Bus talk issue 30 october 2014

Issue 30 • October 2014

Barry wins the day!

And claims top prize in 500 Challenge Final See pages 6 and 7

In this issue

Changing perceptions in our industry

Welcoming our new recruits Pages 4 and 5

Adapting to the portal way of life Page 9

Getting down to the carnival Beatz!

Page 10 2

I am confident that we will see an increase in female staff over the coming months

Quest for more female drivers I

T'S fair to say that the bus industry is, and always has been, dominated by men.

At Go-Ahead London, two operating managers, Nicola Phipps and Kastriot Gashi, have been appointed as Women's Champions.

As part of their role, the pair look at ways to encourage more women to consider joining the industry and help get the message out there that being a driver can be a rewarding job.

On Saturday 13 September, the Stockwell Festival took place, with many local residents and families taking part in a variety of fun activities and shows. This was the perfect opportunity for a recruitment drive. With a Waterloo MEC bus in tow, two female drivers, Annice Adams from Stockwell and Natalie Milsom from Peckham, as well

as Dave Weller from the Training School, were on hand to speak to interested members of the public.

"With a large female presence, this was a great opportunity to meet and speak to women and introduce them to the world of bus driving," said Nicola. "It was interesting to hear the reactions from women when asked if they would consider the role."

Once the options and positives of being a bus driver were explained, many changed their negative viewpoint.

"Whilst being a bus driver is not for all women, as I found out on the day, it is something which many had not considered before. With the right support and getting the message out to more women, I am confident that we will see an increase in female staff over the coming months,” said Nicola.

“Women in the bus driving

seat? I think it is largely an issue of perception,” added Kastriot. “The stereotype is putting women off being bus drivers. Having Annice and Natalie present on the day was great.

“They both provided feedback from their own industry experience. This in return had a very positive impact on people’s opinion about the bus driving role and the business as a whole.

“The Stockwell Festival was very fruitful and we will continue to explore other opportunities to get the message out there and encourage an increase in female drivers behind the wheel.”

ABOVE: From left, Peckham driver Natalie Milsom, Dave Weller from the Training School and Stockwell driver Annice Adams.

Trio of awards drives James on

Blue Triangle driver James Staggs with his impressive haul of trophies.

T

OP London bus driver, top Go-Ahead driver and top five in the UK – James Staggs achieved all three accolades in one weekend.

It was the third UK Bus Driver of the Year competition for Blue Triangle driver James, and achieving fifth position was his best result yet.

The event was held in Blackpool over the weekend of September 13 and 14, starting with a gala dinner at the Hilton Hotel on the Saturday evening. The following day, 120 drivers from across the country battled it out in a series of challenging tests.

Go-Ahead London was also represented

by Camberwell’s Mark Alleyne, Stephen Chipperfield from Waterside Way and firsttime competitor Georges Attia from Putney.

Managing director John Trayner headed the Go-Ahead London supporting team, cheering them on throughout the day.

“The hardest part was having to wait five hours after I had finished to find out how I’d done,” said James. “I thought it had gone well but you don’t know until the end how other drivers have performed.”

James hopes to compete again next year and he will definitely be aiming for the top spot!

Health and Safety: What it really means

By Tom McGlew WELCOME to the first instalment of a regular column.

Health and safety is a term that is often thrown around by every Tom, Dick and Harriet when a situation arises that, rather than try to manage, they produce a clipboard and cite health and safety as the reason you cannot do something.

This is a lazy attitude and a reason why health and safety is seen as a hindrance, which in turn can turn people off whenever they hear the phrase.

Health and safety law requires that Go-Ahead London, as your employer, manages significant risks that arise whilst you are at work.

Risk can be defined as the likelihood of an incident happening plus how severe the consequences might be.

T H E

H& S

C O L U M N Think about your garage.

How many vehicles move around a bus garage every day? There is a risk that a bus could collide with someone or something. Do we stop buses moving or pedestrians walking around the garage? No, as we would all be out of a job.

What we do is we manage the risk. We do this in a number of ways: n Use of walkways and crossings n Speed limits

n Parking/allocation plans n Observations and inspections n Use of safe zones and runout supervisors n Restrict access to non-bus traffic during run-in and run-out n Only trained persons can drive buses n Hi-vis vests and jackets Managing health and safety does take time, effort and of course financial resource but it will only be successful with the input from those that matter. You. The driver. The engineer. The controller. Admin.

