23/08/2005

Stagecoach has linked up with The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association to boost the training and development of future guide dogs.

Under the partnership, guide dog trainers and puppy walkers will be able to travel free on Stagecoach’s local bus services in the UK, from the Highlands of Scotland to south-west England.

Guide dogs have an important role in providing independence and mobility to blind and partially-sighted people all over the UK.

Young guide dog pups spend most of their first year with a puppy walker volunteer, who teaches basic obedience and gets them used to a home environment and the noise and bustle of towns. They will also prepare the dogs for their working life ahead, which includes taking them on public transport, such as buses, trains and taxis.

The new initiative will play a big part in helping the future guide dogs get used to public transport and busy environments at an early age.

Les Warneford, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus, said: “We are delighted to work in partnership with The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association on this new initiative.

“More than 700 million passengers travel on our buses across the UK every year and we know first hand that they are all unique with their own specific needs. We want to make our buses as accessible as possible and we hope this initiative will help support our blind and partially-sighted customers in our local communities.”

Mike Bird, spokesperson for Guide Dogs, said: “It is fantastic that Stagecoach is supporting us. This will make such a difference and will really help the puppies and training dogs get used to travelling on buses. It costs £10 a day to breed, train and support each guide dog partnership and we receive no government or statutory funding.”

More than 200 trainers and 1100 puppy walkers could benefit from the scheme, which will cover the 6,000 buses operated by Stagecoach on local services outside London.

ENDS

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NOTES TO EDITORS

• Stagecoach Group is a leading international passenger transport provider, with operations in the UK, United States, Canada and New Zealand. The company has 30,000 employees and operates 13,000 buses, coaches, trains, trams and ferries.



• In the UK, Stagecoach operates more than 7,000 buses and has major city operations in London, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.



• Guide Dogs is known and loved for delivering first class mobility services that meet the needs of blind and partially sighted people with the guide dog at the core.