Championing passengers across England
In April, Bus Users UK ran a series of ‘Let’s Talk Buses’ events across Norwich, the North East and Cornwall. These events created an opportunity to do what matters most: speak directly with passengers about their everyday experiences of bus travel.
The success of these events came down to the way each was shaped locally, with strong coordination from organisers and partners to make sure the set-up worked in each place, whether that was a city centre hub or a more community-focused setting.
What stood out across all three areas was how willing people were to engage when given the space and opportunity. Conversations were honest and direct, often focused on reliability, value and how services fit into daily life.
Norwich
In partnership with Norfolk County Council, First Bus East of England, KonectBus and Sanders Coaches, the Forum provided an excellent location for the event and worked well in terms of footfall and visibility. It created a central space where multiple operators could come together and engage directly with passengers in the heart of the city. The set-up was open and accessible, so people could easily stop to ask questions and talk through their journeys.
What was particularly impactful was that people of all ages naturally gravitated towards the buses – stepping on board, looking around and using the space to talk to operators about routes and destinations, with many taking the opportunity for photos.
There was a great sense of collaboration on the day, with all three operators creating a strong joint presence. Strategies are already being developed to engage younger audiences in future activity, particularly through closer links with the university.
Newcastle and the North East
In Newcastle, the event was delivered in partnership with Stagecoach North East, with support from Newcastle NE1 Ltd and the North East Combined County Authority. The bus on Grainger Street provided a strong focal point and created a natural space for conversation. Engagement was steady throughout the day, with people stopping to talk as they moved through the city centre.
Giveaways helped open conversations and led to discussions around discounted travel via the MegaRider ticket. Branded Stagecoach tote bags, fluorescent slap bands, pens, keyrings and gold chocolate coins were all well received by those who stopped to chat and encouraged further conversations.
While some passengers shared their concerns over recent route changes, the overall tone was positive, with many people highlighting how important bus services are to their daily lives. There was also real appreciation for the chance to speak directly with staff who were able to provide clear and helpful information.
There was even a branded Stagecoach trike that helped extend visibility across Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Sunderland. It created informal moments of engagement in busy high street locations, taking the conversation out to the people.
Cornwall
Our Cornwall events were delivered in partnership with Transport for Cornwall and with support from Go Cornwall Bus and the Chatter Bus. The conversations across Penzance, Camborne and Truro reflected strong everyday use of bus services and a real familiarity with the network. The team engaged with local residents and used a survey to capture structured feedback. Transport for Cornwall hosted giveaways of branded tote bags, colouring pads, pencils and games for kids, baseball caps, sunglasses and sweets, which were good ice breakers and encouraged people to get involved.
A key local issue around bus stop changes was raised by residents travelling from Mousehole. While there was strong feeling on the issue, discussions were constructive and focused, with time taken to hear the feedback and understand individual experiences.
The atmosphere across all locations was open and productive, with passengers happy to share their views and talk about how services work for them.
Successes
Although each event was unique, some clear themes emerged with people in every location responding to accessible, visible opportunities to talk about their bus services.
Simple, well-placed and direct engagement was highly effective, particularly when supported by strong local coordination bringing everything together on the ground.
From Norwich through to the North East and down to Cornwall, ‘Let’s Talk Buses’ demonstrated the value of meeting people where they are and creating opportunities for conversation.
The feedback and observations gathered across all three areas will help inform ongoing engagement and future planning, including for Catch the Bus Month 2026 in September.
To find out more about our events, get in touch letstalkbuses@bususers.org