Bus Talk - Issue 21 - April 2013

No.21 • April 2013

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Skills assessed in advanced driving test

Drivers aim to join ONE club

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RIVERS from across Go-Ahead London have been busy brushing up on their driving skills in preparation to take the Institute of Advanced Motorist’s advanced driving test.

The test is an enhancement to the standard driving test, but is within the reach of most drivers with the right guidance and has an overall pass rate of around 75 per cent.

Tested Drivers are tested on a wide range of skills and are graded accordingly – the top mark in each category being a one.

Any driver who achieves a rating of one in all categories then automatically becomes a member of the IAM’s One Club.

New Cross is one garage that has been particularly busy getting drivers through the test, with 75 already

NORTHUMBERLAND PARK – PART OF THE TEAM: p2

One Club member, New Cross driver Oliver Whylie.

having passed and another 100 preparing for their test.

“All of our drivers have been invited to take the test and we hope that eventually we will get every driver at the garage through it,” said accident prevention supervisor Lawrie Breschinsky.

“We are extremely proud of all the drivers who have passed so far and congratulate each of them in obtaining this advanced driving qualification,” said accident prevention manager Graham Oliver.

Four drivers at the garage, Bengalie Kakay, Richard Skeet, Oliver Whylie and Gilbert Williams have even gained entry to the One Club already.

“I was a bit surprised with the result, but I did feel like the test had gone really well at the time,” said Oliver.

“When I am driving, I always take great pride in my work and I think that really helped me during the test.

“The test itself is an excellent idea and I hope to see some more of my colleagues joining me in the One Club very soon!”

The next director’s forums are to be held at Waterloo on May 8, Mandela Way on May 16, and Peckham on May 21.

Come along and have your say!

IT’S A NEW LOOK STOCKWELL: p3

ART ON THE BUS AT LOCAL FESTIVAL: p7

INSIDE: SPECIAL FEATURE ON REPORTING DEFECTS p4-5

All change at the Park S

INCE BECOMING part of the company in early 2012, Northumberland Park garage has been busy getting used to the Go-Ahead London way of life.

This hasn’t been a oneway process, as Go-Ahead London has been busy helping to improve the garage as well.

Not only were there some quick fixes, such as repairs to the garage’s double glazing and concrete paths that had fallen into disrepair, there were also some more long-term changes made, such as the installation of a new IT system.

There has also been a steady switch over to using all existing Go-Ahead London standards and procedures.

And, as of April, employees can even do their training at the garage following the upgrade of existing facilities.

“It was great to immediately see the commitment the company has to our garage in the way they helped rectify some of the problems we were having,” said general manager Angie Ryder.

“All of our employees deserve to work in the best conditions possible, something Go-Ahead London has been really committed to in the last year.

“Being able to train people at the

in July and former engineering manager Mick Reavill is now working in the same role at Merton, with Chris Burke taking on the engineering manager’s role at the garage.

A Northumberland Park employee has even received the first promotion at the garage since its acquisition by Go-Ahead, with Richard Betts, formerly a driver, becoming a temporary driving instructor.

As for the future, Angie says there are already plans in place as to how the garage is going to continue to grow in 2013.

“We have already won a couple of routes, the 327 and 491, but we are still hungry for more,” she added.

“Now that we are past General manager the bedding-in period, Angie Ryder finds it there is a definite focus on far easier working becoming as competitive with the new screens as we can in the tender and telephones. market.

“The garage will garage has made things far easier hopefully be used as in terms of travelling too, with a base for Go-Ahead London’s colleagues not always having to operations in the north of the city, make their way over to Camberwell which means we need to start or Peckham.” winning more tenders and gaining There have also been more customers. some changes in roles and “Having said that, I am incredibly responsibilities. proud of the way all of my On top of her existing colleagues at the garage have responsibilities Angie will be taking risen to the challenge and I am on the general manager’s role looking forward to even more at Docklands and Blue Triangle success in 2013!”

It’s a Go-Ahead for Gmail Go-Ahead London has recently switched over from Microsoft Outlook’s email platform to using Google Mail.

This move will not only save the company money but will also help to keep pace with the ever-changing technical and digital age.

