(March 19, 2011) MANCHESTER, England — Manchester’s eco-friendly hybrid electric buses have been helping the environment in more ways than one in recent weeks. In addition to burning less fuel and creating lower levels of emissions, they have also been spreading a vital water-saving message thanks to an advertising campaign for United Utilities.

The "You spot it, we’ll stop it" campaign to promote the United Utilities Leakline was the result of a team effort between the water company, Stagecoach Manchester and the UK’s leading outdoor advertising specialist, CBS Outdoor.

Stagecoach Manchester’s 30 hybrid electric buses were covered in Leakline messages, which urge people to report water leaks so that they can quickly be stemmed. Rose Francis, United Utilities campaign manager, said: “We’re really pleased to be the first company associated with Stagecoach’s hybrid buses. Our Leakline adverts help us to save water, and that has the knock-on effect of reducing energy use as well.”

United Utilities replaces every year around five miles of leak-prone old water mains with state-of-the-art piping.

The Stagecoach Manchester hybrid electric buses carrying the "You spot it, we’ll stop it" messages are an appropriate medium, for the vehicles – introduced in September last year at a cost of £9million — are greener in every way, using less fuel and cutting carbon emissions by 30 per cent.

Chris Bowles, managing director of Stagecoach Manchester, commented on the campaign: “We are pleased to have secured advertising that supports a campaign about conservation, which was ultimately the reason behind the decision to buy the green hybrid-power buses. We are confident that using bus advertising will help spread the message to a wide audience.”