THE ALBUM REPORT 2015

brought to you by

BRITAIN'S MUNICIPALLY-OWNED AND INDEPENDENT BUS SECTOR

in association with

THE AL BU M REPO RT 201 5

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TH E AL BUM REPORT 2015

WELCOME Welcome to the album rep ort 2015, a publication devoted to Britain's independent and municipal bus companies from passenger transp ort.

We know the v ital role that album members and their respective employers play in prov iding high quality passenger transpor t ser v ices throughout the countr y – creating the links that enable communities to function. This publication seeks to highlight this work, and there is much to celebrate.

It also seeks to address some of the issues that the sector faces.

We hope you find it an interesting read and we welcome all feedback.

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B E N CO LSON

H IGH LIGH TS

ALBUM’s new chairman speaks about the state of the municipal and independent bus sector

Some of the key events amongst the membership since the last ALBUM conference

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A LBU M NOTES

NETWORK WA R RI N GTON

Our essential guide to the association to the Association of Local Bus Company Managers

Managing director Damian Graham reveals how Network Warrington is back on track

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A LE X A N D E R D EN N IS

CI LT

Alexander Dennis has expanded globally in recent years, but the UK remains a very important market

May 2015 will see the launch of Busmark, a new benchmarking club for the industry from CILT

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PA RKEO N

FO RS

Strong relationships with operators reflect Parkeon’s commitment to regular customer dialogue

Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) has announced its 3,000th company accreditation

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AN INDEPENDENT STATE OF MIND ben colson took over as chairman of album this year. He spoke to robert jack about the state of the municipal and indepe nde nt bu s s ec tor hat sets apart an ‘ALBUM’ bus company from those owned by the PLC-listed bus groups that dominate the UK bus industry?

It must be the way that these municipally-owned and independent companies are firmly embedded in the fabric of the communities they serve.

And nobody embodies this better than Ben Colson, the new chairman of ALBUM (Association of Local Bus Company Managers).

Colson’s community is west Norfolk and he began serving it in 1996 when, together with a key business partner, he bought a small three-vehicle bus and coach company called Norfolk Green.

Over the next decade and a half, Colson grew the business steadily until it operated a fleet of more than 70 vehicles. Then, after a period of ill health, he and his colleagues sold the company to the UK’s biggest bus operator, Stagecoach, at the end of 2013.

On a rainy afternoon in March, Ben met me at King’s Lynn station and as we walked through the town we barely got 10 paces without him waving to another familiar face. Our destination was a pub called the Maid’s Head by the town’s Tuesday Market Place, one of England’s grandest town squares, and as we tucked into our fish and chips, a succession of people come over to say hello.

It’s clear that Ben isn’t just a busman to the people of King’s Lynn and the surrounding area.

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He’s somebody who knows what makes the place tick, and how to get things done.

Is this what makes ALBUM companies different?

“I think that is a defining characteristic of an ALBUM company,” he says. “It’s not the same for the local manager of a large operator, not least because of the speed at which they move onto somewhere else as they get promoted.

“Career advancement is the basis for their work ethic and that’s fine. But for an ALBUM member, generally speaking, it’s to do ever more and ever better in your existing locality.”

Norfolk Green’s performance was recognised at the 2010 UK Bus Awards, when the company was named ‘UK Bus Operator of the Year’.

Indeed, it’s interesting to note that, despite representing only around a fifth of the bus industry, ALBUM companies have won this coveted prize in three of the four subsequent years (Thamesdown in 2011 and Nottingham City Transport in 2012 and 2014).

“There’s an important message here: that whilst ALBUM members may not be the most sophisticated with their spreadsheets … what they are incredibly good at is providing for customers, and it’s that that leads them to win so many awards, proportionate to their size, at the UK Bus Awards.

It’s not all about KPIs for us.”

This excellence is also reflected in the Bus Passenger Survey, produced by Transport Focus, the industry’s independent consumer watchdog. Last autumn’s survey revealed high levels of overall satisfaction among users of ALBUM companies – 88% in England and 92% in Scotland.

“We bring a different quality of service to our customers and, as a generalisation, I’d say that we deliver a better quality of service than the large operators, but it’s not universally so, some larger operators do incredibly well too,” says Colson.

“As a niche operator, as a niche business, that’s the way you survive. That’s the way you prosper.”

But despite the strong contribution that the 50-plus ALBUM companies make to their communities, Colson says that the needs of this sub-sector of the bus industry are sometimes overlooked by policy-makers, who are focused on the ‘big five’ bus groups.

“However you look at it, whichever measure you use, ALBUM members come out well, and yet we’re the Cinderella of a Cinderella industry,” he says.

“I think authorities and government find it difficult to know how to make the marketbased model work with such extremes amongst suppliers, because you don’t get many markets where you get a small number of phenomenally large suppliers and a large number of ➢ very small suppliers. It means

RIGHT : Ben Colson pictured at the 2014 UK Bus Awards with the Award for Services to the Bus Industry

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that public policy has to be unusually finely tuned to work across such a range.”

“They [ALBUM companies] may be locally dominant but they’re still very small in the overall scheme of things.”

These smaller businesses are capable of failing. This year has seen the demise of Cornish independent Western Greyhound, a prominent ALBUM company.

Like Colson’s Norfolk Green, this business grew steadily, from humble beginnings, under the nose of a subsidiary of one of the major groups, and built up a fleet of more than 100 vehicles.

But, after encountering financial difficulties, the bulk of the business was sold to a bus industry entrepreneur last year - and then it collapsed, ceasing operations on March 13.

Should this be interpreted as a health warning for the wider ALBUM community?

Colson doesn’t know the detailed circumstances behind Western Greyhound’s collapse, but he says there is no need to be unduly alarmed. He has observed a new scattering of saplings, ready to grow into the oaks of tomorrow.

Western Greyhound and his own company amongst others

P RO F I LE

Ben Colson started his bus industry career some 45 years ago, working for the National Bus Company, holding a variety of management roles and various subsidiaries. He was traffic manager at Northampton-based United Counties when it was purchased by Brian Souter’s fledgling Stagecoach Group in 1987.

Colson was cited by Souter in a recent speech as being one of a number of talented managers that his group had “liberated” from NBC, enabling them to make the most of their “amazing

have gone, but new ones are springing where locally-attuned entrepreneurs have found niche markets to exploit (more on this on pages 8-9). This, Colson argues, is what the contestable market is about; it is what makes the bus market work successfully.

It is arguably more important than ever before that the voice of ALBUM members is heard in the corridors of power, so that policies take account of the needs of independent bus businesses.

In response, ALBUM’s role has been expanding. What was once essentially an organisation representing the interests of the municipal companies has since embraced the wider independent sector and has become politically more connected, engaging in the multitude of consultation processes that come out from the various arms of government and regulators.