Supervisors. Managers and directors. All of us.

Health and safety law and policy is not there to ban everything. It is there to ensure that at the end of a day we leave work as fit and as healthy as when we arrived.

UK health and safety statistics: n 133 workers killed at work (2013/14) n 78,000 other injuries to employees were reported under RIDDOR (2012/13) n 175,000 over-7-day absence injuries occurred (Labour Force Survey) (2012/13) n 1.1 million working people were suffering from a workrelated illness (2011/12) n 27 million working days were lost due to workrelated illness and workplace injury (2011/12) n Workplace injuries and ill health (excluding cancer) cost society an estimated £13.8 billion in 2010/11

3

Your chance to get to know the people who've recently come

GO-AHEAD London has welcomed a number of new employees in recent months, so we thought we would put some names to faces and find out about the roles they’re taking on...

Welco

u GAVIN SMITH Operating Manager Bexleyheath and Belvedere

IMPROVING customer service and reducing ‘slips, trips and falls’ at the garages are two key objectives for new Bexleyheath and Belvedere operating manager Gavin.

Gavin joined Go-Ahead

London on August 2, having previously worked as an operating manager for Tower Transit.

“In my previous company, it was not unusual to go for a whole year without accidents in the garage,” said Gavin. “It would be great if we could also achieve that level of safety for our employees here.”

“I want to get everyone at the garage involved in practical ways to reduce accidents and we’re planning a staff survey to generate ideas.”

u ADE AKADIRI Management Accountant Merton Head Office ADE may have had the same job title at his previous company but he says it was a

4

very different business.

“Serco is a facilities management company and my work involved defence companies and government contracts,” said Ade, who joined Go-Ahead London at the beginning of September.

His new role in accounts includes budgeting, forecasting and cashflow analysis.

“I’m still finding my way,” said Ade, “but I’ve already visited Northumberland Park and Orpington garages to attend a performance review with John Trayner and an engineering review with Chris McKeown.

It’s all been good so far.”

Good customer service is key for any business serving the public and Gavin believes there is always room for improvement.

“We will be asking drivers who have received a number of customer commendations to become ‘customer service champions’.

We want to use their skills to spread good practice

u GORDON HARRINGTON Engineering Trainer Merton Head Office BEFORE joining Go-Ahead London in early September, Gordon was a lecturer in bus and truck mechanics at the College of North West London. He is now training in all aspects of engineering but with a particular focus on the mechanical side.

Asked about his first impressions of the company, Gordon said: “I’m very impressed, everyone is highly professional and I’ve been made to feel very welcome, both at head office and the Stockwell training school.”

and reduce the number of complaints,” said Gavin.

Since joining Go-Ahead London, Gavin has been enjoying getting to know everyone at the depot.

“They’re a great team to work with, everyone’s been very welcoming,” added Gavin.

Outside work, Gavin enjoys cycling, particularly time trials, and also keeps fit by running.

u ROB CLARKE Quality Auditor visiting GoAhead London garages.

Earthquake aftershocks are responsible for Rob’s return to the UK after working for a number of years in New Zealand.

The 2011 earthquake in Christchurch caused massive damage and smaller tremors continue to affect the country.

“You could be watching TV and it would start shaking,” said Rob. “It was quite worrying sometimes and my wife decided she’d had enough, so we came back to the UK.” Rob joined Go-Ahead London on September 1, and his job includes carrying out audits to ensure all vehicles conform to legal requirements, as well as internal standards of cleanliness and appearance.

He will audit drivers’ pre-service checks and defect reporting.

Additionally, he’ll provide training on vehicle inspection techniques and quality system awareness.

“Go-Ahead London is clearly a thriving business,” said Rob. “The company seems very keen to keep growing and moving forward – and everyone is really busy!”

e on board at Go-Ahead London

ome... u CHARLES NEWITT Assistant Operating Manager Camberwell CHARLES, the new assistant operating manager at Camberwell, has progressed from having an outside interest in buses to getting inside the bus industry.

Before joining Go-Ahead London in July, Charles worked for advertising company Exterion Media, where his job included arranging for advertising posters to be placed on bus exteriors.

Charles’s first priority in his new role is getting to know the staff and building good relationships. He is keen to work with everyone at the garage to reduce customer complaints and improve performance via TfL’s mystery traveller surveys.

“I will be going through the surveys with the people involved to analyse the good and the bad and look at what we could do better,” said Charles.

