Ray Wilkes, West Yorkshire Campaign for Better Transport
“For greater results, work with allies.”
West Yorkshire Campaign for Better Transport
Ray Wilkes, secretary of West Yorkshire Campaign for Better Transport, became involved in transport campaigning in 1969 when he and fellow campaigners opposed the proposal to build a motorway in the beautiful Airedale Valley. They are still campaigning against similar proposals today. Ray was present at the inaugural meeting of Campaign for Better Transport, then called Transport 2000, in the mid 1970s.
West Yorkshire Campaign for Better Transport was formed in the mid 1970s. It currently comprises a large rail campaigning group, a small bus campaigning group and a small general campaigning group. “We break the group down in this way because otherwise it gets unwieldy,” Ray says, “And it enables members to concentrate on the things they’re interested in”.
The group’s main focus is improving bus and rail services in Leeds and Bradford. Ray is particularly proud of the group’s contribution towards the success of the 36 bus route. Ray explains, “The 36 bus, which travels from Ripon to Harrogate to Leeds, has been a notable success. We contributed indirectly by sowing forward-thinking marketing solutions in the minds of the bus operators”. The operators introduced new style buses with leather seating and CCTV cameras. Modern, innovative branding was used to attract new customers. “The aim was to persuade ‘Mondeo Man’ out of his car and onto the bus,” says Ray. Patronage of the route increased by 50% in five years.
West Yorkshire Campaign for Better Transport has also campaigned with others against the Aire Valley Motorway and the subsequent Trunk Road Proposals. The most environmentally sensitive section of the road was abandoned. Ray says this success was a result of: “A lot of ordinary people going to the public enquiry and soberly arguing a sincere case.”
Ray isn’t sure if all these positive transport advances can be attributed directly to the hard campaigning of the group. However the West Yorkshire PTE’s ‘Metro’ rail plans have developed along the same lines as the group’s thinking. Many station re openings and the Leeds North West electrification were developments the group had asked for.
Although members of the West Yorkshire group are modest about the effect they clearly have on transport policy in their area, they continue to campaign tirelessly for better transport.
Marketing matters
You might not expect a campaigning group to concern itself with marketing. But over the years, Ray and the group have realised the importance of marketing public transport. Brilliant buses and top-class trains are no good if people don’t know about them. “People just assume that cars are the most convenient option, and this isn’t always the case,” Ray argues. “Buses and trains were sometimes awful in the time up to and after privatisation. But over the last decade they are on the up. Marketing is needed to address people’s outdated attitudes to public transport.” In their campaigning, the group stresses the importance of marketing, and Ray feels that their ideas have been the seed for some of the marketing ideas used by local bus operator Blazefield its very successful growing bus networks.
Allies are everywhere
“Take a broad view of a campaign or issue. If you work with all transport users from cyclists and pedestrians to car users and public transport users you will achieve greater results. Look for allies who want to achieve the same outcome as you. Do not promote your campaign by attacking the campaigns of others.”
Why I choose the bus
“There are many positive reasons for choosing the bus. You can use it and forget it. You don’t have to insure it, refuel it, care for it or park it. You don’t even have to go back to it: you can walk home or go to a different stop. You don’t have to worry about traffic laws or breathalysers, and you can phone safely. Time on the bus can be quality time: time for reading, sleeping or talking with friends and family. If you’re a regular traveller you often bump into friends or you get to know another traveller as someone you pass a bit of the journey with.”
Contact West Yorkshire Campaign for Better Transport
Tel: 01274 403540
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Ray's video
Ray tells us more about his work and shares his campaigning tips in a short video.
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