Google’s simplicity and feature-rich structure appeals to casual users as well as corporate users; with the Chrome browser as well as Google Apps such as GMail, Calendar and Drive becoming commonplace.

In November of last year, 25 employees were chosen to pilot a trial of Google Apps with their feedback directly taken into account when considering the switch.

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“The overall feedback from our pilot users was incredibly positive and the decision was taken to switch from Microsoft Outlook to Google,” said communications manager Sheldon Malcolm.

“In January, a specialist team spent a month training more than 400 employees to use the system, with Google Apps going live company-wide from January 28.

“GMail is smart, fresh and enables more efficient working practices and we are thrilled that Google Apps has fitted in so well with Go-Ahead London’s style of work.

“It is an enormous step forward and we are proud to be part of this ever-changing world of technology and real time communication.”

A view from the front line

Chris Burke.

AS ONE of the newer arrivals to the Northumberland Park team, engineering manager Chris Burke has been busy helping the garage switch over to Go-Ahead London standards and procedures.

“The challenge has been to maintain a good level of performance while the changes have been made,” said Chris.

“We are starting to near the end of the transition period and things are going really well so far.

“The garage now has a number of satellite managers who work across a seven-day period, as opposed to five days previously.

“This is a big change as it makes it much easier for us to plan work that may be going on over a long period of time.”

Greg French, a Google pilot user, checks out the guidelines prepared for staff.

The future’s bright at Stockwell A NEW iBus hub at Stockwell has been created to make a more suitable working environment for controllers.

Sporting 12 workstations plus two viewing screens, the room has been made generally more comfortable.

The facility is much larger and brighter, with improved lighting supported by natural light.

“I think the investment from the company has been fantastic and I know the controllers are really pleased with the changes,” said Gill Tynan, general manager service operations.

“Not only will things be more comfortable for my team but the enhancements will also assist us to continue to improve our efficiency as well.”

The new iBus control room at Stockwell Garage.

Driver comes to the rescue A REVENUE protection inspector has commended a driver for coming to her aid when dealing with an aggressive passenger on his bus.

The female inspector had asked the passenger in question for his ticket, which he could not produce, before then asking him to pay for his journey.

When the passenger refused she asked him for his details, at which point the situation looked like it could have taken a turn for the worse.

That’s when the driver of the bus, Abderrahim Elbekri stepped in.

“I saw her start to back away as he began to get up, so I could tell the situation had the potential to escalate,” said Abderrahim.

“While I did not leave my cab,

Teaching safety on the buses

Merton driver Abderrahim Elbekri.

I made sure the passenger was aware of me and told him that he needed to give his details to the revenue inspector.”

Luckily, the man calmed down somewhat and handed over the requested information before disembarking shortly afterwards.

“I have been driving for a long time and been in a few similar situations before, but this one certainly had me worried at the time,” added Abderrahim.

“Everyone deserves to be able to work in a safe environment and by stepping in early you can stop something serious from happening.

“She was very pleased and thanked me profusely but at the end of the day I was just doing my job – it’s my bus which means the safety of everyone on board is my responsibility.”

MERTON garage has been working with TfL, Mencap and the Safer Transport Team to teach children with physical or learning disabilities how to travel on the bus safely.

The travel mentor scheme takes the children onto a bus every second Tuesday of the month, teaching them valuable skills they may need. They are also presented with a number of different scenarios that could be encountered while travelling, such as how to deal with a drunk, an aggressive person or even a pickpocket.

Other items on the agenda include how to use an Oyster card correctly and how to choose the correct service.

Merton driver Stephen Appiah has been behind the wheel for the sessions, with Greg French from the communications department and operating manager Hannah Self also attending to lend a helping hand.

“Since the start of 2013 we have run two sessions and will continue to do so in the future. The scheme is great for the reputation of the company and offers a valuable service to the children, our future customers, as well,” said Hannah.

“I even got to be an actor pretending to get into an argument during the first session, which was something a bit different from normal!”

A similar scheme has been developed with Sutton Community Transport with input from John Scott and Mark Cambridge at Sutton Garage.

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Keeping our bus REPORTING defects accurately is crucial and is a task that Go-Ahead drivers take seriously. In this special feature, Bus Talk highlights the process that is followed once a defect is reported.