“I have found my colleagues incredibly friendly and welcoming,” he said, “so my first impressions of the company have been really good.”

u JOSHUA BURKMAR Trainee Management Accountant Merton Head Office JOSHUA studied economics at the University of Portsmouth before joining Go-Ahead London in April this year as a risk assistant temp. In July he took up a permanent role in the finance department.

He will assist in providing accurate financial and statistical information.

“Everyone has been really welcoming,” said Joshua.

“And I am learning a lot.”

u SABINA FAREED Assistant Management Accountant Merton Head Office UNLIKE some of us, Sabina has no problem making sense of figures.

Her role includes preparing period-end accounts and processing employee expense claims.

Before joining the company in April, she was a management accountant with an energy company.

“Very friendly with a nice atmosphere,” sums up Sabina’s impressions of her new workplace.

Charles’s passion outside work is playing rugby with London Wasps’ amateur team. “We use the same training ground as the professional Wasps players, so the facilities are very good. I used to play football and cricket too, but now I’m concentrating on rugby as it’s something I really enjoy.”

u SERENA PARLANTI Communications Assistant and Receptionist Merton Head Office SERENA divides her time between the communications department and reception, where she meets and greets visitors.

Her role also includes dealing with customer complaints, answering phone calls and sorting the post.

“It’s very different to my last job,” said Serena. “I previously worked for a veterinary surgery in North Cheam. I’m enjoying learning the ropes, though, as everyone has been lovely and very helpful.”

u CLARE ARNOLD Accounts Payable Assistant Merton Head Office

u WILLIAM WATSON Schedule Compiler Merton Head Office

Buses have replaced cars in Clare’s working life – she previously did the same job at a BMW and Mini dealership.

Clare's job is to make sure our suppliers are paid on time.

“This is a massive company compared to my last job,” said Clare. “Everyone is very busy and they’ve all got their heads down – but it’s been good.”

THIS is William’s first full-time job, having joined the company straight after doing his A-levels.

His role involves compiling timetables and monitoring performance targets. If necessary, he revises running times to improve punctuality.

“It’s a really close-knit company,” said William. “I’m really enjoying it here.”

5

ECO driving si ECO Drive Challenge - check! Batak competition check! Skid car training - check! Off-road 4x4 driving experience - check! Blindfolded driving challenge check! Pro drive and handling circuit (crash helmets included!) - check!

YES! The 500 Challenge competition took place for the sixth consecutive year on Thursday, September 18.

Sponsored by Mix Telematics, the competition was full of thrills and excitement and a thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all of our 24 greenest drivers in the company.

Sasa Jovetic in full flow.

Batak competition A new activity introduced to the day was the batak competition.

The aim is to use your peripheral vision to tap one of eight randomly lit lights on a five-foot frame when they are displayed, over a period of 30 seconds.

This is a test of reaction time and this activity is used in Formula One training as the professionals can drive up to 200 mph. Use of peripheral vision is paramount whilst travelling at such speeds.

Described by many as excellent fun and brilliant exercise, the batak competition was great to take part in and even better to watch. Sasa Jovetic (now known as ‘Full Power’) from Putney was the

6

competition winner with an outstanding 55 touches in 30 seconds! Sasa won a bottle of Moet Champagne, presented by managing director John Trayner, for his outstanding efforts.

Skid car training It’s dark, cold and the roads are like an ice rink! Does that ring any bells?

If so, perhaps you need skid car training from Millbrook’s very own professional. Each driver is given a brief on what the instructor will do to the car to activate a skid. All the driver has to do is control it.

Giving the same sensation as driving on black ice, skid car training is excellent and enables you to be more confident on the road when faced with slippery surfaces or black ice. Karen Airey from Sutton explains: “The instructor was very clear, so I understood what I had to do. Every driver should do skid control training so they’ll be able to manage a car (or bus) in all weather conditions.”

Off-road 4x4 driving experience The aim was to navigate yourself around a sandy course full of hills and holes, to make the experience just that little bit

more challenging!

After a short brief from the Millbrook professional, it was down to the driver to take control. “It felt like the car was going to tip over,” explained John Gittings from Camberwell.

Much to the contrary, Hardip Bhachu from Docklands said: “I loved it. It was the best experience of the day – 10 out of 10!” Yasin Khan from Waterloo really enjoyed the experience too: “Going up and down the hills was great fun. It was weird though because the car had an automatic braking system which meant I wasn’t braking when travelling down the hill. It reminded me of the roads in Pakistan.”

