Our Supporters:
First Bus

First Bus operate 60 bus services running regularly throughout Leeds and the surrounding area. We caught up with them and Tom Bridge, Operations Director North & West Yorkshire, about the ways they get involved in supporting local communities.

 

How have you been involved with Leeds Community Foundation? 

First Bus has been a member of the Foundation from the early days of Membership (formerly 100 Club). The operator joined as this perfectly matched its philosophy of connecting communities and being part of communities. 

Tom Bridge, Operations Director North & West Yorkshire, said: “This gives us a strong insight into where community investment is taking place and enables us to target our participation so we can be active supporters and also add value to what is already happening.” 

Networking through the Foundation has created wider opportunities for First Bus, such as its links with the Catch project in Harehills which has attracted the attention of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. 

A bus donated to the charity was used as a food bank throughout the pandemic and is now being converted again for a new purpose. 

This summer, First Bus will be helping to showcase community projects funded by Leeds Community Foundation to stakeholders by providing a bus to tour a selection of venues in Bradford and Leeds. This annual event is also an opportunity for the operator to highlight the investment in its fleet with ultra-low emission and zero emission buses in the network of both cities. 

 

How important is social value to you? 

Bus services are vital to delivering wider economic, social and environmental value. They add social value by supporting prosperity, growth and jobs in the communities we serve. This also helps reduce congestion on roads, improving air quality and facilitating the transition to a zero-carbon world.  

Tom Bridge said: “This is typified by our leading role in bringing all-electric buses into the Leeds network. We introduced the first zero carbon fleet in West Yorkshire in October 2020 and have operated the all-electric fleet at Stourton Park and Ride on behalf of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority since it opened in September 2021.”  

Both these fleets are based at the depot in Hunslet Park to south of the city. At Bramley, west of the centre work is now underway with a multi-million pound programme to give the depot the charging infrastructure capacity to operate a future fleet that is 100% electric.   

“By spring 2024 we will have made great strides with a third of the buses at Bramley changing to all-electric.” added Tom Bridge.  

 

What community issues are important to you? 

Supporting connectivity to community life and services among all age groups and where we can, working with social community groups in deprived areas, as we have done with Leeds Citizens. This might be helping with public transport to events or making changes to the timetables. 

We have also attended presentations with Leeds Older People’s Forum and supported digital education in how to use our app for journey planning. 

Through an approach with all bus operators First Bus has worked closely with the Ahead Partnership, a business linking employers and education. For the last few years this has created an annual challenge to engage young people in their knowledge and understanding of public transport.  

Decarbonisation by reducing emissions and creating cleaner air quality can benefit all communities. First Bus is a strong contributor to city-wide efforts to create a better living and working environment through multi-million pound investment in its fleet and now with electrification of its depots.  

 

Has the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis altered the way you view investment into communities? 

We have worked closely with the West Yorkshire mayor to help introduce the £2 single fare and multi-operator ticket for under-19s travel to support trips for education, training and learning. 

A diverse range of partnerships have been established with hospitality and leisure brands to support recovery and visits into high streets with ticket incentives to encourage cost-effective travel. We are midway through a 12-month programme working with Leeds Kirkgate Market to support its independent traders and maximise visitors to key events and celebrations in 2023. 

First Bus is also supporting Leeds 2023 year of cultural activity with free travel for its team of 250+ volunteers helping at events across the city and community activity in each of 33 wards in Leeds.

 

What makes Leeds a unique city? 

It has iconic venues such as Leeds Kirkgate Market, the largest covered market in Europe. Headingley is claimed to be the only sporting complex in the world where you can see two world class stadiums side-by-side.  Many residents and visitors will be aware of the Connecting Leeds road infrastructure programme which is part of a 5-year strategy to change travel in the city and now nearing completion.  We are among a number of partners together with Leeds City Council who have worked together as this has unfolded. It has been recognised by the Department for Transport as a model to be adopted by other cities around the country. 

 

Have you got any advice for organisations that are looking to support Leeds Community Foundation? 

Tom Bridge said: “Go to a meeting and discover what’s happening. This will help to see how your resources can be used to add value. It is a helpful forum to develop stakeholder connections you may not have thought of and to raise the profile of your organisation.”

 

Leeds Community Foundation creates opportunities for all by working with partners to make a positive impact within communities across Leeds and Bradford. We do this by generating and investing philanthropic giving as well as maximising statutory funding to deliver grants and provide trusted expertise into Community Organisations, benefitting thousands of local people. 

 

Read more about Leeds Community Foundation Membership here.