Following Macclesfield Town Council's commissioning of a Free Bus Day (Saturday 16th December), D&G buses have reported a 45% uplift in passengers on the day - amounting to 330 more people travelling via our local buses.

At a recent meeting of the Macclesfield Town Council Community Transport Committee, options for instigating behavioiural change towards a decarbonised town were discussed, with buses being vital to delivering a sustainable, accessible and inclusive network locally. Town Councillors are resolute in our commitment to tackling the climate emergency and tackling transport-related social exclusion, and as such a decision was taken by the Committee to commission two free bus days in the run-up to Christmas, taking place on Saturday 16th December and Saturday 23rd December.

And its clear that this initiative has been positively received, with the figures demonstrating a clear appetite from residents of Macclesfield to travel via public transport when they can. Whilst the Committee remains committed to looking into the accessibility and cost of public transport, ensuring two free days is the first step in showcasing the value of travelling via buses.

Chair of Macclesfield Town Council's Community Transport Sub-Committee, Councillor James Barber (Macclesfield Central) said: "I'm blown away by the success of the Free Bus Day that the Committee commissioned for Macclesfield Town Council. A 45% increase in usage of buses - amounting to 330 more passengers. Imagine if every single one of them was now inspired to use the bus more regularly?

(Image - Macclesfield Town Council)

When I became Chair of the Community Transport Sub-Committee on Macclesfield Town Council, I committed to leading the committee towards making a real difference; instigating a sustainable, accessible and inclusive transport network in my beloved hometown.

These figures show we are already making an impact."

The next FREE bus day will be taking place on Saturday 23rd December across the Town, with the same routes free (3, 10, 14, 14A 19, 19A).

It will be the final FREE bus day of the year.

(Image - Macclesfield Town Council)