ALBUM is not a rival to the Confederation of Passenger Transport, the trade association for the bus and coach industry, says Colson. Its role is complementary, working closely with CPT. ALBUM has a seat at CPT Council.

This year’s CPT president is an ALBUM member, Bill Hiron,

managing director of Stephensons, the Essex-based independent.

He gave a robust inaugural speech at January’s CPT dinner in London, expressing concern at “the sinister shadow hanging over our industry as a result of policy announcements being made by the main political parties which appear to threaten our very livelihoods”.

“I would totally endorse what Bill said,” says Colson. “I thought it was a barnstorming speech.”

There is much common ground between ALBUM and CPT but there are also differences. Because ALBUM is an association of managers, rather than companies, Colson says that its responses to consultation documents tend to be based more on ground-level practical experience, rather than theoretical experiences from higher up the corporate chain.

“If I was in government I would welcome having both,” he says, “because you can then put them side-by-side and get the full picture.”

In Colson, ALBUM now has a chairman (subject to ratification at this month’s AGM) who can devote more time to the organisation’s activities. Former incumbents have all had day jobs whereas Colson retired in 2013.

drive and vision”.

Colson worked for Stagecoach until 2002 in a number of senior commercial management roles, including a spell at Stagecoach Manchester. Subsequently he acted in a consultancy role, making frequent visits to overseas subsidiaries.

In 1996, together with a key business partner, Colson bought a small West Norfolk bus and coach company with three vehicles. Over the next 18 years, the business, Norfolk Green, grew steadily until it operated over 70 buses across a wide, sparsely-populated area of north and west Norfolk, north Cambridgeshire and south Lincolnshire. After a period of illhealth, Colson and his colleagues

sold the company to Colson's former employer, Stagecoach, at the end of 2013.

Throughout his career, he has also been an active campaigner for the industry, helping with the development of bus policy for the industry’s trade association, CPT. Locally, he has been a member of and chaired a number of local community and partnership boards in West Norfolk.

Since retiring from day-today operations, Colson has remained active in the industry and was appointed as chairman of ALBUM (Association of Local Bus Managers) in the summer of 2014.

His most recent predecessor, James Freeman, was chief executive of Reading Buses. He stepped down last year when he left the councilowned company to take charge at First in the West of England.

However, Colson says that any extra time he has been able to offer has been absorbed by a significant expansion in the amount of consultation work required, partly because there are now more bodies to consult with – such as the devolved administrations and the senior traffic commissioner – and partly because it’s been an election year. In responding to these consultations, Colson is supported by an economist and two officers.

In addition to liaising with government and regulators, ALBUM also provides knowledge sharing between managers and their respective employers. There are four forums - engineering, marketing, traffic and finance – enabling managers to benefit from the expertise of a wider group.

For example, earlier this year, Colson attended a meeting of the marketing forum in Manchester, which considered smart ticketing.

Colson wondered whether there may be scope for ALBUM to create an internal consultancy arm to help companies respond to the

RIGHT : Ben Colson pictured in 2012, during his time at Norfolk Green

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huge technological challenges that the transport sector faces.

The spectre of re-regulation is something that concerns many ALBUM members, especially those who risk losing their businesses. The Labour party had already pledged to make it easier for local transport authorities to take control of bus networks but then the Tories surprised everyone last Autumn by backing bus franchising for Greater Manchester – it was the first time the Tories had backed a reversal of bus deregulation, a policy that they introduced in the mid-1980s.

I was of course speaking to Ben ahead of May’s general election – but whatever the result it seems that the trend is towards greater re-regulation. Companies could soon find themselves having to compete for a contract in order to continue operating in an area – and failure to win could result in the closure of their business.

“Is it a matter of concern to ALBUM members? Yes it is. It’s bound to be because unlike the PLCs their very future existence is at stake,” says Colson.

“A PLC’s future may be at risk in that area, but the future of their business is not under threat.

Whereas for an independent or

ALBUM investment: Stephensons opened a new £800,000 depot in Boreham last year

tangible,” he says.

Colson says that the Quality Contracts mechanism, which enables authorities to take control of bus networks where the market is “failing”, is being abused by Nexus, which is actively pursuing Quality Contracts for Tyne & Wear.

“They’re simply saying ‘we just want your profits, that’s what we’re after, because we can’t fund ourselves and our cost base’.

Isn’t that akin to theft? You can’t invest against that background.

“What makes it so perverse is that the more you invest and the more you offer really good quality, and the more money you make, so the more attractive you are as a target for some local authorities.

“There has to be some return to the original intention [of the Quality Contracts legislation] that it should apply only where the market has clearly failed.

Meanwhile, he also believes that the government needs to find a way of “managing out” operators who are unable to work under this different, regulated business model.

“Companies won’t be leaving the market because they have collapsed financially or been otherwise unsuccessful, it will be only because the government has arbitrarily changed the rules.

Under those circumstances, doesn’t the government owe it to the companies that they have put

a smaller operator, based solely in one area, their whole future is potentially at stake. So it’s quite a matter of concern really.”

Colson says that ministers and their shadows appear to be “somewhat uninterested” in what ALBUM thinks about the implications of this, which he believes will undermine investor confidence. He wants the new government to offer some reassurance.

“They’ve moved the goalposts so far away that I think the time has now come when they’ve got to come out with something

out of business to compensate them for the assets they have previously bought in good faith?”

“I think it’s incumbent upon them to give some reassurance to those who might be affected negatively,” he maintains. “It’s not in government’s interest long term, it’s not in local authorities’ interest long term either, for operators to slow down their investment - because that will affect the environment, it will affect local economies and it will affect the economics and the future for bus manufacturers and suppliers.

“It’s entirely the wrong signal to send.”

But despite his deep concerns about re-regulation, Colson believes that the elephant in the room is the level of reimbursement that bus operators receive for participating in concessionary travel schemes, and the pseudoscience behind its calculation.

In his view, too many operators are receiving inadequate compensation for the government’s generosity.

“It doesn’t matter what the academics say, increasingly the evidence is on the ground,” he says. “And, ultimately, government is going to have to face the consequences of its actions. This is not [an argument] against the free bus pass, it’s against the [inappropriate level of] reimbursement.”

Last year, Greener Journeys, the bus industry campaign group, worked with KPMG to explore the benefits that free bus travel provides to pensioners and disabled people. They found every £1 spent on the bus pass generates over £2.87 of benefits – high value for money according to official Department for Transport guidance.

“That’s brilliant news for society,” says Colson. “Even with proper reimbursement levels, it would still only be a cost of about £1.06 for the same £2.87 value.

All we operators are saying is that this would still be brilliant value for society, unbelievable value for society, but what it would do is ➢

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make sure people would still have a bus to use their bus pass on.”

Another issue that Colson would like to see addressed is the performance of the bus industry’s regulators. He believes that the system deals differently with smaller operators than it does with powerful PLCs, and he singles out the “absolutely unbelievable” financial standing rules as an example. The requirement comes from Europe, but he believes that the traffic commissioners enforce it too rigidly.

