Stagecoach South is providing free bus travel on Thursday 8 May, to serving military, veterans, and cadets across its services in Andover, Aldershot, Basingstoke, Chichester, Portsmouth, Guildford, Winchester, Worthing, and surrounding areas, this VE 80 Day.

VE Day commemorates the end of World War II in Europe on 8 May 1945. The day honours the bravery and sacrifice of those who served, and is a time for reflection, remembrance and national pride on the 80th anniversary.

Eligible individuals – those in uniform or carrying a military ID, veteran’s with a veteran’s badge or medal, and cadets in uniform – can travel free on all Stagecoach South buses. This support will allow them to attend local VE Day events and commemorations.

This initiative is backed by Stagecoach’s employee-led Veterans Network, created to unite colleagues with shared experiences, amplify their voices, drive positive change, and help shape business decisions - introducing new ways of working to make the company even stronger.

In recent years Stagecoach has shown its support to the Armed Forces community by also allowing free travel over Armed Forces Weekends and Remembrance Days.

Marc Reddy, Managing Director from Stagecoach South said: “We’re incredibly proud to employ many veterans, and it’s a privilege to recognise the bravery and dedication of our Armed Forces, cadets, and veterans.

Stagecoach South, in partnership with The D-Day Story Museum, will unveil a specially decorated bus to commemorate VE Day, celebrating the spirit and sacrifices of the wartime generation.

“Offering free travel on VE 80 Day is a small gesture of appreciation for the enormous contribution made by our service men and women, past and present.”

Stagecoach has also been a member of the Armed Force Covenant since March 2015, recognising the value of serving military, regular and reservists, veterans and military families to both the country and businesses across the country.

For a full list of events happening across the country, please visit https://ve-vjday80.gov.uk/events

The offer is available to all military and ex-military, excluding services operated by Megabus, TfL, and the Bee Network.

Stagecoach South operates a fleet of 460 buses, serving communities across Andover, Aldershot, Chichester, Guildford, Portsmouth, Winchester, Worthing and surrounding areas.

Stagecoach South honours veterans with free travel on VE 80 Day