Best driver of the off-road 4x4 competition was Craig Honeyman from Belvedere, who won a bottle of Moet Champagne presented by John Trayner.

Blindfolded driving How many times has someone said to you, “did you see that!?” Well, our competitors couldn’t see anything when taking part in this challenge.

The driver’s eyes were their driving partner’s who had to clearly and calmly navigate the blindfolded driver around a coned course.

It is another one which is hilarious to watch as a spectator. Two previous 500 Challenge winners were paired up, David Harvey (2013) and Craig Honeyman (2011). David

ix-cess!

sensible side to it.

This is where the Eco Drive comes in. The top prize on the day was a Fiat 500, and the driver who comes out on top with the highest miles per gallon score wins!

Ears pinned back and pens at the ready, Anthony Sale, principal engineer, gave the drivers from each team pointers in how to gain the highest miles per gallon. He concentrated on reducing engine RPM, coasting in gear and gentle acceleration.

The fuel usage is extracted from the engine’s management system and the readings are then loaded onto a laptop and each score is collated.

There was a practice run in the morning; in the afternoon, the results were officially logged and the winner of the car was determined.

“There were lots of hills and turns which made it quite difficult,” said Dinh Le from Stockwell. In contrast, Jude Edike from Mandela Way explains his Eco Drive as: “A

whole new experience. It was very nice to drive the course.”

Barry Luckett wins the 2014 500 Challenge!

On the day, it was Barry Luckett from Waterside Way garage who came out the triumphant winner with a score of 69.15 mpg.

Barry, who also took part in last year’s competition and came second, was absolutely speechless when Go-Ahead London managing director John Trayner announced his name.

John toyed with us, using a game show-style build-up; the room was filled with excitement for Barry, who received a huge round of applause when he was handed the keys to his brand new Fiat 500.

After a brief photo shoot and time for it all to sink in, Barry said: ”I can’t believe it. I didn’t think I’d have any chance of winning. I thought I did better last year; it’s a great surprise. I definitely can’t wait to tell the wife, the kids and the grandkids!”

The winners described the instructions from Craig as “very good and clear” while Craig said: “David shouted the instructions and I reacted quickly; we came top of our group!”

However, overall champion of the blindfolded driving competition was Sasa Jovetic from Putney and Lance McFarlane from Camberwell.

Lance and Sasa won a bottle of Champagne presented by John Trayner for completing the course in the shortest time.

Not one for the faint-hearted, the Pro-Drive is astonishing, with the professional driver reaching speeds of up to 90 mph on the handling circuit and 160mph at full speed in the twomile circular bowl.

The car used for this was a Volkswagen Scirocco 2.0L Turbo. With perfect road handling and eye-watering speeds, the Pro-Drive and Handling Circuit leaves you gasping for more! “It was wicked!” explains Trevor Scott from Northumberland Park. “I thought I was a good driver but these guys are amazing! It’s like something you see on TV. He went about 150 mph; slowing down to 80 mph felt like 20mph!”

Kwasi Boakye Mensah from Stockwell described his experience as exciting and fierce whilst Rana Miah from Waterloo was lost for words simply describing his Pro-Drive experience as “Wicked”.

Pro-Drive and Handling Circuit No 500 Challenge event is complete without this truly exciting experience.

Eco Drive As you can no doubt tell, the 500 Challenge event is full of fun and excitement; but with most things, there is a serious and

A great effort was put in by all who took part.

Our top three drivers in reverse order were:

Karen Airey, Sutton, winner of a Samsung Tablet.

Craig Honeyman, Belvedere, winner of an iPhone 5S.

Barry Luckett, Waterside Way, Fiat 500 winner.

Congratulations to everyone who took part.

You’d be crazy to miss a day like this.....AND get paid for it!

7

FACE 2 Now it's golf to the fore!

FACE

IN OUR Face 2 Face column, we chat to James Thorpe, an operations graduate trainee at Stockwell who has worked for the company for just over a year. We ask James a series of light-hearted questions.

Q: What is your earliest memory?

A: Accidentally running into the fireplace and getting a black eye.

Q: Do you have a hidden talent?

A: I play the bass guitar.

Q: What is the most unusual place you have visited?

A: A rooftop cinema.

Q: Describe yourself in three words.

A: Honest, dedicated, patient.

Q: What was the first single that you ever bought?

A: Cosmic Girl by Jamiroquai.

Q: If you were stuck in a lift, who would you choose to be with?

