Buses are fare way to celebrate city poet

Poems by the poet and former Hull University librarian have been placed inside an East Yorkshire Motor Services (EYMS) bus, which will be identified by large vinyl letters spelling out the poet's name.

The bus, which operates on varied routes in the city, was officially named by the former Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion.

Sir Andrew, who taught English at the University of Hull and wrote a defining biography of Larkin, was in the city yesterday taking part in the Humber Mouth literature festival.

Excerpts from some of Larkin's most popular poems and a fewer rarer ones – including Toads Revisited, Days and Solar, will be on display in the bus for passengers to muse over.

EYMS is also offering schools across Hull and the East Riding the opportunity to receive free books for their school library.

Chief executive at EYMS Peter Shipp said: "This is an exciting and interactive way of introducing passengers to the poetry of Philip Larkin and will hopefully encourage then to find out more about his work and to explore the Larkin25 programme taking place in Hull and East Yorkshire."

Director of Larkin25 Emily Penn said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with East Yorkshire Motor Transport Services and Hull and East Riding Library Services to bring poetry to new people and places as part of Larkin25. It's a real honour to have Sir Andrew Motion launch this partnership through naming the Philip Larkin bus, and we are grateful to him, and to the Humber Mouth, for taking time out to perform the bus naming ceremony."

Larkin25 is a series of events marking the 25th anniversary of the poet's death, culminating in the unveiling of a statue.