As ArrivaClick launches in Liverpool, we caught up with Asiya Jelani, Director, ArrivaClick, to find out more about the scheme and the wider social and economic benefits to the Liverpool city region.
Why is Click important to Arriva as a business?
The Arriva group is one of the largest transportation businesses in Europe with bus and train operations in 14 countries. Arriva UK Bus operates 5,000 buses across the UK and since 2013, through Arriva Transport Solutions, we also operate a number of non-emergency patient transport services on behalf of the NHS. We also run a variety of other modes including buses, trains, trams, bike shares and many more. Our goal is to be mobility partner of choice for customers and Click adds a new on-demand mode of transport to our offering as a business.
Why does ArrivaClick add to the existing transport offer?
ArrivaClick was developed to address a number of challenges within the public transport market. Consumer lifestyles have changed, populations are increasing in urban areas and decreasing in rural ones, working patterns are more flexible and people now access many more services online, meaning that the way the nation moves around has changed.
Bus travel remains the most used form of public transport, making up around two thirds of all public transport journeys. In some areas, however, the level of bus passengers has reduced whilst the use of private cars and other single-occupancy vehicles, has increased.
Partnering with Via, we have developed an on-demand mini bus service, offering customers the ability to book and pay for rides through their mobile phones, selecting their desired pick-up and drop-off points.
Our first trial in Sittingbourne has been extremely successful with around 12% of the population using the service, allowing us to deliver around 1,500 rides per week using five eleven-seater minibuses, with users shifting from all modes of transport.
What are the wider benefits of ArrivaClick?
This service also provides an opportunity to blend service provision across commercial, local authority supported and social transport. Where users’ needs can be met by the provision of an accessible vehicle, seat and driver support, we have the capability through our systems and control services to allow booking, aggregation of demand and deliver a highly efficient unit cost for the journey. We are very interested to see if there are opportunities to join up these strands with partners in the health and public transport sectors.
Why Liverpool?
Over the last couple of years, Arriva has undertaken extensive market analysis research to gain insight into which UK locations are best suited to the successful uptake of a DRT solution. We all agreed that Liverpool would be the ideal place to launch the most ambitious DRT project in the UK!
We are looking forward to growing a service that meets the diverse needs of Liverpool’s communities and businesses, providing customers with more choice and supporting the delivery of a public transport system that works for everyone. ArrivaClick complements Liverpool’s existing public transport network and has the potential to transform thousands of journeys, create up to 70 new jobs in the area as well as supporting access to employment, leisure, tourism and retail, boosting Liverpool’s already thriving economy. ArrivaClick also aligns with the metro mayor’s aspirations to make access to public transport more streamlined and customer friendly.
We have had great support from Merseytravel in rolling out the service as well as from partners like Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Liverpool Chamber of Commerce who all recognise wider benefits for the city.
We are really excited about the arrival of ArrivaClick to Liverpool and look forward to welcoming you to the service!
To find out more about ArrivaClick, please visit www.arrivaclick.co.uk, or download the app
If you enter the code LIVERPOOL5, before booking your first ride, you will receive £5 free credit*.
If you are an employer and would like to know more about how ArrivaClick can help you and your employees, please contact Mike Kent on kentm@arrivanw.co.uk or call on 07879431998.
*Terms and conditions apply, please visit www.arrivabus.co.uk/arrivaclick/terms-and-conditions/ to see more.