Arriva helps UK online campaign ‘get started’

Arriva, one of the largest transport services organisations inEurope, is helping UK online get its 'Get Started' campaign on themove.

The government campaign, which is one of the greatest evertechnology giveaways to encourage people to use the internet andexperience its benefits, was launched this week by secretary ofstate for trade and industry, Patricia Hewitt, e-Envoy AndrewPinder, Arriva plc's chief executive Bob Davies and chiefexecutives from the other private and voluntary sector campaignpartners.

Arriva is supporting 'Get Started' by using its operations,which include an extensive range of bus and train services acrossthe UK and a national vehicle rental business, to significantlyraise the profile of 'Get Started' and encourage more people toconsider trying the Internet via one of the 8,000 online centres inthe UK.

Bob Davies, chief executive of Arriva plc, said:

Technology provides the opportunity for people tobroaden their horizons and realize their potential. It is essentialthat everyone has access to the Internet and that we avoid adigital divide.

I am delighted that Arriva is one of the UK onlinepartners and that our bus, rail and vehicle rental businesses arehelping to raise the profile of the UK onlinecampaign.

During the campaign we will be encouraging ourcustomers and employees to get involved and find out how theInternet can contribute to their everyday lives.

The group's UK Bus division is providing free advertising onaround 4,500 of its buses which serve customers in the North East,North West , South East of England, Yorkshire, the Midlands,Scotland and Wales .

At Arriva's two UK rail businesses – Arriva TrainsNorthern and Arriva Trains Merseyside – hundreds of posterswill be placed in train stations across the North of England andthousands of leaflets will be distributed to customers at stationsand road shows over the coming months.

Meanwhile Arriva Vehicle Rental, which has a fleet of around11,000 vehicles, will be distributing information at its 42locations – from Sunderland to Taunton.

Arriva's businesses are also promoting the campaign through arange of customer and employee newsletters and magazines which willbe distributed to tens of thousands of people over the comingmonths.

The campaign is aimed at Internet non users which typicallyinclude older people, people with disabilities, those on lowincomes, ethnic minority groups, the long-term unemployed and loneparents. Over 8,000 online centres are now offering free internetstarter sessions until the end of June. Anyone taking part in asession will be entered into a prize draw with the chance ofwinning holidays, digital cameras, free internet connections andPCs.

Anyone wishing to find their nearest participating online centreshould call Freephone 0800 771 234 (Textphone 0800 085 0853for people with hearing difficulties ). Those with Sky TVcan press the 'interactive' button on their remote control and thennumber eight for UK online.

Ends

Note to editors

• A digital photo of Bob Davies, chief executive of Arriva plcwith Patricia Hewitt, secretary of state for trade and industry atthe launch can be downloaded from the photo library onwww.e-envoy.gov.uk or can be emailed byArriva's corporate communications department.
• The 'Get Started' campaign runs from now until 30 June 2003. Itis supported by Arriva, Age Concern, Cable & Wireless, CitizensAdvice, Dixons Store Group, Expedia, Ethnic Minority Foundation,Granada Media, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Microsoft, the NationalLibrary for the Blind, One Parent Families, Packard Bell, the RNIDand The Prince's Trust. In addition, the BBC is coinciding itsWebWise campaign with 'Get Started'.