Colson faced this issue when he was in charge at Norfolk Green. Although the company was “financially very sound” it had to keep one third of a million pounds aside in order to satisfy the requirement. There is no mechanism to enable an operator to seek the regulator’s approval to dip into this pot for short term ups and downs, such as the need to make a minor investment in a workshop facility. He says that other industries benefit from a more modern form of regulation that offers this kind of flexibility, when it has been agreed in advance.

The result, Colson argues, is an unfair burden on independent bus operators. The multi-modal, multinational PLCs can move their funds around across subsidiaries and sectors, and are therefore not

THE NEW KIDS ON T H E B L O C K There was a time when many thought that the independent companies could almost completely disappear. The PLClisted groups were roaming the country with their chequebooks, as they still do, and it seemed that an independent business was being sold almost every week.

But Ben Colson, who represents managers at Britain’s independently-owned bus companies, is positive about the future. While some companies still fail, like Western Greyhound, or end up in the hands of the big

affected, but the smaller companies are constrained by it, placing them at a disadvantage.

“It’s a fallacy that it’s cheaper to run a small business than a large one now,” he says. “It’s probably the same, if not more. The buying power for fuel and parts is massively different, massively.”

Despite the threats that he perceives, Colson believes that ALBUM’s corner of the bus industry is in “fairly good health”.

He says this is partly because they don’t face the same demands as the PLCs to deliver returns to shareholders.

“The SME sector does not expect to see, and doesn’t feel there’s a need to see, the levels of profit that the PLCs have to make,” he says.

Colson’s personal view is that although bus companies are private businesses, they are part of the infrastructure of society and must therefore strike an appropriate balance between shareholder value and value to society. He believes that municipal and independent operators achieve this balance, and that is reflected by the lower returns they make.

Is he confident about the future?

Yes, but not entirely. He warns that those lower profit margins leave little room for manoeuvre. The prospect of re-regulation could force companies to look for a faster payback on their investments, he warns, requiring higher fares or a reduction in less profitable services.

Council-owned Nottingham City Transport was the 2014 UK Bus Operator of the Year

In 2012, Norman Baker, then transport minister, addressed the ALBUM conference, which was hosted that year by Hull-based EYMS. Baker held aloft a copy of Passenger Transport which listed Britain’s largest municipal and independent operators, claiming it as evidence that the independent sector had not contracted as a result of the coalition government’s policies.

Does Colson think the ALBUM sector is still holding up as well now as it was then?

“No, I think the sector would generally say it is not, for two reasons,” he responds. “First, above all else is the effect of squeezing of concessionary reimbursement arrangements across the nation.

The other fact is the impact of public funding cuts.”

Who knows what the next five years will bring? One thing is certain: spending on local transport will come under further pressure.

But, by representing the independent sector, and by encouraging the sharing of knowledge and experience within it, ALBUM will continue to play an increasingly important role – helping to ensure that independent, locally-focused companies continue to remain a valuable asset in the UK bus industry. Q

groups, he sees others emerging from nowhere – just like he did after buying Norfolk Green in 1996. Colson offers four examples.

Borderbus in East Anglia serves the area on the border of Norfolk and Suffolk. It was founded in 2013 by Andrew Pursey, who led Anglian Bus for 25 years before selling the 50-vehicle company to Go-Ahead Group in 2013. Both firms are based in Beccles. Pursey, who is an ALBUM member, started Borderbus with four vehicles, and has already expanded the fleet to around 13.

Meanwhile, on the west side of

scratch, operating Lynx-branded buses between King’s Lynn and Hunstanton.

Another new entrant is Weston-super-Mare-based Crosville Motor Services. This company was founded in 2005 when Jonathan Jones-Pratt acquired the dormant Crosville Motor Services name, which dates back to 1906.

The 21st century re-incarnation of Crosville Motor Services began trading again as a fully fledged bus and coach operator in 2011. In a short space of time, Crosville has built up a network in the town and a fleet of 30 vehicles in a green heritage

Norfolk, the three co-founders of Norwich-based Konectbus, are challenging Colson’s old firm Norfolk Green, now part of Stagecoach. Like Pursey, they also sold their business to Go-Ahead (in 2010) and have since decided to start again from

Weston-super-Mare-based Crosville was founded in 2005 (Photo: Will Swain)

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ALBUM NOTES Many people may have read or seen references to album but may not really know what the organisation is, who's involved and what they do. Here's our essential guide to the association LBUM, which is an acronym for Association of Local Bus Company Managers, was formed in October 1984 at a time when the reorganisation and deregulation of the bus industry was looming.

The membership was drawn from local authority and PTE undertakings and the membership was on a personal basis rather than company membership.

The intention was to allow those professionals in the bus industry to offer a personal opinion on relevant matters without being constrained by the political views of their employing authorities.

The current membership in the main comprises directors and senior staff of municipally-owned and independent bus companies.

Membership is by invitation, but expressions of interest by eligible members are welcomed.

There are clear guidelines to

membership in that new members from the large bus operating groups, who are well represented elsewhere, are excluded. Although many ALBUM members operate coaches as part of their day-today business, it is only the bus operations that ALBUM seeks to represent.

Currently there are around 150 members representing over 50 companies that between them operate just over 5,000 buses. The annual subscription is just £10.

These days the objective is to provide a networking opportunity for bus managers who are in similar circumstances, from which any lobbying and responses to government consultation documents may then be made.

The running of ALBUM is in the hands of an executive committee that normally meets four times a year preceding a meeting of the Managing Directors’ Group. There are also a number of specialist groups within ALBUM that

livery that evokes a bygone era.

Jones-Pratt wants to “restore the faith and tradition in local bus operation within Weston-superMare”, where Aberdeen-based FirstGroup is the dominant provider.

Colson’s final example is Midland Classic, based in Burton-on-Trent. This company was founded in 2005 by James Boddice and business partner John Mason and now has a fleet of around 20 vehicles. Colson is impressed by the presentation of the company’s fleet and the standard of service it provides, in an area otherwise dominated

by Arriva and another ALBUM

company, TrentBarton.

In March, Boddice, 35, gave a presentation to a meeting of the Young Bus Managers Network.

“He’s passionate. He knows his area incredibly well. He’s know what makes the local people tick,” says Colson. “He was a bus driver in the area, working for Arriva.

He knows the market.”

Like their predecessors, this generation of bus entrepreneurs are all-rounders who will turn their hand to anything. They have to be.

Offering Boddice as an example, Colson says: “He drives the buses. He cleans the buses.

He does the payroll. He designs

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meet at regular intervals, such as marketing. The latter is a group led by Nicola Tidy, marketing director at Nottingham City Transport. In addition there is a traffic committee and an affiliated engineers committee.

