Kind Lancaster bus driver brightens people's day with bunches of flowers for his passengers

The blooms are a feature of every journey kindly bus driver Jeff Wright makes from Lancaster to Knott End and on routes to Kendal and Kirkby Lonsdale.

And he specially selects each bunch of his artificial flowers as a happy personal signature on his journeys for passengers.

He said : “ I saw a flower lying dejectedly in the road as I was driving along and just picked it up and put it next to me in the bus cab.

“And it just grew from there…I found a discarded bunch of flowers and put them alongside me. Passengers were really complimentary. It seemed to lift their spirits and lighten their step.

“Now I have 22 separate bunches of imitation blooms and I take one along on every journey. To be honest, some of the passengers are so taken with the idea they’ve brought bunches along for me to share with others on my routes.

“It certainly gets people talking .. and I know sometimes I’m the only person that they will actually talk to that day.”

Mother of four Mary Bradford is a regular passenger on the number 89 Knott End to Lancaster coach which wends its way through Pilling, Cockerham and Glasson Dock to the city.

She said: “ just seeing Jeff’s flowers waving makes me feel happy. It’s such a kind caring touch and lifts every journey. He’s never glum. The flowers really make our day.”

Jeff, who also keeps the single decker coach spick and span between journeys, has been captured by an artist and turned into a poster which appears on some of the company buses.

Coun Charlie Edwards, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "The Lancaster to Knott End service is an important rural link which we're proud to support, and we're very lucky to have Jeff driving the route.

"Driving a bus is clearly more than just a job for Jeff – it's heart-warming to hear about the difference he makes to the lives of his regular passengers by getting to know them, and providing a friendly smile and genuine greeting to everyone who gets on his bus.

"I'm very grateful for his service to our communities."