Merseyside’s second-biggest bus operator wants to hear from entrepreneurs or organisations with a product or initiative which will help local communities. Tony McDonough reports

Transport Stagecoach is looking for “innovators and makers” across Liverpool city region to take part in a green Dragons’ Den-style contest.

Merseyside’s second-biggest bus operator wants to hear from entrepreneurs or organisations with a product or initiative which will help local communities to be more environmentally friendly.

Stagecoach will select three winners – one each from Merseyside, Cheshire and South Lancashire – who will be given £1,000 each to develop their ideas further.

Those shortlisted will pitch to panel events in October.

The judging panel will include representatives from Stagecoach’s senior management team, and science, engineering and sustainability experts from the University of Central Lancashire and the University of Chester, alongside senior regional journalists.

The competition is open to schools, universities, organisations, and individuals and will encourage people to get creative when thinking about sustainability.

The contest aims to encourage the use of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) to drive forward sustainability

Rob Jones, managing director of Stagecoach Merseyside, Chester, and South Lancashire, said: “We wanted to do something to encourage communities across Merseyside, Cheshire, and Lancashire to get involved and get innovating to drive forward sustainability where they live.

“The competition is open to anyone living within the three regions. We really want to encourage people across the regions to get their thinking caps on and develop a product to help their local communities to be more sustainable.”

To enter email a photo/image of your product along with 500 words about why they should win to cobban@thisisinfluential.com

Deadline for entries is 11.59pm on Thursday, October 5.