ALBUM does not exist to compete with the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) but recognises that as CPT represents both large and small bus and coach operators, some of their responses may be less strong in representing the smaller independent bus operator views to satisfy their membership. As a result ALBUM is in a position to put forward the exclusive views of bus operators but also has a seat on the CPT Council. ALBUM is represented within CPT and many ALBUM members also take an active part in CPT. A highlight of the bus industry calendar each spring is the ALBUM business conference at which there is very strong support

Burton-on-Trent's Midland Classic now has a fleet 20 vehicles (Photo: Will Swain)

the services. He registers the timetables. He does the publicity.

He does the roadside displays, etc., etc., etc.”

Whatever their academic qualifications, his peers at the big groups do not possess this

from the manufacturers and suppliers involved with the bus industry. The 2015 conference will be hosted by Network Warrington and will be held at Carden Park near Chester. The Annual General Meeting is held during the conference period. Q WHO'S W HO

Chairman : Ben Colson Secretary : Thomas Knowles, 41 Redhills, Eccleshall, Staffs ST21 6JW. Telephone 01785 859414 Treasurer : Matthew Parkes, Rossendale Transport Traffic Committee : Dave Astill, Nottingham City Transport Engineering Committee : Kenny Hawkins, Thamesdown Transport Marketing Group : Nicola Tidy, Nottingham City Transport Finance Group : organised on a rotation basis, contact Thomas Knowles (above) Managing Directors’ Group : John Owen Website : www.album-bus.co.uk

breadth of experience.

“They won’t have half the understanding of business, because that’s the way the PLC world works - you get very sectionalised and segmented,” says Colson.

“It’s all KPI-driven. It’s not people-driven.”

He's convinced that Boddice and his contemporaries share all the vision and passion of his own generation and this gives him hope that independent bus companies will continue to keep the big boys on their toes.

“Another generation is coming through, which I think is really good news, really encouraging.”

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Services on the Edinburgh Tram got underway in May 2014. The system is fully integrated with the bus network of Lothian Buses and has seen high levels of passenger satisfaction

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2014/15 Some of the key events amongst the membership since the last album conference MAY LOT H I A N BUS ES

E DI N BU RG H TRAMS ARE GO!

Passenger services for the brand new Edinburgh Trams got under way on May 31, 2014, marking the start of a new era for integrated public transport in Scotland’s capital.

Following several months of essential and rigorous testing, commissioning and training, the trams have become a key part of Edinburgh’s transport mix, offering an efficient and sustainable link between the Airport and York Place in the city centre. The tram network is integrated with the

Lothian Buses network as part of the Transport for Edinburgh family.

After almost a year of operations, research by Transport Focus as part of its Tram Passenger Survey found overall satisfaction levels of 95% with the tram network.

“rolling road” for brake testing together with the latest vehicle diagnostic equipment. The new depot replaced outmoded premises in Witham.

At the opening ceremony, guests, including representatives from Essex County Council, Chelmsford City Council and Suffolk County Council, trade suppliers and fellow bus operators got a rare opportunity to see what goes on behind the scenes to help keep the county moving.

Meanwhile, managing director Bill Hiron described the company’s steady progress since the 1970s to become what is now the largest independent local and school bus operator in Essex.

ST EPHEN SO N S

N E W DE P OT OF F IC IA L LY OP E N E D

Essex independent Stephensons officially opened its new £800,000 Boreham bus depot on May 19, 2014.

The new depot features a fullyequipped maintenance facility with a state-of-the-art electronic

JUN E TRE NTBARTON

T R E N T BA RTON A I M F OR F U E L S AV I NG S

TrentBarton committed to an extensive program of eFan Micro Hybrid System retrofits to its existing fleet of buses.

This followed an extensive program of testing in their East Midlands based operations.

Initially the program will concentrate on the company’s Optare Versas on the My15 route between Ilkeston, Long Eaton and Sawley, followed Volvo B7RLEs on the mickleover route in Derby. A ➢ further roll-out will see other

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models being converted.

The AVID eFan Micro Hybrid System replaces the belt or hydraulically driven cooling pack on the bus with a high performance integrated system.

AVID’s system uses specially designed high efficiency fans, high performance heat exchangers and an advanced electronic control system. This improves fuel efficiency by reducing the power consumed by the cooling system and ensuring optimum engine temperatures are maintained.

J U LY EY M S

BU S C OM PA N Y L I F E ON T V

Summer 2014 saw Channel 5 air an eight-part documentary called ‘On the Yorkshire Buses’, showing the life and times of bus company EYMS. The show followed various staff from the operator, which serves Kingston upon Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, the North Yorkshire coast and the North York Moors, as they overcome problems to perform their daily jobs.

A spokesman for Channel 5 described the series as “a funny, observational series that captures the self-depreciating Yorkshire humour of the hard-working men and women of one of Britain’s largest and last family-run bus companies”.

Commenting on the show, Peter Shipp, chairman and chief executive of EYMS Group, said: “I enjoyed it. I thought it was entertaining. It’s a bit of light relief.

It shows some of the issues we have to face.”

Buses fitted with a next stop announcement system have proved hugely popular on routes serving Derby, being used on the firm’s indigo, i4, red arrow, mickleover, H1, skylink derby, the sixes, and swift services.

The initiative has been welcomed

by Guide Dogs, the UK charity for the blind and partially sighted.

The latest talking bus is one of 16 new British-built lightweight Optare Versa buses destined for the rainbow one and rapid one routes serving Derbyshire and Nottingham and was unveiled by the voice of the X-Factor, Peter Dickson.

of England.

Appointed, subject to ratification at ALBUM’s Annual General Meeting in May 2015, was Ben Colson, former owner of awardwinning Norfolk Green, which he sold to Stagecoach in 2013.

“ALBUM represents what government repeatedly assures us is an important SME sector in the provision of the nation’s bus services, and I am therefore privileged to have been asked to take on this role, albeit initially on an interim basis,” said Colson.

“I must pay tribute to the work done by James Freeman over the last three years to consolidate and strengthen ALBUM’s unique position, and hope to be able to build further the profile of the SME sector of the bus industry.”

SEPTE MBE R ISL E OF MAN TRANS PORT

I SL E OF M A N T R A N SP ORT S W I TC H E S TO T IC K E T E R

TR EN TBARTO N

1 0 0 T H TA L K I NG BU S U N V E I L E D

Ticketer won the tender to supply Isle of Man Transport with fixed and hand-held electronic ticketing machines for its unique fleet of buses, trams and steam trains.

The company, which is owned by the Isle of Man government,

East Midlands bus operator TrentBarton demonstrated its commitment to making travel easier for the visually impaired by unveiling its 100th talking bus in August.

