Leeds students named winners of West Yorkshire green transport challenge

Five Year 7 and 8 students from Leeds have been named the winners of an exciting creative challenge launched by Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire. Delivered by Ahead Partnership for a third year, the Bus to the Future challenge was designed to engage young people in driving the future of greener, more sustainable travel, aligned with wider efforts to tackle the Climate Change Emergencies declared within the region.

The challenge was the culmination of a broader transport and green skills education programme from bus operators Arriva, First, Transdev and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), together forming the West Yorkshire Bus Alliance. The activities are designed to help inspire young people to learn more about the public transport sector and understand and promote greener modes of travel through “hands-on” activities and real-life challenge briefs.

Bus to the Future saw secondary school and college students from across West Yorkshire invited to create a piece of media, such as a poster, animation or a TikTok, that would persuade friends and family to take the bus.

The winning design was created by Harriet; Chioma; Eve; Tula; and Frost, who are members of the Humanities Club at Lawnswood School. The students created a video to communicate the individual, societal and environmental benefits of getting the bus to other young people.

Stephanie Burras CBE, chief executive at Ahead Partnership, said:

“Announcing the winners of the 2022 Bus to the Future challenge has been a fantastic way to mark the success of the past three years of the West Yorkshire Bus Alliance Education programme.

“Throughout the initiative, the bus operators and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority have been driving forward the greener travel agenda with a range of exciting activities and events for young people right across the region such as careers panels, youth forums, lesson resources, primary World of Bus days as well as this innovative challenge. Seeing the creativity of the entries to this year’s challenge has only proved the value of embracing different perspectives and harnessing the innovation of younger generations to tackle the real-world challenges that our society faces.”

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, also commented:

“Young people are passionate about the environment and keen to play their part in addressing pressing climate challenges, and I’m determined to help them do so.

“Making bus travel affordable and easy to understand – as with my £2 adult single fare or £4.50 day ticket starting in September – helps people see it as a viable alternative to private cars. And earlier this year we secured funding for 111 new zero-emission buses, putting us on the path to being a net zero region by 2038.

“The West Yorkshire Bus Alliance Education Programme has played an important role in communicating the positive impact that choosing greener modes of transport can have, with the Bus to the Future challenge providing young people with a platform to share their own ideas and creative solutions.”

Through the challenge, students had the opportunity to develop skills including creativity and communication, and get a glimpse into careers in areas such as transport, marketing and environmental sciences.

The West Yorkshire Bus Alliance Education Programme is one of a number of ESG and social value activities that Ahead Partnership delivers to help overcome inequality, promote opportunity and positively impact wider society. To find out more about the work that Ahead Partnership delivers with firms of all sizes and sectors across the UK, visit the organisation’s website.