Bus fares in Bournemouth are to be slashed over the Queen's Platinum Jubilee weekend in a bid to boost trade in the area.
Bournemouth Coastal Business Improvement District (BID) and Yellow Buses have formed a partnership that will see all-day network mobile app tickets cut from £8.20 to just 70p during the four-day weekend.
The deal will see codes made available on the Coastal BID's social media platforms - but these will be limited to the first 70 people who use them each day, with only one per person, the BID said. The offer is only available via the Yellow Buses app.
The BID is hoping the partnership will help drive people to its three major trading areas of Westbourne, Boscombe and Southbourne, and help take cars off the road.
Fiona McArthur, from the Coastal BID, said: “For every full double-decker bus an estimated 75 cars are taken off the roads.
"The 70p tickets will enable people to travel around the network, explore what is on their doorstep and enjoy all the entertainment and activities that are being put on. With the cost-of-living crisis it is increasingly hard for people to get out, but we hope this offer will help."
To celebrate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, the BID will also decorate a Yellow Buses’ double-decker, which will be revealed before the first bank holiday on Thursday, June 2.
Yellow Buses, which marks its 120th anniversary this year, has celebrated every one of the Queen’s landmark occasions since her coronation in 1953.
David Squire, managing director of the company, said: “We have a long tradition of marking national occasions. This Jubilee is a huge event and partnering with the Coastal BID makes total sense as our areas overlap.
“We want everyone to get out over the weekend and cutting network ticket prices to just 70p – 1p for every year her Majesty has been Queen – seemed fitting."
The Bournemouth Coastal BID stretches from Pokesdown through to Westbourne and includes West Cliff, East Cliff and Pier Approach.
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