arriva free travel for nhs staff

Getting the bus to work

Birmingham and Solihull has an extensive and excellent network of bus routes with a huge number of routes servicing each of our hospital sites.

Buses have never been more comfortable or convenient for passengers with priority bus lanes, extra leg room, USB charging points and free Wi-Fi available on many services.

All of our hospital sites are served by buses that start early, run late, and run often.

For full details of bus times, frequency and stop locations, please see the relevant hospital page:

• Travelling to Good Hope Hospital by bus
• Travelling to Heartlands Hospital by bus
• Travelling to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham by bus
• Travelling to Solihull Hospital by bus

Bus passes and discounts

As a member of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) team, you can take advantage of discounted travel cards for buses, trains and Metro routes across our wider region.

We no longer have in-person sessions to issue travel passes, but you can now access a dedicated portal to get your corporate pass.

Discounted bus travel

As a member of the UHB team, you can take advantage of discounted travel on local buses. National Express offers an exclusive discount giving all staff 10% off the price of a monthly pass.

For full details, please see the NHS staff portal on the National Express website.

• National Express West Midlands NHS staff portal

Reasons to go by bus

• Discounted travel for NHS staff: unlimited travel on bus, train and metro in the West Midlands area, all day, everyday – including weekends and bank holidays
• Tailored to your needs: a wide choice of corporate ticket offers, including nBus and network-wide passes
• Better for your pocket: avoid parking queues, parking tariffs and growing fuel costs
• The planet: a greener way to travel with a lower carbon footprint per passenger compared to driving a car
• Track your bus: download the National Express West Midlands App to find out when your bus will arrive. Search 'Network West Midlands' in your app store
• Platinum buses: on selected routes, experience extra legroom, free Wi-Fi, stop announcements and USB charging ports

Try before you buy – get a week’s free bus travel

Are you looking to cut your monthly costs and reduce your commuting impact on the environment? Not sure if ditching the car and getting the bus is the best way to get to work?

We have a limited number of free one week travel passes to use on National Express West Midlands buses, so you can try before you buy.

Getting the bus dramatically cuts the cost of running a car on a daily commute, it also:

• reduces traffic and congestion around our hospitals
• cuts air pollution and helps us all to breathe easier
• lowers stress levels when parking is tight

After your week’s free travel, if getting the bus is the right trip for you, you can also get an ongoing UHB discount for your monthly travel pass via the National Express West Midlands NHS staff portal.

For a week’s free bus travel, email the Trust's Travel Coordinator from your UHB email account to get your free travel pass today.

• [email protected]

To get your UHB staff discount on a monthly pass, visit the NHS staff portal.

• National Express West Midlands NHS staff portal  

Plan your bus route

Not sure which bus you need? There are a number of helpful apps and websites.

• Transport for West Midlands journey planner
• Moovit West Midlands journey planner

Last reviewed: 09 March 2023

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Free transport offered to NHS workers in parts of the UK

Healthcare workers get free bus journeys in wales and scottish highlands, article bookmarked.

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Various regions of the UK are making public transport available to NHS staff for free amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Notably, healthcare workers can get free bus travel throughout Wales as part of a new package of funding for transport operators, worth up to £69m, green-lit by the Welsh Government during the nationwide lockdown.

Free transport is already being offered to NHS employees on all Transport for Wales trains.

Welsh transport Minister Ken Skates said of the financial support: "Our rail franchise provider, bus companies and community transport operators – many of which are small businesses and charities – are facing significant financial challenges.

"This support will give public transport operators the initial funding they need to continue to deliver services, pay employees and sub-contractors, while we work with them to develop a comprehensive package of measures to secure an efficient, sustainable, and robust bus network.”

• Is it safe to travel on public transport during coronavirus lock-down?

In the Scottish Highlands , bus company Stagecoach is also offering free travel for NHS staff in the Inverness area going to or from Raigmore Hospital and New Craigs between 7-10pm.

The dial-a-bus service needs to be booked no later than the day before travel.

Eligible workers are told to contact Stagecoach on [email protected].

“We continue to play a crucial role in ensuring that key workers, such as NHS staff and the people vital to the food supply chain, can get into work,” said David Beaton, managing director for Stagecoach Highland.

“We have worked hard with our temporary timetables to ensure that we are continuing to serve critical routes. If our customers feel we haven’t got things quite right, then we’d really like to receive any comments through our dedicated feedback form which can be found at stagecoachbus.com.”

In London, NHS staff can hire bikes from the Santander cycle scheme for free during the pandemic.

Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS

Uber has also said it will give away hundreds of thousands of free trips and meals to NHS staff working on the frontlines during the coronavirus outbreak.