X-Factor's Peter Dickson is the voice of TrentBarton (left) and Isle of Man Transport has selected Ticketer to supply new ETMs for its operations which include horse trams (right)

AU GUST A L BU M

C OL S ON B E C OM E S A L BU M C HA I R M A N

ALBUM appointed a new chairman, following the resignation from the post of James Freeman, who left Reading Buses to take charge at First in the West

In May EYMS staff hit the small screen as part of a documentary series on Channel 5

runs a fleet of 65 buses, plus six steam and one diesel train which operate in the summer between the capital Douglas and Port Erin in the south. Isle of Man Transport also runs several electric trams along the scenic east coast between Douglas and Ramsey (including the two oldest in the world, which first entered service in 1893), six mountain trams on the Snaefell Mountain Railway and the famous horse tram in Douglas.

Ticketer is supplying 70 ETMs fitted to vehicles as well as fourteen units for the main stations and the two central information points in the Welcome Centre in Douglas and at the airport.

Isle of Man Transport is also amongst the first customers to order Ticketer’s new hand-held units, which have all the same functionality as the fixed units. The 24 hand-held units will be used by inspectors, conductors and guards on buses, trains and trams and for queue busting.

O CTOB E R BL ACKPO OL TRAN S P O RT

TRAM TEAM R E C O G N I SE D

Blackpool Transport’s tram operations team won Employee Team of the Year at the 2014 Light Rail Awards in London last October.

The award celebrates the behind the scenes effort of staff involved in making sure the service is as great as it can be.

Light Rail Awards host Nicholas Owen commented: “Running a system that mixes up 80-year-old trams and the latest start-of-the-art Bombardier Flexity 2s isn’t exactly something I’d like to do. This tightknit team of just over 100 drivers and conductors are at the top of their game - highly trained and highly motivated.

“Passengers respect what they do, and absenteeism is half the national average. Business over the last couple of years is also up 50% by the way and this system ranked first in many of the categories of the inaugural Passenger Focus Tram Passenger Survey.”

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N OV E M B E R A L BU M

G OL D, SI LV E R A N D B RON Z E F OR A L BU M

Municipal and independent bus companies scooped Gold, Silver and Bronze in the prestigious UK Bus Operator of the Year category at the UK Bus Awards in November.

Council-owned Nottingham City Transport was the Gold winner, having previously won the prize in 2012. NCT also triumphed in the Top City Operator category.

The ‘Silver’ winner in the Operator of the Year category went to another local authorityowned firm, Reading Buses, which finished in the runner-up spot for the third year running having again triumphed in the Top Shire Operator category.

‘Bronze’ was claimed by Purfleet-based Ensignbus, the Independent Operator of the Year.

Meanwhile, the Award for Services to the Industry went to Ben Colson, chairman of ALBUM. R E A D I N G T RA N S PORT/ B L AC K P O O L T RA NSPORT / ROSS E NDALE TRANSPORT

T R IO OF N E W B O S SE S TA K E C HA RG E

November saw the arrival of a trio new bosses at local authorityowned Reading Transport, Blackpool Transport and Rossendale Transport.

Martijn Gilbert took over as the new chief executive officer at Reading Transport. Gilbert had previously been with Arriva for over seven years in a mix of bus and rail senior management roles, most recently heading up its Yorkshire Tiger bus business operating 125 vehicles in West Yorkshire.

Jane Cole became the new managing director of Blackpool Transport Services. Cole has more than 35 years’ experience working in the rail industry, most recently as a senior manager in customer service, operations, commercial

Nottingham City Transport was named as Britain's best operator at the UK Bus Awards

The Accreditation, recently designed and launched by CPT’s Engineering Committee with support from the Traffic Commissioners, assesses bus and coach operators’ workshops, as well as dealer workshops, against a series of in-depth engineering compliance and health & safety based procedures.

Ipswich Buses’ workshop on Constantine Road was assessed

by CPT’s Compliance Partner, Lloyd Morgan Group, on a wide range of competences over an intensive two-day period during December.

MARCH BL ACKPO O L T RA N SP ORT

STAT E OF T H E A RT C I TA RO S H E A D TO T H E F Y L DE C OAS T

Some of the new faces leading ALBUM companies: Martijn Gilbert at Reading Buses (left), Jane Cole at Blackpool Transport (centre) and Phil Smith at Rossendale Transport (right)

and marketing at Virgin Trains.

Meanwhile, November saw Phil Smith unveiled as the new managing director of Rossendale Transport. He took up this new post on January 5. Smith was formerly managing director at bus company National Express Dundee.

JANUARY ST E PH E NSO NS

H I RON B E C OM E S C P T P R E SI DE N T

Bill Hiron, managing director of Stephensons of Essex, began a one-year term as president of CPT, the Confederation of Passenger Transport, in January.

Hiron has spent his entire career so far in the bus industry, starting with a degree in transport management and planning at Loughborough University.

On January 29, he delivered a robust presidential address to CPT’s annual dinner in London, challenging the government on its bus policy.

CA RDIFF BUS

N E W BU SE S E N T E R SE RV I C E I N C A R DI F F

Cardiff Bus unveiled 10 brand new single-decker buses as it continues to improve its fleet.

The Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 models will be used across the operator’s network covering Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan and to/from Newport.

All the new vehicles come complete with CCTV, contemporary fresh interiors and comfortable seating. They also include audio and visual next stop announcements in both English and Welsh.

The addition of 10 new buses follows a £3.5m investment in 30 new vehicles last year.

F E BRUARY IPSWICH BUSES

‘OU T STA N DI NG’ I P S W IC H BU SE S I S F I R ST

Ipswich Buses became the first recipient of CPT’s new and professionally-recognised Workshop Accreditation on February 23.

Blackpool Transport placed an order last year for 10 new Mercedes-Benz Citaros, which represents a total investment by the company of £1.7m.

The operator has been reviewing its route network ahead of the introduction of the new vehicles and they carry eye-catching new ‘Palladium’ branding that is being closely guarded ahead of the official launch in May. Internally the vehicles feature e-leather seating, wood effect flooring, mobile phone charging points, free wireless internet access, next stop announcements and extra space for wheelchairs and customers with buggies.

“Customers will benefit from a much improved journey experience as a result of these new vehicles,” said Bob Mason, the operator’s director of delivery. “Journeys will be more comfortable, smoother and customers will be able to keep connected whilst on the move with our free Wi-Fi and they will be able to charge their phones as well. This new investment is just the start of a year of improvements for Blackpool Transport with smart technology and online developments on the way too.” ➢

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CE N T RA L BUSES

X P R E 5 5 TA K E S TO T H E ROA D

West Midlands-based independent Central Buses launched a new direct service – the xpre55 – between Lichfield and Tamworth and bought two new Enviro200s to support the initiative.

The service runs every 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday, between Lichfield and Tamworth, and Geoff Cross, managing director of Central Buses, is confident it will be a winner.

He commented: “We operate a 100% customer satisfaction policy, which enables customers to claim a free journey should they be unhappy with any aspect of our service. The xpre55 has a journey time of just 23 minutes, is easy to use and represents great value for money.

“Our new Enviro200 buses are equipped with free Wi-Fi and the service is quicker, more convenient and less expensive than travelling by car.”

