Travelling with Stagecoach is now a win-win for users and town centre businesses with the launch of the new Hop, Shop & Save scheme across Pontypridd and Rhondda Cynon Taf

Through the Hop, Shop & Save partnership, Stagecoach in South Wales will promote local businesses in return for them providing bus passengers with a discount on products and/or services upon the production of a valid bus ticket, or for Smart card users, production of a receipt.

The scheme will boost footfall across towns, improve the customer offer, both from a town centre perspective and Stagecoach's perspective, boosting business takings and subsequently boosting the local economy, encouraging people to choose an alternative form of transport to the car, which in turn can reduce costs and improve the environment, as well as providing people with discounts in their favourite shops.

Chair of the Your Pontypridd BID Margaret Hughes welcomed representatives from RCT County Borough Council, Stagecoach and town centre chambers of trade to the Muni Arts Centre and said " it was an offer to good to resist, a unique advertising opportunity to promote over 200 businesses to new customers and show off the town of Pontypridd.

We’re really looking forward to engaging with our businesses in the weeks ahead and getting them signed up and I know the Town Centre team at RCTCBC are looking forward to doing the same in in the other six towns across borough that are also part of the project and represented here today.

And as we’ll as providing great advertising opportunities, driving up passenger numbers and attracting new customers encouraging more bus use is also good news for the environment and people's health because this will encourage them to be more active. And with the new 99 Pontypridd Town Bus and recently launched Gold Buses with WIFI there’s more reason that ever to leave the car at home and ‘Hop, Shop & Save’ in our local high streets."

Councillor Robert Bevan, Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development & Housing said “ Once again Rhondda Cynon Taf Council are leading the way in Wales by working to regenerate our Town Centres for both businesses, residents and visitors. The Hop, Shop & Save scheme makes perfect sense for everyone - passengers can save money whilst doing their bit for the environment and businesses can advertise to thousands of Stagecoach users whilst enticing people into their stores and the wider Town Centre.

Nigel Winter, Managing Director of Stagecoach in South Wales added "working in partnership with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has meant that together we have been to engage with local businesses to successfully launch the Hop, Shop & Save Scheme. This Scheme provides a great opportunity for Stagecoach to support local businesses as well as providing Stagecoach passengers with the opportunity to save themselves some money'"

Stagecoach Wales are seeking partnerships with like-minded businesses in Pontypridd, who have a goal of increasing footfall and attracting more people to visit town centres. Businesses in Pontypridd will have the opportunity to engage in a non-monetary partnership with Stagecoach by offering a discount for their products/services and will have three different packages available to them, details of the packages and terms & conditions can be found in the 'Hop, Shop & Save' booklets available from the Your Pontypridd BID office.