The taxi and food delivery company said that as of Monday 30 March, it will offer 200,000 complimentary trips and 100,000 meals to medical staff in order to support them while they work with patients who have been infected by Covid-19.

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NHS workers can travel for free in West Midlands

NHS staff will be able to travel for free on buses and trams across the West Midlands as they tackle coronavirus.

The key workers only need to show their NHS pass when boarding buses in the region and the West Midlands Metro, transport chiefs said.

It comes as demand has dropped across the network following the Government's lockdown announcement.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: "We want to do as much as we can to support our NHS workers at this difficult time, and I am delighted that our bus companies and the Midland Metro have stepped up to offer free services.

"This is just a small way in which we can help all those people who, while many of us are safely staying at home, are going into busy hospitals to help save lives."

Staff can travel for free on buses operated by National Express West Midlands, Diamond, Landflight and Claribel Coaches, Banga, Coventry Community Transport, Evergreen (Thandi), Johnsons, Kev's Cars, Select Bus, Travel De Courcey and Walsall Community Transport – along with the West Midlands Metro.

Children of key workers can show their personalised letter – which allows them to continue travelling to school – for free travel.

It follows a move by Transport for West Midlands, part of West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), to use the ring and ride minibus fleet to transport NHS and social care staff.

Councillor Ian Ward, WMCA portfolio holder for transport and leader of Birmingham City Council, said: "Our transport operators have really stepped up here, not only are they keeping buses and trams running all day they are now offering the NHS staff free travel.

"We are advising that only those making essential journeys, such as key workers, those collecting necessary food or medical supplies and those supporting the vulnerable use public transport at this time.

"The best thing the rest of us can do to help is stay at home and do not travel unless it is absolutely essential."

Linda McCord, chair of the West Midlands Bus Alliance which works with bus companies, praised the decision.

She said: "Buses and trams provide a critical service to NHS staff to get them to and from their work.

"The free travel offer is the right thing to do. It's good to see the transport sector working together to support those who are in the front line of combating the virus."

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Travel industry to give NHS staff free holidays

Tourism firms and hotels have started campaigns, such as #treatournhs and #MyTravelPledge, to provide health workers a free break once travel bans are lifted

While the country has been thanking NHS staff fighting the coronavirus pandemic with the weekly #clapforcarers , many in the tourism sector are showing their appreciation by offering healthcare workers a free break once travel restrictions have been lifted.

Since its launch earlier this month, the #treatournhs initiative has seen more than 100 accommodation owners across the UK sign up, pledging anything from a weekend in a cabin in Cornwall to a mini-break at a Scottish castle.

The idea comes from Sarah White, owner of The Hayloft, a self-catering studio near Dartmoor, Devon. “I wanted to do something to give back to the NHS and decided to offer a two-night stay for two,” she said. “I put it on Instagram and was overwhelmed by the response from others in the industry also wanting to say thank you. New people are constantly coming on board with amazing giveaways.”

Anyone can nominate an NHS worker – or they can nominate themselves – and all holidays are collected under the hashtag #treatournhs. Different properties select the winners and deadlines vary: some prizes have been awarded already but the initiative is ongoing, and growing fast. Among the latest additions are the first overseas breaks, including a stay in a luxury French chateau and a week for four in an apartment in Mallorca. Local businesses have been augmenting holidays by offering meals and other gifts, too.

“The travel industry has been so hard hit by the pandemic but the generosity I’m seeing is heartwarming,” said White. “The messages I’m getting from nurses and others in the NHS are so moving, too: they say we’re offering a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Travel firms including CoolStays and Sawday’s are onboard, spreading the word, and White is encouraging everyone to share the idea on social media. Farncombe Estate in the Cotswolds is running on-going giveaways of overnight stays, spa days and afternoon teas at its hotels: Dormy House, The Fish Hotel and Foxhill Manor. Luxury Family Hotels is promising a total of up to 150 parents and their children a free overnight stay in all of its five hotel after lockdown, including complimentary breakfasts and access to all the hotels’ facilities, including registered crèches.

The hotel group is promising a total of up to 150 parents and their children a free overnight stay in all of its five hotelsDetails are posted regularly on Facebook and Instagram.

In a separate initiative, luxury tour operator Original Travel is offering a holiday for two worth £10,000 (destination tbc) as part of its At Your Service raffle for NHS staff, with prizes donated by luxury brands across various sectors, including handbags from LK Bennet and a jeroboam of champagne from Laurent-Perrier. A two-night stay at the University Arms in Cambridge and a weekend at The Lodge Hotel in London are up for grabs (the closing date for entries is 5 July).