A L BU M

T H UM B S U P F ROM BU S PAS SE N G E R S !

ALBUM member companies scored highly in the Autumn 2014 Bus Passenger Survey, published in March by Transport Focus.

ALBUM companies achieved a satisfaction rating of 88% in England and 92% in Scotland.

The highest rated ALBUM operator was Lothian Buses, which achieved a 94% approval rating, followed by Nottingham City Transport and TrentBarton (92%), Reading Buses (89%), Ensign Bus (88%), Blackpool Transport and McGill’s (87%).

Commenting on the results, Sarah Boyd, head of operations at Lothian Buses, said: “We are really pleased to be recognised for the high quality service we continue to provide our passengers across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

“What matters most to our customers is that we give them the best possible means of travelling in and around the city and

this survey is further evidence that we are delivering on their expectations.”

“So, along with the free Wi-Fi, slip-resistant Altro flooring and interior mood lighting, we’ve also invested in high back seating on the upper deck, which will make journeys just that bit more pleasant for passengers.”

This latest announcement of 22 brand new vehicles follows the purchase of 40 new buses which all began operating on its extensive network throughout the year in 2014.

The remaining 15 new buses will be on the road in September and will be used to upgrade key routes in the city.

A P RIL NOTTINGHAM CITY TRANSPORT

N E W NC T BU SE S ON T H E ROA D

On April 1, Nottingham City Transport’s South Notts 1 was the first route to benefit from an investment that will see a total of 22 brand new vehicles on the road before the end of the year.

Seven state-of-the-art Scania ADL E400, 15 plate double decks - complete with free Wi-Fi, audio announcements, real-time technology and interior green mood lighting - began operating on the route relied upon by thousands of passengers travelling to and from Nottingham and Loughborough every week.

“As South Notts 1 is one of our longer routes, we wanted to ensure our customers would be travelling in as much comfort as possible.” explained NCT marketing manager Anthony Carver-Smith.

MAY MCGILL’S

A BU S E V E RY M I N U T E F OR N E W HO SP I TA L

McGill’s introduced network changes on May 11 that mean it now operates a bus to the new SGH (South Glasgow Hospitals) almost every minute. As part of these changes, the company is also operating a new Fastlink route, the

ALBUM members, including Lothian Buses, scored highly for passenger satisfaction

Reading Buses is attempting a world speed record with #ProjectVroom (left) and Central Buses has launched Xpre55, a fast link between Lichfield and Tamworth (right)

F1, which provides further public transport options for staff and visitors to the new hospital.

Scotland’s largest independent bus operator has made route changes to its current 7, 21, 23 and 26 services to provide a direct transport link to Arrivals Square at the new hospital. Together, these four services provide 46 buses every hour from areas including Paisley, Renfrew, Erskine, Partick, Inchinnan, Govan, Braehead and Glasgow city centre.

The new Fastlink service provides a further 12 buses every hour between Glasgow city centre and the hospital. McGill’s F1 operates from 6am until midnight, seven days a week on dedicated bus infrastructure.

READING BUS ES

L A N D SP E E D R E C OR D AT T E M P T F OR B IOM E T HA N E BU S

Council-owned operator Reading Buses is attempting to get into the record books with the world’s fastest gas-powered bus.

The operator has been working on the project, code named #ProjectVroom, for some time in partnership with a number of stakeholders, including the Gas Bus Alliance, and it aims to raise the profile of bus travel and alternative fuels.

The record attempt will take place at the world-renowned Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire on May 19, with the bus likely to reach speeds in excess of 80mph.

“Reading Buses were the first UK operator to order mainstream CNG powered buses from Scania back in 2013,” said Martijn Gilbert, the chief executive of Reading Buses. “Since then the technology and fuel has proven itself as a credible, reliable and efficient ‘green’ option.

“For me this project is about challenging the perceptions of bus travel, demonstrating the credibility of bio-methane and promoting science, technology and innovation in our industry.” Q

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A SAFE PAIR OF HANDS FOR NET WORK WARRINGTON After a difficult few years, net work warrington managing director damian graham reveals how the operator is getting back on track and looking towards a brighter, independent future amian Graham, the managing director of Network Warrington, remembers his first day at the operator very well – he was sent home. It was not an auspicious start to his career, but there were very good reasons.

“I left school on the Friday and started at FADS, the paint and wallpaper merchants, on the Monday,” he says. “I spent four weeks there and it was great, my mates were always popping in to the shop to see me, but my dad wasn’t happy. He wanted me to have a ‘proper job’.”

It was at that point that Warrington Borough Council’s transport department, as the company then was, advertised for apprentice engineers. After sitting the national apprentice exam and passing an interview where he had to bring along “something I’d made in either metal or wood”, he was accepted for the job. It was at this point there, on his first day, that there was an issue.

“I was just 15 years old and the council’s insurance only covered employees aged 16 or over, so I was sent home,” he laughs. “My dad was a bit concerned about it as he was really happy that I’d got a proper trade at last. Luckily though they sorted out the insurance issue and the next day I started work.”

Starting out as an apprentice engineer, Graham’s career progressed swiftly over the next decade or so through roles that included depot charge hand, garage foreman, culminating,

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Network Warrington's Damian Graham joined the operator as a 15-year old apprentice

after 12 years with the operator, with promotion to engineering manager. Finally, in 2008, he stepped up to become engineering director, with his most recent promotion to managing director taking place in October 2014 after some months looking after the role on an interim basis.

Graham’s promotion has come at a troubled time for the operator, now better known on the streets of its hometown as Network

Warrington and still owned by the council. Despite being named UK Bus Operator of the Year at the 2008 UK Bus Awards, financial performance had deteriorated in recent years, leading to whispers in the industry that questioned the operator’s future following the sudden departure of former MD David Squire in the summer of 2013.

Those problems became even more public when it was disclosed

shortly afterwards that the operator had been forced to seek a cash infusion from its local authority parent. So what went wrong?

“It was a combination of things,” says Graham. “We had a double whammy of the recession hitting us and making a real impact on patronage just as funding for things like BSOG and concessionary fare reimbursement were being cut back. In my view I don’t think that the latter is funded correctly, we welcome it of course, but the reimbursement we now receive just doesn’t reflect the true value of what we provide.

“And I don’t think that the network we had was fit for purpose. Things changed rapidly with the recession, patronage was down, and the company hadn’t kept up. There’s not much point running empty buses around very late at night without the revenue or business case to support that sort of thing. What we do has to be sustainable as, at the end of the day, we’re a commercial business.

Sometimes a grand master plan just doesn’t fit. We’re a small, local business, not part of one of the large groups and I think that had been lost sight of.”

Graham says that a number of interventions over the last year or so have been designed to “steady the ship”, the first of which was getting the staff on-side.

He admits that the relationship hadn’t been what it might have been during the turmoil of 2013.