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ANAGEMENT and training teams are often questioned about defect reporting during CPC courses or at the directors’ forum, with many colleagues being confused about the whole subject.

The confusion arises because there are two different ways of reporting defects across Go-Ahead London. However, once the defect is reported, the way it is dealt with remains the same.

“In garages where VCRs are used, any defects must be recorded on the VCR card that stays in the vehicle. In other garages, problems must be reported on the sign-off sheet,” said chief engineer Chris McKeown. “In both instances, however, the driver must put a call through to the engineers to report a defect.

“I must also say that the vehicle inspection is the first part of our maintenance regime and if a driver sees a defect, he or she must report it.”

Any unreported defects that are spotted out on the road

by VOSA inspectors could jeopardise the company’s operator’s licence and the driver’s licence.

IN OUR Face 2 Face column we chat to IN OUR Face 2 Face engineering director column we chat to Richard Harrington. engineering director We asked Richard aWe Richard Harrington. seriesRichard of light-hearted asked a series of questions. questions. light-hearted Q: Who would you most like to meet?

A: My great, great grandfather.

n from Engineer Martin Waldo rage Ga rk Pa nd Northumberla lt. fau r repairs a mino

Q: How do you most like to relax after a day at work?

A: I like to cook.

Q: What was your childhood ambition?

A: I would have liked to be a footballer, like a lot of other kids.

Q: How would your friends describe you?

A: As committed to whatever I take on.

Q: What is the best thing about your job?

A: The new challenges every day.

Q: What is your most treasured material possession?

A: My house.

Q: If you had a superpower, what would it be?

A: I’d love to be able to read minds.

Q: What makes a good day at work for you?

A: A full service being made with a bit of time to plan the next day to boot.

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Driver Kandasamy Jeyaeswaran from Merton Garage calls in to report a fault.

Roadworthiness Once a specific defect has been reported to the engineers, one of three decisions must be made about the roadworthiness of the vehicle, depending on the problem.

“Any defect will be recorded by the engineer who will open and close each job so nothing is forgotten,” added Chris.

If a defect is relatively minor and the vehicle can still carry on operating, then a record of the fault will be made and it will be repaired at a later date, either by a Go-Ahead engineer or a contractor. If the bus is due for a service it will be dealt with then.

If the vehicle has a defect such as a faulty ramp, then an engineer will come out to where the bus next comes to the closest point to the garage and fix it there and then, or bring a substitute vehicle for the driver to continue with.

If there is a more major defect, then the decision may be made to take the bus out of

Promoting green driving with the Fiat 50

It seems like only yesterday that Belvedere driver Ian Jarrett won the top prize of a Fiat 500, worth £12,000, in last year’s Fiat 500 Challenge.

Sponsored by MiX Telematics, the event involves drivers taking part in various challenges, with their driving this year judged on their RAG performance, blue key usage and acceleration counts.

There will be a driver of the month competition in each garage over the next six months with the top 24 drivers chosen to

compete in the final, which will once again take place at Millbrook Testing Ground in September.

“Last year’s event was spectacular and it was clear to see that our finalists had a fun and exciting day,” said communications manager and organiser of the event Sheldon Malcolm.

“Go-Ahead London continues to be fully committed to increasing fuel efficiency and this starts with our drivers. This competition is a fantastic way to recognise those who put in the effort.”

ses in shape The thing for drivers to remember is to make sure they report the defects... as well as informing the engineers.

Driver Chloe Ebanks from Merton checks the wipers of her vehicle before leaving the garage.

service. The driver may then have to ask the passengers to leave the bus, before he or she drives it back to the garage, if it is safe to do so.

However, if the defect is severe and the bus cannot be safely driven – for example, if there is a bad oil leak – then the driver should stay with the vehicle but must make him or herself safe. An engineer will come out to the bus (ideally with a substitute bus) and either secure it so that it is safe to drive back to the depot, fix it or make arrangements for a tow truck.

In these instances, controllers will advise the driver as to what to do with any passengers who might be on board the bus at the time.

Once the vehicle is roadworthy again, the defect report is closed and the bus can go back into service.

“The thing for drivers to remember is to make sure that they report the defects, either on the VCR card where used, or on the sign off sheet, as well as informing the engineers,” said Chris.

