Buses to wear poppies with free travel for serving forces personnel and veterans

Buses are being adorned with poppies to support the annual Poppy Appeal, as the nation prepares to remember the fallen. From left, veterans Geoff Lister, Michael Scott and Keith Webster watch as engineer Jonathan Ruston fits a poppy to a Transdev bus

Large commemorative poppies will adorn buses across the region for Remembrance Day, with many services providing free travel on Remembrance Sunday (14 November) to all current service personnel on with forces ID, and to veterans in uniform or with their medals.

All local operators, First Manchester, Rosso, Go North West and Diamond, are offering free travel on any Go North West bus for current serving members of the armed forces and veterans on Remembrance Sunday. 

To travel for free, all veterans and current forces personnel need to do is to show their forces ID to the driver, or wear their military uniform when travelling. 

Alex Hornby, CEO of parent firm Transdev, which runs the local Rosso services, said: “With the impact of the pandemic still being felt by many veterans and their families, it’s more important than ever that we continue our support for the excellent work done by the Royal British Legion.

“We hope that by prominently showing our support for the Poppy Appeal on our buses, many of our customers will join us in contributing to this excellent cause.

“We want to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom, and to support those living with the impact of conflict today. All of our teams at our depots across the North are fully behind this.”

On Remembrance Day (Thursday 11 November 2021) and on Remembrance Sunday, and where it is safe to do so, buses will pause at 11am to observe two minutes’ silence in memory of those who gave their lives in defending our nation.