In Spain, the British owners of boutique B&B Casa Higueras near Granada have launched the #MyTravelPledge campaign , with local properties offering free short breaks to NHS staff and healthcare workers. Alongside 17 properties in Andalucía, companies providing experiences (such as guided treks in the Sierra Nevada) have signed up, and Airport Transfers Málaga has donated free rides. International travel is not included – although two private donors have pledged to cover two flights.

“We wanted to offer a break to someone who deserves it most and – once people can start travelling again – to show people Spain is waiting to welcome them,” said Casa Higueras co-owner Ian Rutter. “We’re delighted by how quickly the idea has grown and the quality of what is being offered.”

NHS employees, or their friends, colleagues and relatives can make nominations on the My Travel Pledge website or contact listed properties directly. Once travel restrictions have been lifted, winners will be chosen and contacted.

“It’s a morale boost for workers on the frontline – and it’s given us something positive to focus on in these difficult times,” said Rutter.

Another UK move to support the NHS comes from hotels and resorts, such as Landal Gwel an Mor in Cornwall and the Holiday Inn in Wembley, which have stepped in to provide free accommodation near hospitals for key workers who need to relocate or stay apart from families to protect themselves or loved ones.

The UK’s Short Term Accommodation Association (Staa) has also launched the NHS Homes scheme, offering properties that were lying empty because of travel restrictions to NHS staff. What began in London has spread across the country with around 2,500 homes available from companies including Sykes Holiday Cottages, Under the Doormat and onefinestay.

Merilee Karr, chair of Staa, said: “This initiative will provide a lifeline to those working in the NHS who are looking to keep themselves and their families safe. I am proud that we have come together in this difficult time for everyone to make a meaningful contribution as an industry.”

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Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

Back to news

New Bus service trial

14th January 2020

Arriva is trialling a new bus service in partnership with Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW).

The H1 will link Maidstone Hospital with the London Road Park and Ride car park, in Beaver Road, Maidstone.

Buses will run on Monday to Friday every 30 minutes at peak times and every 20 minutes for the main part of the day.

NHS staff will be able to travel for free upon production of their NHS ID card.

There will also be a return ticket available for hospital visitors and outpatients at £2 per person or £2.50 for a group of up to two adults and three children travelling together. More information about bus times is available here .

The trial forms part of the MTW’s sustainable travel plans to encourage people to use alternative methods of transport to and from Maidstone hospital. The service will be reviewed in three months’ time.

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Cambridgeshire Stagecoach buses offering free tickets to NHS workers this January

The company wanted to do something to thank NHS staff for their work during the Covid pandemic

• 13:48, 6 JAN 2022

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Throughout the pandemic communities have been coming together to show thanks to the people that are getting us through to the other end.

NHS workers have been battling Covid for many months and continue to do so with a surge in Omicron cases.

As a thank you, Stagecoach East has announced that they will be offering free travel to all NHS workers throughout the month of January.

Read More: Traffic and Travel news around Cambridgeshire

Free single tickets will be available to all staff with valid ID on their buses which operate throughout Cambridgeshire.

All they must do is show this ID to the bus driver to be granted their free ticket.

Darren Roe, Managing Director at Stagecoach East said: “This January, we wanted to do something to thank our amazing NHS workers, especially as they come under additional pressures over the next few weeks.

"NHS staff continuously put themselves in the frontline, working tirelessly to save lives and look after some of the most vulnerable in our community.

“To give something back, Stagecoach East are delighted to announce that we are offering NHS workers free bus travel throughout the month of January.

"We hope this gesture will make their commute to work easier and show our appreciation for their incredible dedication and hard-work. From all of us at Stagecoach East, I would like to say a big thank you to the NHS for all that they do.”

It comes as bus tickets for travel around Cambridgeshire have changed with a new zone structure coming into effect as of the start of 2022.

Stagecoach East say that the changes represent simplified fares and that 92 per cent of customers will pay the same or less for their tickets going forward.

But the changes will mean that tickets valid in Cambridge are no longer valid in Peterborough and vice versa. They also mean that the company no longer offers return tickets.

Under the new structure, there are three zones and seven types of ticket, aside from multi-operator tickets and student bus passes.

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NHS staff to get free travel as part of £69m hardship fund deal for public transport

The Economy, Transport and North Wales Minister Ken Skates has today announced urgent measures to support public transport through the coronavirus pandemic.

This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government

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NHS staff will receive free travel on buses throughout Wales in return for hardship funding from the Welsh Government over the next 3 months, with free travel already available on Transport for Wales trains

Transport for Wales will receive additional funding support and a hardship fund has been set up to help bus companies as passenger numbers have fallen by up to 90% as passengers follow the stay-at-home rules in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The combined support is worth up to £69 million.

Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales Ken Skates said:

“Demand for public transport has reduced significantly as people are following the new rules to stay at home to save lives and protect our NHS. “Our rail franchise provider, bus companies and community transport operators – many of which are small businesses and charities – are facing significant financial challenges. “This support will give public transport operators the initial funding they need to continue to deliver services, pay employees and sub-contractors, while we work with them to develop a comprehensive package of measures to secure an efficient, sustainable, and robust bus network.”

The bus hardship fund will be paid monthly up-front for up to 3 months and will temporarily replace existing grant funding provided through the bus services support grant, mandatory concessionary fares and MyTravelPass in the normal course of business.

In return for financial support from the Welsh Government, bus companies will need to commit to continue to provide a timetabled service and all NHS staff will receive free travel. Transport for Wales is already offering free travel for NHS staff on its services.

The Minister has also confirmed that, while the stay-at-home rules are in place, free weekend travel on the Traws Cymru network has been suspended and the Cardiff to Anglesey Public Service Obligation (PSO) air service will also be suspended for three months.

Mr Skates added:

“We are committed to creating a sustainable integrated public transport network across Wales.  “But our priority at the moment is to protect the public, people working on public transport and our NHS. We must act now to ensure when the pandemic is over, we will have a bus and rail network to allow us to achieve this ambition.”

First published

Last updated.

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Arriva: no free travel for NHS staff

Qlocal has been contacted by several employees who are up in arms about this. Arriva travel in Merseyside and Manchester have told staff that free travel will not be available for NHS workers at this time. A poster placed in Arriva offices in the North West is shown below.

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https://www.blackpooltransport.com/nhs-travel-free

Originally Posted by roving-eye https://www.blackpooltransport.com/nhs-travel-free Blackpool Transport is owned by the council. They are obviously putting people before profits. This is how it should be. A bus service is there to provide a much needed service for the public. Keeping greedy shareholders happy should not be the number one priority. Arriva is a privately owned company obviously more interested in profits before people.

Originally Posted by donkey22 Blackpool Transport is owned by the council. They are obviously putting people before profits. This is how it should be. A bus service is there to provide a much needed service for the public. Keeping greedy shareholders happy should not be the number one priority. Arriva is a privately owned company obviously more interested in profits before people. Arriva is not privately owned. It is owned by Deutsche Bahn,German state railways who also own the Crosscountry,London overground and formerly the Northern rail franchise. I wonder if the German health workers pay.

Originally Posted by Red devil Arriva is not privately owned. It is owned by Deutsche Bahn,German state railways who also own the Crosscountry,London overground and formerly the Northern rail franchise. I wonder if the German health workers pay. They are still a PLC with shareholders who get paid dividends.

Whilst feeling very strongly in support of NHS staff at this time let’s remember that plenty of other people are still working to help us all through this - not least the bus staff themselves not to mention posties, binmen, shop staff, delivery drivers, power and water workers etc etc. Let’s also remember that NHS staff have, very sadly, been mugged for their ID cards which would have to be shown on buses if free travel were granted. Let me say it again in case of doubt - I AM VERY STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF NHS STAFF.

Originally Posted by roving-eye Qlocal has been contacted by several employees who are up in arms about this. Arriva travel in Merseyside and Manchester have told staff that free travel will not be available for NHS workers at this time. A poster placed in Arriva offices in the North West is shown below. People should not let their emotions take over from common sense. Transport services are already running with severe losses due to the present arrangements, they will need support if those drivers are to keep their jobs. Sure - ALL hospital staff do a great job and no-one denies that, but they are getting paid to do their work - unlike many others who are very worried about their future business and how they are going to get paid. There are a number of other essential workers who have continued working - they are also paid. So surely it is not much to ask that those who can afford to do so, should pay for the services that they need to use, no matter what job they have chosen to be employed in?

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Free travel for NHS staff on Liverpool City Region transport

• Greater Manchester
• Thursday 9 April 2020 at 6:00am

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of Liverpool City Region has announced that NHS staff will be able to travel for free on buses and Merseyrail trains.

They'll be able to travel for free on production of a valid NHS staff pass as they board the bus, at Merseyrail stations or on Merseyrail trains. It will come in to effect from Friday 10 April.

Announcing the move, Mayor Rotheram said: “We want to do everything we can to support our frontline NHS workers as they bravely battle the Coronavirus, so I’m very pleased that today Arriva, Stagecoach and Merseyrail have responded to my call and agreed to provide free transport for our NHS heroes.

“This is the latest transport measure the Combined Authority and transport operators have been able to bring forward to support use of our transport network for essential journeys, including the temporary suspension of Mersey Tunnel tolls and relaxing the rules on concessionary travel for those who absolutely have to travel for medicines and other essential items.

“The advice of course remains that people should only travel if absolutely necessary during this period of lockdown.”

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has also announced free tram travel on the Metrolink for NHS and social care workers from Saturday 11 April.