“Some colleagues do have the perception that the engineers are not fixing the faults that they are reporting. If it is something quite minor, for example if there is a saloon light not working, then it may be left until the vehicle is next due a rota inspection. This is why some minor defects Chloe Ebanks checks can remain on a vehicle the grab strap. for a number of days.”

00 challenge Sights set on award GO-AHEAD London is leading the way in the best vehicle care category at the annual London Bus Awards with two garages in the running to win.

New Cross and Stockwell, along with Orpington garage at Go-Ahead London’s sister company, Metrobus, are two of the five garages to be shortlisted.

They were chosen based on mystery traveller observations, engineering quality monitoring and lost mileage. TfL has called for nominations in other categories and Go-Ahead London anticipates that other staff with also be shortlisted.

The results will be announced on May 15.

Tender news

from across London IN OUR regular column, we highlight recent announcements made by Transport for London.

Abellio • Retention of Route C3 (Clapham Junction to Earl’s Court), using new double deck vehicles (12 PVR).

Contract begins October 5, 2013.

Arriva London South • Retention of Route 60 (Streatham Station to Old Coulsdon), using new and existing double deck buses (15 PVR). Contract begins on August 31, 2013.

• Retention of Route 166 (West Croydon to Banstead/Epsom), using existing single deck vehicles (8 PVR). Contract starts on August 31, 2013.

• Retention of Route 319 (Sloane Square to Streatham Hill), using new double deck vehicles (20 PVR). Contract begins on September 14, 2013.

• Retention of Route 412 (Purley to West Croydon), using existing double deck vehicles (8 PVR). Contract starts on August 31, 2013.

• Retention of Route 466 (Addington Village Interchange to Caterhamon-the-Hill), using existing double deck vehicles (17 PVR). Contract begins on August 31, 2013.

• Route 612 (Wallington to Selsdon (school service) won from Metrobus. The contract starts on August 31, 2013, using existing double deck buses (2 PVR).

• Retention of Route 685 (Hamsey Green to Selsdon), using existing double deck vehicles. Contract begins on August 31, 2013.

Arriva London North • Retention of Route 318 (Stamford Hill to North Middlesex Hospital), using new and existing single deck buses (7 PVR). Contract starts on November 9, 2013.

London United • Retention of Route 391 (Sands End to Richmond) using new and existing double deck vehicles (18 PVR). Contract begins on December 14, 2013.

Metrobus • Retention of Route 293 (Morden to Epsom), using a mix of existing double and single deck vehicles (7 PVR). Contract begins on August 31, 2013.

• Route 434 (Whyteleafe South to Rickman Hill), using new single deck vehicles (3 PVR). Contract begins August 31, 2013.

Won from Abellio.

Quality Line • Retention of Route 404 (Coulsdon to Caterham-onthe-Hill), using single deck vehicles (1 PVR). Contract begins on September 28, 2013.

Stagecoach East London • Route 165 (Romford to Rainham, Abbey Wood Lane) won from First London East. Contract begins September 28, 2013 using new single deck vehicles (12 PVR).

• Route 179 (Ilford to Chingford) won from First London East. Contract begins on October 19, 2013 using existing double deck vehicles (11 PVR).

• Route 252 (Hornchurch to Collier Row) won from First London East. Contract begins on September 28, 2013 using new and existing double deck vehicles (12 PVR).

• Route 256 (Hornchurch St George’s Hospital) to Noak Hill) won from Arriva Kent Thameside. Contract begins on September 28, 2013 using new single deck vehicles (10 PVR).

• Route 365 (Havering Park to Mardyke Estate) won from First London East. Contract begins on September 28, 2013 using new double deck vehicles (11 PVR).

Stagecoach Selkent • Retention of Route 356 (Shirley to Sydenham Hill), using existing single deck vehicles (6 PVR). Contract starts on September 14, 2013.

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Have your say

Hair-raising fundraising FUNDRAISING and boosting awareness of male cancers through Movember 2012 proved to be such a worthwhile cause that the team at New Cross is considering a repeat of their success this year.

