A new campaign, Better by Bus, has been launched in Liverpool with the intention of inspiring more people to travel around the city by hopping on a bus.

For the first time, the ‘big three’- Merseytravel, Arriva and Stagecoach- have teamed up to be the driving force behind the campaign.

Better By Bus aims to encourage people to change their travelling habits away from the car, and choose to use the bus for work, leisure and everything in between.

Most vehicles now boast on board Wi-Fi, USB charging and e-leather seats, and Better By Bus will highlight the benefits of stepping aboard.

The campaign will be fronted by some of the region’s rising stars, after open auditions saw 24 of Liverpool’s youngsters people were selected to be the faces of Better By Bus, with a promotional advert launching the campaign.

Over the next 12 months, the Better By Bus team will be out and about working with local people, talking with businesses, going into the community and visiting schools to encourage them to think differently about how they travel, and how using the bus can have a positive impact on the environment and their everyday lives.

Julie Linforth, campaign conductor for Better By Bus, said: “We’re very excited to have officially launched Better By Bus. This is the first time Merseytravel, Stagecoach and Arriva have worked together, so we wanted to make sure that the campaign encapsulated the uniqueness of our local people and was something truly engaging.

“Choosing to travel on the bus has so many benefits that we know will be celebrated throughout the campaign. We want to make people aware that Liverpool City Region’s bus offering is constantly improving. We’re building a better bus network for the future.”

Rob Jones, campaign conductor for Better By Bus, said: “The Better By Bus campaign is designed to make bus travel an attractive choice for every person across Liverpool City Region. We have so many exciting things planned over the next 12 months that will inspire people to consider travelling by bus to get them where they need to go.

“It’s time to take the pressure off, let the bus driver do the hard work; use your bus journey to have some me time and do the things that you want to do.”

You can take a look at the brand new Better By Bus advert by heading to www.betterbybus.org