A: Iron Man. Q: What makes a good day at work for you?

A: Being productive, learning and achieving Q: What, in your mind, is your greatest achievement?

A: Graduating

8

GROUP engineering Retiring group director Phil Margrave engineering will be closing the door director Phil on a 43-year career in Margrave. the bus industry, but leaving a window of opportunity open.

Phil started his career as an apprentice with London Transport based at Chiswick back in 1971 and retired on September 5 this year.

“However, I am not thinking of packing up altogether, I am definitely going to keep my hand in with the business,” said Phil.

“I had a whole number of engineering positions, including safety engineer, inspector and manager in charge of fleet quality. I was appointed engineering director of London General in 1992 and then in 1996 it became Go-Ahead London.”

Phil took up the position of group engineering director around six years ago.

“I have been extremely lucky to have picked the right job for me, I have thoroughly enjoyed my career,” he continued.

“I do think that now is the right time for me to leave but even though I am looking forward to the rest, I will be sad to leave my colleagues behind.”

Phil plans to improve his golf and enjoy time with his family as he awaits the birth of his first grandchild at the end of December.

“It has been a real pleasure working with everyone at Go-Ahead, we have a great time here and it is definitely going to be the people I miss,” added Phil.

Island in the sun beckons for John...

AS BUSES have evolved and embraced the advantages that new technology can bring, so John Pritty’s career has followed that journey, moving from engineering to systems over a time of great change.

Systems manager John will be retiring at the end of October having spent 37 years in the transport industry.

The starting point, in 1977, was a two-year graduate mechanical engineering training course, which included working on the engineering shop floor and learning to drive a bus.

John then worked in London Transport’s engine development office at Chiswick, and later for the rolling stock engineer in technical support, subsequently moving into engineering management roles in both Tower and Cardinal districts.

Selkent provided John’s first opportunity to move to the systems side of the business, having joined as an engineering executive.

“I had always been fascinated by computers,” said John. “And this was a chance to pursue something I had enjoyed as a hobby to develop my career.”

In 1992, John was appointed systems manager at London Central, which two years later became part of the Go-Ahead Group.

Retiring systems manager John Pritty.

“The best part of my job is seeing a need in the business and being able to use technology to meet it,” said John.

“Go-Ahead London is very good at giving people the opportunity to use their strengths.

We have a great team who have been excellent at managing through huge changes in the bus industry,” he added.

“I will miss the people and the challenges – but not the phone calls at two in the morning to say something’s gone wrong!”

Once retired, John and his wife are looking forward to spending more time with friends and family on a small island in Greece called Symi, which is near to Rhodes.

Isn't it time you got on yer bike?

GET fit, get a brand new bike, pay over 12 months, pay less tax – what’s not to like?!

The next Go-Ahead London Cycle to Work scheme runs from November 3 to December 5. The company can purchase a brand new bike up to the value of £1,000 tax free, on your behalf. You will then be able to pay for it monthly from your salary over a period of 12 months.

As the scheme is part of a government tax incentive to promote healthier journeys to work, you could save at least 25 per cent on the cost of a new bike.

This time round the scheme is even better, as there’s a much greater choice of places to purchase your bike.

The company has teamed up with Cyclescheme which has a network of participating stores, including more than 300 in the London area.

They include many small independent retailers, as well as larger stores such as Evans, the sole supplier in the previous scheme.

More detailed information about how the scheme works will be available soon via the employee portal, so look out for announcements at your garage.

A number of Go-Ahead London employees have already taken advantage of the scheme and are now reaping the health benefits.

Some are also saving money by cycling into work, while others are joining cycle clubs and enjoying social rides on their days off.

Camberwell driver Robert Johnson bought his bike in February this year. He said: “I was the only one in my family who didn’t have a bike, so the Cycle to Work scheme was my chance to change that!

"I wanted to get fitter and be able to join my family on bike rides. We only usually do about five miles at a time, but it is quite hilly where I live, so it’s still good exercise.

The fact that you pay less tax through the scheme was definitely an incentive too.”

Portal rollout gathers pace...

Colleagues enjoy new technology Monika Watson, left, with Lance McFarlane.

T

Camberwell driver Robert Johnson aboard the bike he bought through the Cycle to Work scheme.

It has been going really well. The drivers all seem to like it...

HE Go-Ahead London employee portal has been enthusiastically embraced by staff across the company.

The aim is to have the technology available at every garage by the end of January 2015.