Liz Kehinde, engineering clerk at New Cross, was the team captain and encouraged a number of her colleagues to grow moustaches throughout November to raise awareness of testicular and prostate cancer, earning the title of Mo Bro. The team raised £736, a

wonderful achievement and one that they are looking to equal or better in November 2013.

“I am very passionate about raising awareness for these kinds of issues and I very much wanted to support the guys in growing their moustaches,” said Liz. “I think that men are less open and less likely to talk about such matters so I wanted to bring awareness of these diseases out into the open.

“Thank you to everyone who supported us and to those who made donations, it all counts no

matter how small. I would love for the whole company to get involved next year, not just the team at New Cross.”

The New Cross colleagues who grew their moustaches and became ambassadors for such a great cause were: Earl Sutherland, Del Parker, Mark Leader, Tony Rackley, Dan Baker, Jason Mahoney, Nigel Pike, Luke D’Auvergne, Leon Kitney, Ricky Nelson, John Egan, Paul Bodiam, Tony Playford, Dave Chapman, Mark Bonas, Ben Evans, Tom Martin and Dave Frost.

SINCE going live in April last year, the employee forum has gone from strength to strength and has become increasingly popular.

You can start discussions, put questions to work colleagues, managers and directors or even post funny stories about your day. As well as this, it is also the place to go to voice your opinion and receive a swift response.

To date, there are over 185 topics and more than 1100 posts, making the forum not only a great source of information but also a good place to communicate.

Have you got something to say? Have you got a burning work-related question but don’t know who to ask? The forum is the place to do it! It’s all happening online now!

Transport Museum entry

GO-AHEAD London wants to take this opportunity to remind everyone that only pre-privatisation employees holding a blue ‘staff’ pass are entitled to free entry at the London Transport Museum.

Unfortunately, employees holding a purple ‘operator’ pass do not receive a concession and must pay the usual entrance fee to visit the museum.

However, as part of the Group’s Corporate Membership we sometimes receive tickets to exhibitions and currently have a pair valid to the end of April. Please speak to Valerie Clark on 6196 for availability.

Get healthy, get active

Staff raise a hatful of cash On March 15 all staff at Head Office came into work wearing hats to raise money for Red Nose Day. Some were plain, some were silly and some were just downright ridiculous, with virtually everyone, including the directors, taking part.

This is the first time that a Red Nose Day fundraising event has taken place at Head Office, a successful one at that, too, with nearly £250 being raised.

There was also a competition in the afternoon, with prizes given in the following categories: 6

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Most creative hat, Richard Franklin; best photo pose, Richard Ashman; most ‘street’ hat, John Burford; best personalised hat, Emma Bilclough; most charitable hat, John Pritty; most coordinated hat with an outfit, Sindy Yeo; most animalistic hat, Phil Blewett; and silliest hat, Greg French.

This year’s Red Nose Day has so far raised a staggering £75 million and all staff at Head Office are proud to be hat-wearing contributors!

All donations will go towards the total fund, which will help transform the lives of those across the UK and Africa.

EMPLOYEES at Go-Ahead London now have the opportunity to sign up to the Virgin Active health club near Haydons Road in Wimbledon at a reduced rate.

At £59 per month for a year’s membership, the club offers members access to all facilities at any time with the opportunity to attend selected other clubs in the same group as well.

Facilities on offer include a 20-metre swimming pool, a children’s pool, three large exercise studios featuring over 90 classes per week, a large cardio section, a ladies only area, a crèche and free car parking.

If you are interested in finding out more about this offer or wish to get details on how to sign up, just log on to goaheadlondon.net.

Festival success!

A Routemaster from New Cross garage displayed local art at the Telegraph Hill festival.

NEW CROSS garage’s involvement in a local festival has proved to be very successful and helped to forge stronger links in the local community.

As reported in the last issue of Bus Talk, the garage provided a historic Routemaster for the Telegraph Hill festival on March 9 and 10. The weekend was part of the annual spring celebration from March 8 to 24, with a huge number of events taking place for residents of Telegraph Hill.

Private hire driver Michael Reynolds was on hand to talk to residents about the Routemasters and gave a short speech about them as well as giving a tour of the iconic bus.

“Michael showed some of the local children around the bus as they had never seen a Routemaster before and they all thought it was brilliant,” said New Cross garage administrator Jeanette Morton, who helped with organising the bus for the day.

