PUPILS from Victoria Primary School in Penarth have been learning about the benefits of bus travel thanks to a special visit from Cardiff Bus.

The bus operator visited pupils from Year 4 to discuss the important role buses play in the local community, as well as the health, financial and environmental benefits of using a bus more often, as part of Catch the Bus Week.

Cardiff Bus took one of its new Citaro buses along to the school for pupils to familiarise themselves with and learn how to catch a bus safely.

Bus supervisor Dave Padmore was also on hand to answer any questions the pupils had about buses.

Tina Taylor, head teacher of Victoria Primary School, said: “Buses and bus travel is something that really captures the interest of our pupils so it was great to get a visit from Cardiff Bus. It was a really informative and stimulating learning experience. It gave those children who haven’t experienced being on a bus the opportunity to familarise themselves and I would hope that all pupils now have the confidence to catch a bus safely.”

Carys Roberts, marketing assistant of Cardiff Bus, said: “It was great to visit Victoria Primary School and meet pupils from Year 4. As a company, we recognise the importance of buses to the local community, especially in transporting young people to schools and college. In a few years when these pupils leave primary school, many of them will start to use buses on their own, so it is important that they are familiar with how to use and behave on board.”

To celebrate Catch the Bus week, Cardiff Bus joined forces with sustainable transport group Greener Journeys and hundreds of other passenger organisations and local authorities across the UK to promote the benefits of bus use through the week.

Carys added: “Initiatives like Catch the Bus Week are vital to help reduce people’s carbon footprint and help encourage sustainable travel. It is a fantastic way to increase awareness of the many benefits of bus travel and encourage car users all over the country to give the bus a try.”

Cardiff Bus is a major provider of bus services with its network covering Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan and to/from Newport. Every year its fleet of 230 buses carry more than 28 million customers.