Stagecoach South and Pompey in the Community team up to support young people this Catch the Bus Month

PompeyITC students in front of a Stagecoach bus

placeholder image — PompeyITC students in front of a Stagecoach bus

This Catch the Bus Month, Stagecoach South has partnered with Pompey in the Community (PompeyITC) to provide 53 free bus tickets for local students, enabling them to take part in a unique city-wide challenge.

On Thursday 11th September 2025, students from PompeyITC’s BTEC Sport programme (aged 16–18) travelled across Portsmouth, navigating their way to some of the city’s best-known landmarks including Gunwharf Quays, Southsea, and the Historic Dockyard.

The event formed part of PompeyITC’s education programme, which delivers sport, education, and personal development opportunities to young people across the city. The challenge was designed to develop students’ leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork skills, while encouraging them to explore Portsmouth and make use of sustainable public transport.

Thanks to the support of Stagecoach South, the students were able to experience first-hand how buses connect people and places across the city, while taking on a fun and active challenge.

Two students from Pompey ITC, commented:

Ruby - "The day was so fun! I'm not from Portsmouth so it was a really cool way to see the landmarks like the Spinnaker tower, and being able to get the bus to each one made the experience so much better, less stressful. It was also fun to talk to new people that you usually wouldn't"

Jaden - "It was a really good day! So much fun getting to explore the city with my friends, it was a good bonding experience!"

Rob Vince, Business Development Manager at Stagecoach South, said: “Stagecoach is proud to support Pompey in the Community during Catch the Bus Month. We’re committed to encouraging more young people to choose bus travel, and this challenge was a fantastic way to showcase how easy, sustainable, and fun it can be to get around Portsmouth.”