one ‘blow out’ on the day! The transport operators turned out in force, and I must particularly thank Northern, LNER, Avanti, TransPennine and Grand Central for their attendance, as I am sure they anticipated the slant would be very much bus- and coach-related. I have criticised train companies for not being as engaged as they should be in working with other modes, but my experiences over the last two weeks were hugely encouraging.
So, what did we learn? Well on both days we found out more about the societal changes that are making it harder to persuade people to go out, much of which I’ve discussed on these pages previously, but we heard it from the tourism sector and attractions. We discovered more about the popularity of solo travel and detox-style experiences – indeed, the word ‘experience’ came up frequently. People want this more and more now, and they want authentic, curated and quirky trips out. We have 700k Instagram followers across our various social media accounts at Great Scenic Journeys and, of course, as we learnt from the delegates at our workshops, the digital aspect is all consuming. Attractions, in particular, rely on identifying quirky content that differentiates them in a crowded market.
There was an agreement among all present at both workshops that their roles have gone beyond merely delivering a proposition to customers. They now need to be almost sociologists, understanding trends in detail but trying to get their heads round what is needed to overcome the unwillingness among whole swathes of the population to even venture out. At the Lancashire workshop, there was a real desire from attendees to work with Great Scenic Journeys and other stakeholders to infiltrate medical practices, charity shops, community groups, and welfare institutions, and to promote the benefits of a leisure journey by bus, coach, or train for mental health and general wellbeing. We would display in surgeries and the like, details of the nearest Great Scenic Journey and those further afield, along with itinerant packages, suggestions for things to see and do and discounts at community providers. Graham Vidler, Confederation of Passenger Transport chief executive, even went so far as to suggest that prescriptions issued to patients should include advice on taking a leisure trip on public transport! Love it!
The discussion around the health benefits of a trip out by public transport included the role of coach excursions. The coach operators spoke of an ageing market that, unless there is a significant multi-faceted marketing intervention, poses an existential threat to the sector. There’s a need for those approaching retirement to be made aware of the pleasures, convenience, mental and physical health benefits that can be enjoyed by a coach excursion, almost as a lifestyle choice. With some targeted digital promotion and possibly celebrity endorsers or ‘brand heroes’, there is potential to generate untapped demand.
In keeping with the ‘In it Together’ mantra of the workshops, mutual help can be provided by each sector to achieve the common goal of getting bums on seats and ultimately increase visitor numbers to destinations. I’ve always had a vision of creating a ‘Park Run’ equivalent for public transport. The joy of a ‘Park Run’ is that, across the country, it creates, in effect, an ‘event’ designed for everyone every Saturday morning. I have a mate who, every week, asks: “What has Park Run got in store for me this week?” He’s not the fittest, nor even the most sociable, but the Park Run concept provides engagement, accessibility, is manageable (5k maximum), and it’s at the heart of communities. I’d love a situation where transport companies lay out a Great Scenic Journey each Saturday for customers. We discussed this at the Lancashire workshop, and there was consensus that a bus or rail operator should do this in conjunction with coach operators. So, for instance, the bus or train would pick you up for a section of the trip, and then the coach would meet you to take you on a tour, maybe of a city or to more remote parts beyond.
There was a feeling that government subsidies could maybe be used to help create social mobility where it doesn’t exist. One tourism attendee at the Lancashire workshop provided insights from the education sector of deprived communities in Burnley where whole swathes of young pupils have never seen the seaside. Across the UK, there will be countless communities where youngsters and indeed many in adulthood have not enjoyed the joys of a trip to the seaside, or seen beautiful countryside or enjoyed the sights, history and experiences of our wonderful cities. Subsidised and free travel, on city sightseeing tours or on excursions can potentially change lives and they need not be that costly, in the overall scheme of welfare funding.
The train companies hold the key for bus and coach. With such nationwide, indeed international, reach, as well as depth of marketing expertise and spending power (relative to other transport modes), they can have a massive impact in promoting ‘add-on’ travel to other destinations they don’t serve and in promoting attractions. In our Yorkshire workshop, there was a real appetite from the bus and coach operators to offer discounts to rail customers, for example, on the City Sightseeing York service, on our multi-operator Scenic Explorer product across the Region, or through integration with coach excursions. Of course, the benefits are that, if embraced by the train companies (and why wouldn’t they?), they can be promoted on their websites, as part of their rewards schemes, and to their huge databases.
There’s also an opportunity for the bus and coach sector to help rail companies. It always troubles me when I hang around pubs in somewhat deprived places how many people say they have never, for instance, been to London or other locations served by longer distance rail services. On buses and in the communities of Bridlington, Filey, Scarborough and many more, there’s an opportunity to introduce travel to London, Newcastle, Edinburgh and other great destinations through integrated and discounted pricing and a more connected end-to-end experience.
Finally, once this marketing lark has been mastered, there’s a job to be then done in providing a compelling proposition in keeping with the expectations of excited leisure customers venturing on a trip out. Attention to detail is everything and Avanti has been working with ourselves, bus and taxi operators to identify and progress practical, ‘quick wins’ to achieve a more integrated experience. Other rail companies have also been embarking on their own schemes.
Challenges exist though in terms of anti-social behaviour and noisy or unruly customers with their phones blaring, ruining the experience for others’, however fab the view from the window or the destination. There were some interesting insights from the attractions about how the jocular and versatile nature of their own staff helps nip in the bud instances where some customers might be affecting others’ enjoyment. Indeed, it seemed there was a lot to learn from the tourism sector about customer service, per se.
My advice to open top bus companies, coach excursion providers, or indeed anyone providing a leisure route is that if they approach the design and delivery of their implementation with a bus, coach, or rail mentality, they will fail. They must be fixated on delivering an ‘experience’ that just happens to involve something on wheels. The tourism providers at our workshops spoke engagingly and helpfully to transport colleagues about their obsession with customer service and creating a high-octane, fun experience.
A word too about the local and combined authorities. Franchising, BSIP funding, and greater control over service specification have all shifted power across the bus industry. From my experience, the civil servants are keen to listen, learn and engage constructively. They don’t profess to be marketing experts, despite the increased onus on them to find ways to increase patronage. Their active involvement in our workshops, in my own dealings with regional authorities, and in developing ideas is a real positive. No big time charlies or showboaters there.
I was genuinely nervous about how the past fortnight would go, and whilst our two events might seem insignificant in the overall machinations of the UK’s public transport and tourism sectors, they filled me with hope. I am grateful to all those who attended, for their contributions, and for their willingness to meet up more regularly. To be honest, I’m underselling how I feel right now. If truth be told, I don’t think I’ve felt so excited in ages!
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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