“It has been going really well.

The drivers all seem to like it and even the ones who were a bit daunted by it all in the beginning really like using it,” said ‘super user’ Lance McFarlane.

“A lot of our drivers are very capable and are enjoying the new technology.”

Although the portal can be accessed from any device as long as there is an internet connection, every garage will have an iPad installed, so colleagues without a device can easily access it too.

Every Go-Ahead London employee will be assigned a Gmail address which will be

used as the employee portal login.

As well as having information about the company and staff notices, the employee portal also contains OARS (Online Allocation Request System), which allows colleagues to look at their duties, swap shifts with other employees and change rest days.

“The portal has reduced the amount of paperwork in the garage and allows supervisors to manage their time more effectively,” said Lance.

“It has been a challenge and a lot of work has gone into it, but it is something that I am very much enjoying. I have been able to meet lots of new people and visit garages across the company.”

If you haven’t already had the portal arrive at your garage, then look out for it in the coming months.

9

Great Scott – he’s done it again!

Footie tourney is a big winner for charity

Tender NEWS from across the capital IN OUR regular column, we highlight recent announcements made

by Transport for London.

All are retentions unless stated otherwise.

Arriva London South THE annual charity football tournament, organised

by Merton driver Scott Horney, is turning into quite an occasion.

Held on Saturday, September 13, at Goals Soccer Centre in North Cheam, this was the seventh year of the six-a-side competition, with a full day of events.

Twelve teams competed in all, including three from Germany and one from Italy. The Go-Ahead London garage teams were: Camberwell, Merton (two teams), Sutton, Blue Triangle, Peckham, New Cross and Stockwell Controllers.

First prize went to the team from Camberwell, who beat Merton 3 - 1 in the final. Nigel Wood, general manager, service performance, was on hand to present the trophy.

The fun continued into the evening with a buffet,

disco and karaoke at the sports and social club next door.

Go-Ahead London covered the cost of hiring the pitches and the social club. Jenny Turner at head office organised the competition prizes, including a kindle, a drill and gift vouchers.

Scott expects the day’s events to raise about £2,500. The money will be shared between First Touch, a charity which supports the neonatal unit at St George’s Hospital, and the A-T (AtaxiaTelangiectasia) Society, which supports people with the disabling genetic condition.

This brings the total Scott has raised over seven years to an astonishing £30,000!

“The day went brilliantly,” said Scott. “I was exhausted at the end of it, but the money we have raised for the charities makes it all worthwhile.”

Wellso makes carnival debut

THE CARNIVAL still went down a storm in Notting Hill this year despite the rain and especially for Peckham driver Wellso Ihunsiu.

This was the first time Wellso had been to the Notting Hill Carnival and he had the honour of being invited to perform on the official TfL float.

Wellso sings under the stage name of U G Beatz and describes his style as a mix of Afro hip hop, highlife and calypso.

As U G Beatz, he has performed at concerts in Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain and Nigeria. He writes his own songs and can be heard on YouTube and SoundCloud.

Wellso enjoys listening to a diverse range of music, including acts such as Guns and Roses, Nigerian artists Terry G and KCee and even Michael Bolton!

Asked what he thought of joining the TfL carnival float, Wellso said: “It was really good fun, I enjoyed singing and dancing and the rain was no problem.

Another year, I would love to get the chance to perform on one of the stages at the carnival too.” Wellso Ihunsiu at the Notting Hill Carnival.

10

n Route 633 (Thornton Heath Station to Purley, Harris Academy) using an existing double-deck vehicle (1 PVR). New route began on August 30, 2014.

Go-Ahead London n Route 191 (Brimsdown Station to Edmonton Green) using existing double-deck vehicles (19 PVR). Contract begins on May 2, 2015. n 322 (Clapham Common to Crystal Palace) won from Abellio London. Contract begins on May 2, 2015, using new hybrid singledeck vehicles (10 PVR). n 432 (Brixton to Anerley) won from Arriva London South. Contract begins on April 4, 2015, using doubledeck vehicles (10 PVR). n G1 (Battersea, Shaftesbury Estate to Streatham) using new hybrid single-deck (13 PVR).

Contract begins on May 2, 2015. n The vehicle requirement for Northumberland Park Garage's route 191 will increase from 16 buses and that for Waterside Way's G1 will increase from 9 buses. The extra PVR will enable introduction of frequency increases as well as improved reliability.