“We’ve worked really hard to change that relationship,” he adds. “We didn’t have the right ➢ relationship and I wanted to

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get the workforce and the trade union on side. They’re our eyes and ears on the ground and we need that knowledge so we know what’s working, what isn’t and any opportunities that we may be missing. They’re our barometer.”

Changes have been made elsewhere with a strategy that Graham likens to a three-segment cake, encompassing finance, engineering and operations.

Careful attention has been made to match capacity on the network with actual demand, reflecting some of the changes in travel patterns and employment that Warrington as a town has weathered since the wider economic crisis began in 2008.

This led to a number of service changes last June.

“We want fare-paying passengers on our buses,” he adds.

“A supermarket would never pull its best seller and we’re not going to do that either. If something works and pays its way, we’ll keep it. But at the same time, doing things the same old way, just because that’s the way it has always been done, just doesn’t pay the bills. We had to have a good look at ourselves and recognise that the realities of the business have changed. We have to meet the demands of now and the future and not those of the past.”

This strategy means that Graham and his team are constantly analysing the performance of the business by looking at a variety of key performance indicators to compare and contrast trends.

“Warrington was built on certain industries, but there’s no getting away from the fact that that has changed,” he continues.

“The town was built on shift workers and Warrington Borough Transport catered to that; transporting workers to and from work to meet their shift patterns, but the world has moved on and we have to match frequencies to the realities of today’s patronage and flows.”

Of course the business benefits from its ownership structure that

A L BU M ‘G E T S U S TO T H E TA B L E’ Network Warrington is no stranger to hosting ALBUM’s annual conference as the operator hosted the event in both 1992 and 2007 and it is actively involved in the organisation which represents Britain’s independent and council-owned bus operators.

Managing director Damian Graham believes that there is great value derived from the operator’s involvement in ALBUM. “We’re a small operator and we have just 100 buses,” he says. “The bigger operators, who have maybe a few thousands vehicles, have that ability to open the door to government. Being part of ALBUM means that we get the chance to be at that table too. That just wouldn’t happen otherwise and it means that we are consulted and we’re listened to, just like the major groups are, and our viewpoint is listened to too.”

Network Warrington operates a fleet of 102 buses, six of which are hybrid Optare Versas

means that fringe operations, ones that may come under close scrutiny if the operator was owned by one of the larger groups, still remain a key part of the business mix. Graham calls this sort of activity Network Warrington’s ‘social dividend’.

“We’re not just driven by profit,” he adds. “There’s a lot more to consider than just that. We want to do the best for the local community that we serve too. The big groups would concentrate on just the key corridors. We serve those key corridors of course, but we also go into the estates to make sure those communities have the links they need.”

With this in mind, the operator is working hard to embed itself in the plans of local developers.

Graham points to a new development on the edge of the town that will include not only a new depot for the supermarket

AT A G L ANCE

102 79 6 17 248 9 million 6.5 million km buses

single deckers

hybrid single deckers

double deckers

staff

passenger journeys each year

travelled in service each year

chain ASDA, but also significant housing.

“We need to inform the infrastructure that those sorts of developments involve,” he says.

“We have to be in there at the start of the planning process so we can build the links. We need to find out the expectations of the developer and, if appropriate, plan how we can serve those developments.

It’s no good putting on a bus service to a new development if the infrastructure is not up to supporting that bus service. Being in at the start is key.”

After the stresses of the last few years the business is now on more of an even keel financially and although Graham stresses that there’s no room for complacency, Network Warrington is looking to the future.

But the day-to-day issues that will be familiar to any bus company managing director remain.

Traffic congestion remains a particular concern in a town that has a large number of out of town developments and which is surrounded on three sides by three major motorways.

Meanwhile, looming Disability Discrimination Act deadlines mean that options are being looked at to cast off the last step-entrance vehicles in the fleet, a small fleet of Volvo Olympians used on school services that Graham, perhaps with a nod to his engineering background, fondly describes as “real workhorses”.

“There are opportunities in our future and we want to seize them,” he concludes. “We’ll keep an eye on supply and demand, keep scrutinising that data from the fare box, but there’s also the social dividend to keep an eye on.

“We’re a small business at the end of the day and you need a lot of local knowledge and there’s a lot of cross-over between the three disciplines of that cake I mentioned. Hands-on is essential in my view.

“Am I glad my dad persuaded me to leave FADS and get a ‘proper job’? Overall, it’s a yes.” Q

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Later this year Alexander Dennis will work with Transport for London to introduce 'virtual electric' vehicles on a key London bus route

A GLOBAL PLAYER WITH A UK FO CUS Manufacturer alexander dennis has expanded significantly around the world in recent years, but the uk remains a ver y impor tant market t has been a busy year for Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) with the latest figures confirming that the company remains Britain’s biggest bus and coach manufacturer. Last year it supplied 45% of all new buses in the UK. Interestingly, in the high volume sectors, ADL vehicles accounted for 48% of all midi and double deck buses registered in the UK – and with big export wins recently around the world, it is clear that there has been plenty going on at ADL’s Falkirk, Scarborough and

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Guildford factories in the UK and with its manufacturing partners elsewhere.

ADL’s move to strengthen its product offering in the UK, while simultaneously working hard to increase its presence in international markets, forms part of a two-pronged strategy to grow the business at home and abroad – and it is one that is reaping huge benefits for customers in the UK and around the world.

Last year saw a string of revolutionary new products being introduced in the UK, both in the single and double deck sectors, while a raft of innovative new

products were also brought to market, particularly in terms of mild-hybrid and electric vehicle options.

These were matched by major model changes in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, all of which have secured orders for 2,000 of ADL’s three-axle, high capacity Enviro500 double deckers. ADL also sold its first fleet of 25 Elitei (interdeck) coaches to PolskiBus, which has been followed by an order for a further 25.

Similarly, the manufacturer has been working hard to take its operations to a new level in North America where it already

has more than 800 double decks in fleets across the continent. The introduction of its new, “lo height”, double deck product created quite a stir at the APTA Exhibition and Convention in Houston last October and led to orders worth $60m. Meanwhile, the transport authority of Great Hamilton and Toronto has placed a huge order for 400 double deckers and on the back of this impressive business win ADL is now in the process of establishing a new manufacturing facility in Ontario, Canada.

Elsewhere, ADL’s joint venture with New Flyer Industries is gathering real traction and in the next year they expect to sell around 100 of the new midi buses they have developed jointly. Both ADL and New Flyer believe there is an opportunity to create a whole new market sector in the USA and Canada, just as ADL has done around the world, notably in New Zealand where – in just five years – ADL midi buses have established themselves as a market leader.

However, despite these moves abroad, ADL still sees the UK as the bed-rock of its business. Colin Robertson, chief executive officer explains. “We will never lose sight of the fact that the bedrock of our business is the UK - and not just major operators, but the smaller operators too. It is in the UK that we are introducing and establishing the fundamentals that are the hallmark of our business.”