“It was a really good event and the Telegraph Hill Association was delighted with our contribution.

“Michael was an ideal person to talk about the Routemasters as he has not

only driven them but has also assisted with a lot of their refurbishment.”

The bus also displayed local artwork for residents to look at and GoAhead London made a donation to the Telegraph Hill Association to help advertise the festival.

Vanessa Lloyd, the festival’s chair, said: “The Telegraph Hill festival has greatly appreciated the support from our local New Cross bus garage and Go-Ahead London. The financial support has enabled us to print 8,000 copies of the programme in full colour and the loan of the wonderful Routemaster was a visible sign of the partnership and commitment to this local festival which is run by volunteers for the whole community.

“Hundreds of local people saw the bus and came onboard to see the artists’ work. The feedback was brilliant and Michael, the driver, was so gracious in allowing young children to sit in the cab! Giving something back to the local community is very much appreciated and we hope we can build on this partnership in future years.”

Nigel serves up a winner TABLE TENNIS has been the name of the game at New Cross recently after drivers organised a garagewide tournament.

In total, around 22 colleagues took part in the competition, which was held over the course of three months.

When all was said and done it was driver Antonio Verrillo who took home first place, earning himself a trophy as well as his name on a shield kept at the garage.

Trophies were also given to second

and third places as well.

“I am an absolute table tennis fanatic so, since we have a table at the garage, I thought I’d see if I could get some friendly competition going,” said driver and organiser Nigel Thomas.

“A notice went up on the board and the response from all of my colleagues was really great to see.

“We are already organising another tournament and I am really looking forward to it starting in a few months.”

COMMENDATIONS BLUE TRIANGLE n AMMAR NAZIR has received a commendation from Mrs Dent after waiting for a customer and doing his best to avoid “a myriad of potholes.”

CAMBERWELL n LANCE MCFARLANE has been praised for his actions by Mrs Hill after a passenger was abusive towards him. n MISS MOORE was delighted at the service offered by Sandria Johnson-Webber, who she described as “courteous and helpful.” n A THANKFUL Dr Charleston has commended Michael Fante for being “polite, respectful and courteous” when dealing with a disabled customer. n MR TURBIDY described Christian BoakyeDebankah as someone who was “very considerate” and “gave good advice.”

DOCKLANDS n TYRONE BRISCO has earned a commendation from Miss Olle, who described him as “a real gem” who “should be valued.”

NEW CROSS n A DELIGHTED Ms Bramwell has written in to thank Philip Koroma for his “kindness and understanding” when people were being directed away from an incident. n A GRATEFUL Mr Cambridge has commended Jonathan Gooch for “very kindly” holding the bus to allow him to board. n DAVID HIBBERD has earned a commendation from Mr Shimshon for managing to avoid a cyclist who had come off his bike in front of the bus.

PECKHAM n A CUSTOMER has written in to thank Ibrahim Yemil for “going out of his way” to help her.

PUTNEY n ZBIGNIEW PISZCZEK

earned the thanks of Ms Morten-Olsen for his “helpful” attitude during her journey. n THE KIND and considerate manner of Bazlul Alam has been praised by Miss Rees, who said Bazlul went “above and beyond.” n A DELIGHTED Mr Zarach has applauded Samantha Mathurin for being “a fantastic and careful driver”. n DRIVER Gary Miller put a smile on the face of a customer who commended him for being helpful and friendly to all of his passengers, even getting out of the cab to assist an elderly lady off the bus.

STOCKWELL n MRS DECOURCY has thanked Victor Faustino for his actions on the day of the helicopter crash in London. n COMING to the aid of Mr Holden has earned Anthony Irvine a commendation.

He described Anthony as “exemplary and a credit to the service.” n TESFAI SEMENAWIT has been described as “professional and courteous” by Ms Forrester. n A THANKFUL Miss Higgs has described Julian Goldsmith as a driver “who took great care” and had a “polite, helpful and very considerate” attitude. n MS HORSEY has thanked Steven Ponting for being “warm and exceptionally communicative” as well as “very attentive.”