Stagecoach Selkent n Route 177 (Thamesmead to Peckham) using new hybrid double-deck vehicles (18 PVR). Contract begins on May 30, 2015.

Employee Commendations BEXLEYHEATH n “I WILL be eternally grateful to this bus driver,” said customer Miss Halpin following the return of her phone. Driver Andrew Hodson found Miss Halpin’s phone on his bus and phoned to arrange to meet her in Bexleyheath to return it – much to her relief.

BLUE TRIANGLE n “IT IS such a pleasure to see nice staff on the buses,” said grateful customer Mr Hazell. He was impressed to see driver Maria Majid greet every passenger as they boarded and respond to each one who thanked her as they left. n LOSING an Oyster card, driving licence and debit card on the bus could have been a major headache for customer Mr Adesoji.

Instead he would like to thank driver Jim Bruce, who personally delivered them to the customer’s home.

CAMBERWELL n MATTHEW Webb sent congratulations to Koffi Ahua on providing an outstanding service. “He smiled and greeted me which does make the experience and journey so much better,” he said. He also described Kofi as “courteous and polite". n CATHERINE Ellis was thanked by customer Ms Chandler for being “courteous to other road users” on a very wet day. She went on to say how Catherine “drove calmly and efficiently in difficult circumstances”. n “EXTREMELY courteous and patient with all the passengers,” is how Mrs Franey described Galloway Kibuy. “He is an excellent driver,” she added.

CROYDON n STRUGGLING towards the bus stop with a heavy tool box, Mr Day was delighted when Chola Mitchell held her bus at the stop to wait for him. “If that wasn’t a big enough act of kindness, I was greeted with a very polite ‘good morning’.

All I can say is, what a pleasure at 5.50 in the morning!” said Mr Day. MERTON n MRS Connolly would like to nominate Nicholas Clarke as her bus driver of the

year! He correctly guessed she wanted to catch the bus, so waited for her to cross the road and board, for which she was very grateful. n STEPHEN Appiah earned a special mention from customer Mrs McPaul for being “very considerate towards older/less able passengers”. She noted that he also allowed time for them to sit down before pulling away. n “CERTAINLY brightened up my morning,” said customer Mr Elliot, referring to driver Charles Lewis. “The driver was incredibly polite, wishing everyone a good morning and thanking them as they swiped their Oyster cards. A huge well done!” added Mr Elliot. n DESPITE a very busy bus, driver Michael Oke made travelling easy for Mrs Smith and her disabled daughter in her wheelchair. He pulled close to the kerb and made clear announcements asking other passengers to make space for them in the wheelchair area. Mrs Smith was very grateful that Michael went out of his way to help.

NEW CROSS n “A TRULY delightful young man,” is how customer Miss Degen described driver Adrian Harry. The customer, who said she was disabled, was impressed with Adrian’s attitude and found him both helpful and cheerful.

NORTHUMBERLAND PARK n “I’M A very happy person!” said Ms Simpson after the return of her laptop bag full of valuable possessions. She sent a big thank you to Jonathan Hall, who found the bag on his bus and promptly handed it in to lost property. She was also keen to thank the staff at the depot for their help, including giving directions to the garage. n WINSTON Robinson had just closed his bus door when Mr Khan arrived at the stop. “He could easily have driven off but he chose to wait for me,” said Mr Khan.

“Great customer service,” he added.

PUTNEY n MICHAEL Smryk was called an

“example to others” by Mr Brown, who said it was “a pleasure to be driven by him”. He commented on Michael’s driving skills and how he understood the importance of driving for his passengers’ pleasure and comfort. n A PLEASED customer wrote in to commend driver Andrew Georgiou for his pleasant and efficient manner. Andrew helped several people aboard his bus continue their onward journeys. n MR Jackson wrote in to thank Ismail Omar for his kind actions. Ismail saw Mr Jackson’s six-year-old grandson fall over as they ran for the bus and he waited for them, ensuring that the boy was safe.

STOCKWELL n SENIOR garage administrator James Thorpe went above and beyond the call of duty to reunite a small boy with his bike.

The boy left his bike on the bus and was very upset. James put a call out to the driver and organised for the boy and his mother to retrieve the bike. n MISS Owen commented on Bruno Loureiro’s lovely manners. She said he said thank you to every passenger who got on board. “This is what makes London great,” she said. n “A CREDIT to you” is how Ms Church referred to Bobby Sigola after he assisted her and her elderly relatives. He told them the best stop to get off at so they would not have to walk so far to their destination.

