A BUS operator has raised thousands of pounds to support relief efforts in war-torn Ukraine by donating money for every ticket sold on all its buses.

Transdev pledged to donate 10p for each ticket sold on board hundreds of its buses on March 20 across the region, from Preston in Lancashire to Scarborough in North Yorkshire.

The travel firm whose operating centres include York, Harrogate, Malton, Bradford, Keighley, Halifax and Huddersfield raised £3,374 for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC)’s humanitarian appeal.

Transdev chief executive officer Alex Hornby said: “Like everyone, we have all been saddened by the appalling events in Ukraine and the dreadful impact this has had on people who have had to flee the country.

“All of us at Transdev at our locations right across Yorkshire and the North West felt compelled to show our support and we hope the donation from our fares will go some way in giving the right kind of help to those who need it.

“We are proud to employ a number of Ukrainian families as part of our own team here in the North and give our full support to international Transdev colleagues aiding the humanitarian effort elsewhere in Europe.”

The bus firm also collected donations on its buses from customers.

Each of its buses now wears a Ukrainian flag shaped in a heart, as a visible and public show of support and to highlight the need to continue supporting those helping people on the ground in Ukraine.

The bus operator is also providing free travel for Ukrainian refugees heading for destinations it serves, simply by showing a Ukrainian passport and an airline boarding pass valid within the last 48 hours.

The DEC’s Ukraine Appeal has already raised over £260 million in donations and sponsorship, while the UK Government has committed £400 million in urgent economic and humanitarian support.

Details of all Transdev bus routes and tickets across Yorkshire are available online at transdevbus.co.uk and on the free to download Transdev Go mobile app.