Stagecoach empowers Liverpool City Region youth with hands-on bus safety and career days
Stagecoach Manchester & Merseyside has successfully delivered a series of interactive community outreach days across St Helens, Speke, and Fazakerley, aimed at preparing young people for independent travel and inspiring the next generation of transport professionals.
Organised in partnership with the Liverpool City Region Careers Hub, the initiative connected Stagecoach representatives directly with local schools to provide vital life skills and showcase the evolving, green future of the bus industry.
The outreach began at Allanson Street Primary School in St Helens, where Stagecoach team members – Gillmoss-based School Liaison Officer John Owens and Driving Instructor John Whittaker - hosted a dedicated transition day for Year 6 pupils. As these students prepare to move up to secondary school, the session focused on building the confidence needed for independent travel.
Students received practical, hands-on experience on how to safely hail a bus and use the on-board ticket machines. To emphasise road safety, every pupil was invited into the driver’s cab to experience firsthand what a driver sees, sparking vital discussions around large vehicle blind spots and how to stay safe as a pedestrian.
Following the success in St Helens, the Stagecoach team spent the subsequent days visiting Bank View High School’s campuses in both Speke and Fazakerley. Both sites provide specialist education for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The focus of these visits shifted to career inspiration and industry innovation. Students were given the opportunity to sit in the driver’s seat, print pretend tickets, and explore the diverse career paths available within the transport sector. The team also highlighted the changing face of public transport, discussing modern bus technology and Stagecoach’s ambitious move toward net-zero carbon emissions, including the roll-out of electric vehicles at the local Gillmoss depot.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester & Merseyside, commented:
"Investing in our local communities is about more than just providing a bus service; it’s about safety, education, and opportunity. Acknowledging that the transition to secondary school can be daunting, these sessions give young people the practical tools to travel safely and confidently. Furthermore, by visiting fantastic schools like Bank View, we hope to open eyes to the exciting, technology-driven, and sustainable careers available right on their doorstep."
The school visits were born out of collaborative meetings hosted by the Liverpool City Region Careers Hub, which bridges the gap between local employers and educational institutions to enrich the curriculum and boost youth employability across the region.