People in Greater Manchester are being asked to submit their ideas for a chance to win a free decommissioned yellow school bus this summer.

Individuals, schools, community groups, sports teams and volunteer organisations will be able to bid to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to win one of nine yellow school buses that will be decommissioned in July 2022.

Interested groups can enter from Monday, May 23, and have until Friday, June 24 to submit their proposal online.

Entries will be judged on several criteria, including originality, creativity, and benefit to the community.

The competition has been set up to run once again following the success of similar schemes in summer 2021, 2019 and 2018.

In 2021 a total of 17 buses were donated to various bidders, including Holcombe Brook Primary School in Bury.

They turned their donated vehicle into a 'Mindful Bus' and currently use it as a dedicated sensory space to provide social and emotional support to their pupils.

Mr Bradshaw, Headteacher of Holcombe Brook Primary School, said: “Children of all ages have been benefitting from the extra space the bus provides, from an educational perspective but also from a mental health perspective too.

“It's been a great space for the children to use their imaginations and have some much-needed sensory stimulation.”

He added: “We can't wait for the next stage which will be blacking out the windows and installing electricity to allow for light tunnels and bubble tubes.”

Councillor Mark Aldred, Chair of the Greater Manchester Transport Committee, said:

“Our yellow school buses are a fantastic service that allow children to get to school cheaply, safely and securely but, even when their life as a school service comes to an end, they can still be incredibly useful to communities.

“This scheme has been hugely successful when we have run it previously and I've been impressed with not just the creativity, but also the impact that previous projects have had on crucial issues such as child literacy and mental wellbeing.”

He added: “I’m really excited to see what community-spirited and thoughtful schemes people come up with this year.”

Yellow School Buses are a service provided by TfGM for secondary school children in Greater Manchester. They are easy to spot, alerting road users that children will be getting on and off.

To be in with the chance of winning a bus, fill in this form.