SUTTON n PAUL Southby was thanked by Mrs Bennett for stopping to allow her to cross a very busy road. She said she appreciated him doing so as she could have been waiting for a long time otherwise.

WATERLOO n A GRATEFUL Miss Boga thanked David Somogyi and Diana Smolarek for helping her find her laptop. The customer left her laptop on Diana’s bus. She then boarded David’s bus and he was able to contact Diana who retrieved the laptop after seeing another passenger’s attempt to leave the bus with it. n MR Tysall was keen to commend Zoe Osborne-Smith, who he said drove very well, with no harsh braking.

A fond farewell for much-loved Nina STOCKWELL garage staff were saddened to hear of the death of a much-loved friend and colleague this August.

Nina Lakatos passed away on August 13 after a battle with cancer, aged 73. She had worked at the garage for almost 36 years and was one of its most popular figures.

Hungarian-born, Nina came to

England in 1956 aged just 16.

She eventually married and had a family.

She joined Stockwell garage in 1978 as a clippie, even daring to wear fishnet tights on her Routemaster bus! Nina became a driver in the early 1980s – a job she loved.

Nina began her battle with cancer in 2004, but managed

to return to work, taking a job as a mileage clerk. But it wasn’t long before she returned to her driving duties as she missed working with the public.

Nina only worked part-time in recent years, but she would come into the garage on her days off.

“The garage, she always said, was her family, and she loved

to talk to people,” said former general manager Colin Opher, who worked with Nina for many years.

“It was a pleasure to work with Nina – she had nearly 36 years on the job and she became our oldest and best-loved girl at nearly 74! We shall all miss her.

She was a great lady and our condolences go to her family.”

11

Cyclists raise big sum for charity AN intrepid team from the GoAhead London Cycling Group are putting their feet up after their latest gruelling challenge: The Big Bike Ride, which took place on October 5.

Covering 27 miles, the route followed the Thames Cycle Path from Erith to Greenwich and back, benefiting from scenic river views. Hundreds of people joined in to raise money for Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice.

The cycling group is based at Bexleyheath garage but is open to all Go-Ahead London

employees who want to keep fit and enjoy one of their regular social outings.

In July this year, the cycling group took part in a 60-mile London to Cambridge bike ride and raised over £1,180 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

New members are very welcome, so visit the GoAhead Cycling Group facebook page or website (www. goaheadcyclinggroup.weebly. com) for more information or contact Chris Shire or Robert Coventry at Bexleyheath Members of the Go-Ahead London cycling group. garage.

Merton leads way in tribute to London's transport staff ONE hundred years after Britain entered the First World War, wreaths were laid across London on August 4 in tribute to transport staff in the capital who lost their lives during the conflict.

The war memorial at Merton garage was one of the venues chosen for this special day, which also commemorated the pivotal role played by all London Transport workers.

Merton is one of only a few bus garages to have its own WW1 memorial plaque.

Leon Daniels, managing director of surface transport at TfL, was joined by bus staff and members of London Transport Old Comrades Association (LTOCA) to mark the occasion and lay a wreath at Merton garage.

Buses During the war, London Transport provided staff and more than 1,000 buses to take troops to the Western Front, as well as keeping Londoners moving on the home front.

In recognition of their war service, King George V agreed to allow a group of them to march to the Cenotaph each year on Remembrance Sunday. For many years, they were the only civilian organisation to do so.

Go-Ahead London colleagues from various garages attended the event, including one driver who proudly displayed the medals his uncle won while serving in WW1.

Peter Russell, general manager at Merton and Sutton, said: “One of the highlights of the day was a trip on ‘Ole Bill’, the 1911 B-type bus which was one of the first buses to be requisitioned during the war. It was a fitting end to a great occasion.”

12

Paying their respects, from left, group engineering director Phil Margrave (now retired), TfL managing director of surface transport Leon Daniels, Elizabeth Scott from the London Transport Museum and managing director John Trayner.

New Routemaster models for sale CORGI has produced some limited edition models of New Routemasters, operating on our Route 11. Intended for the Corgi Collector Club only, we have acquired a batch which we are able to offer to staff at a discounted price of £25.

Unusually, there are two blind options: (a) with Liverpool Street or (b) with Fulham Broadway.

Please send your requests to Valerie Clark at No. 18, indicating your preferred blind. Cheques should be made payable to London General (or cash for personal callers).