SUTTON n MS OLLSON-HILDICK has described Paramsothy Jayseelan as “considerate and kind” for the way he dealt with an elderly passenger.

WATERLOO n AN IMPRESSED Mr Watley has written in to thank Leo Phillips-Waller for his “excellent standard of professional driving”.

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‘Health MOT’ for Modeste was just in time...

Anyone for cricket?

From left, Barber Choudhary, Brad Campbell, Oz Hassan, James Staggs and Kelly Murphy.

BLUE TRIANGLE is setting up a cricket team at the garage as a health and safety initiative.

The SEE (Sleep, Exercise and Eat Healthily) programme was introduced as part of the annual company-wide health and safety competition.

“At Blue Triangle, we decided to get to the root of the problem,” said acting operating manager Brad Campbell. “If you are not getting enough sleep, or eating the right things, then you will be less alert and more prone to accidents while out on the road.

“If you eat properly, sleep well and exercise regularly then you are more likely to perform better than someone who does not do these things. It is common sense, really.”

The garage is hoping to have the cricket team up and running by the spring when the weather is better for outdoor sports.

A number of drivers have already approached Brad

expressing their interest in being part of the team.

Blue Triangle even has a former professional cricketer in its midst who Brad has earmarked as a potential captain for the team!

The garage also got in touch with the Essex Cricket Board who sent down a representative with some free equipment for the team.

“He brought some bats, balls and stumps for our use at the garage and now it is just down to us to start something,” said Brad.

“We also set up a running club as part of the same health and safety programme, which got a lot of good feedback but at the moment it is not ideal weather for our runners.”

If you are interested in being part of the Blue Triangle cricket team or if other garages would like to set up a future match then please contact Brad Campbell at Blue Triangle.

Dynamic effort for charity cash HAVING completed the fivemile Marsden March last year, Mark Titcombe was back at the starting line on March 17 to tackle the 14-mile course!

Merton satellite manager Mark, accompanied by his seven-year-old son Adam, walked the 14 miles from Chelsea to Sutton in five hours and 30 minutes.

It really was a family affair as well, with Mark’s eldest son Harry, and daughter Jessica there to meet the two for the final five-miles of the course.

Mark has already shattered his fundraising target too, raising over £1,000 from an initial target of £500! The march raises money for the Royal Marsden Hospital, which specialises in treating people suffering from cancer 8

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– a service Mark himself knows the value of first hand.

“My father-in-law has been diagnosed with cancer, so The Royal Marsden is obviously a cause quite close to my family’s heart,” said Mark.

“It was cold, wet, windy and muddy on the walk but we still had an absolutely fantastic time. Our team name was Dick’s Dynamos, Dick being the name of my father-in-law.

I have to say it was great to finish the long course and my son got a lot of attention for his fantastic effort!”

If you’d like to find out more about Mark’s fundraising or donate to his very worthy cause, just visit http://www. justgiving.com/DicksDynamos.

Mark Titcombe with his children, from left, Harry, Jessica and Adam.

CAMBERWELL driver Modeste Gogo is encouraging all his colleagues at Go-Ahead London to make sure they have regular health checks to prevent prostate cancer.

Modeste was diagnosed with the disease last year, after going to the doctors to have a cold checked out.

While he was there he had a ‘health MOT’, which found that his PSA (prostatespecific antigen) levels were too high.

Biopsy After a biopsy had been done, it was confirmed that he had advanced prostate cancer and would have to undergo an operation to remove it.

“When I went to the doctors for the biopsy results I was expecting the all clear, so when they told me I had prostate cancer I was absolutely stunned,” said Modeste.

“It was then decided that the best course of action was to have an operation to remove it, which thankfully turned out to be successful.”

While there is still some treatment yet to come for Modeste, he was relieved to hear that the outlook is good and his PSA levels have significantly lowered.

“If you are a man aged 40 or older, I would really recommend that you get your health checked regularly,” added Modeste.

“The lump on my prostate had been there for quite some time and could have done even more damage if left untreated.

“It’s a problem that is becoming more prevalent in younger men too, so I would certainly advise anyone who is worried to speak with their GP.”

Published by Go-Ahead London. Produced by Ruxley Communications, Walton-on-Thames. Printed by Evolve Print Solutions, Rickmansworth.