He is also clearly a man committed to continuous improvement and investment in the products of the future, whether it be for home or international markets. “Our aim is to raise the bar with every product that we introduce and we will remain committed to that cause,” he says.

The new Enviro200 ADL first introduced the Enviro200 midibus in 2006 as a successor to the highly regarded Dennis Dart. Since then it has become a workhorse for bus operators across the UK. However, the introduction of Euro6 emissions legislation led

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ADL to take a clean sheet of paper in designing its successor and the new E200 is also the result of an extensive customer engagement programme that was first pioneered with the new Enviro400 (more of that later).

It has led to a whole host of improvements on its predecessor; indeed the new E200 has gone on something of a diet, shedding 200kg in weight in the process.

This means that when combined with an optimised drive-train, smart accessories, electric cooling and a flywheel option, fuel economy can be improved by an impressive 35% over the previous model.

There have been improvements made to the interior too that allow up to five more seats, many more of which are now forward-facing, and multiple layout options, across a range that now extends from 8.9 metres to 11.8 metres.

A new front and rear suspension system has improved both ride comfort and reliability and reduced costs. Meanwhile, maintenance access has also been improved following vital input feedback from operators.

Some of the improvements introduced with the new E200 are shared with its big brother, the new generation Enviro400. These include a new electrical system and ADL’s patented QRG (Quick Release Glazing) system that reduces window replacement from three hours to just three minutes.

“The new Enviro200 is a worthy successor to a vehicle that has carved out a unique position in the global bus industry; a vehicle that has changed the transport landscape,” says Robertson.

engineered and built as the result of the most comprehensive customer engagement programme ever undertaken in the UK. Also like its smaller sibling, the new E400 is lighter than its predecessor, leading to a fuel efficiency improvement of around 17%. It also carries more passengers and it incorporates more than 200 reliability improvements that aim to improve performance, the passenger experience and simplify repair and maintenance.

greener vehicles.”

Of course things aren’t standing still when it comes to greener vehicles and the move towards emerging propulsion technologies.

ADL has already chosen GKN Hybrid Power as its preferred partner for an electric flywheel system and is committed to the purchase of 250 Gyrodrive electric flywheel systems that will be built into vehicles for the UK market later this year and throughout 2016.

The flywheel principle is simple and has its origins in Formula 1 race technology. Initially the system is being introduced in London and Oxford, but it is anticipated that there will be a rapid deployment of flywheel technology by operators at home and abroad over the next few years.

Meanwhile, after pioneering the widespread introduction of hybrid-electric buses in the UK, with around 800 now in service, the focus is moving towards other initiatives in this area.

Perhaps the most exciting project will come later this year

Greener and cleaner Both of these new models have received Low Carbon Vehicle Certification, assisted by those impressive gains in fuel efficiency, plus emissions improvements.

“They give us a comprehensive line-up of low emission, Euro6 vehicles for the UK market and we already have substantial numbers of Euro6 buses in the pipeline for operators across the UK,” says Robertson. “That puts us in the vanguard of the drive towards

The new Enviro200 (below left) features a spacious new interior for both passengers and drivers (above) as well as ADL's patented Quick Release Glazing system (below right)

The new Enviro400 Launched last year and now entering service with operators around the country is the new Enviro400, ADL’s new double deck model.

Robertson says that it’s a bus that is designed by the industry for the industry, a philosophy that has been embraced by ADL. So like the new E200, it was designed,

when ADL, working with Transport for London, will launch a trial of ‘Virtual Electric’ hybrid buses on an East London bus route. These buses will use wireless re-charging to replenish the on-vehicle batteries at the end of the route, meaning an ability to operate 80% of the time emission-free.

Robertson believes that this will be a major step forward. “We are confident that the technology will deliver, creating a product that could potentially revolutionise urban bus operations. We are also planning further developments in this area, so watch this space carefully!”

A record year at Scarborough But ADL isn’t just about buses. In 2014, 28% of all new coaches in the UK were bodied by Plaxton at Scarborough. Since ADL acquired the business in 2007, it has invested £10m in the facilities there and brought a whole series of medium-sized and large, luxury coaches to market, include the Elitei, under the Plaxton brand.

Meanwhile, last month ADL revealed the all-new Cheetah XL small coach that managed to secure 50 orders before the wraps had been taken off the first vehicle, something that Robertson says demonstrates the faith of Plaxton’s customers in the product and the company as a whole.

Smaller operator focus The past year has also seen major new vehicle orders secured from Britain’s five biggest bus operators and an exclusive supply agreement signed with National Express Group’s bus division, but is the smaller operator still important?

“Yes,” says Robertson emphatically. “Several years ago one of our key objectives was to become the key supplier to the five major bus operators in the UK and we have achieved that. But smaller operators are just as important too – indeed 60% of all retail sales in the UK are ADL products.

“We want to do business with all operators, no matter how big or small.” Q

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DRIVING INNOVATION AND VALUE Technolog y supplier parkeon has strong relationships w ith many album operators and that ref lects its commitment to regular customer dialogue

Damian Graham, managing director of Network Warrington (right), pictured with Ryan Thomas from Parkeon

arkeon has been a key technology partner for ALBUM operators over many years – including supporting 2015 conference hosts Network Warrington with multiple generations of automatic fare collection technology.

Warrington was actually the first company to adopt Parkeon’s ground-breaking Wayfarer200 platform in order to dual-read its ITSO smartcards while deploying a new Parkeon commercial smartcard scheme - Touch&Go. Meanwhile, in 2013 the relationship between Parkeon and Network Warrington deepened when the company introduced its Midas top-up card

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that aims to make bus travel easier for users.

Today, Parkeon on-vehicle technology is installed on Network Warrington’s fleet of over 120 buses, helping the operator meet the needs of almost nine million passengers each year.

These impressive statistics reflect Warrington’s commitment to invest in high quality public transport as an essential element in the town’s continued development.

It also demonstrates the strong bonds that exist between Network Warrington and Parkeon.

As Gavin Trimnell, head of sales and marketing at Parkeon, explains: “Our relationship with Network Warrington is founded on partnership and it is an approach that is mirrored in our

support for a number of ALBUM group operators, including Lothian Buses, EYMS, Newport Transport, Thamesdown Transport, Blackpool Transport and Halton Borough Transport.”

This spirit of partnership is reflected in Parkeon’s commitment to regular customer dialogue, which provides bus operators with the opportunity not just to optimise their investment in current on-vehicle and back office systems but to influence the development of emerging technologies.

“This is vital to our research and development programme because it ensures that our technology pathway is fully aligned to the needs of our customers and that we focus our efforts on exactly

where the market is heading,” says Trimnell.

“As with many industries, the roadmap needs to be flexible, so we’re working on parallel technologies, which don’t compete – but which meet the specific needs of operators and their customers. This covers mobile payments, Apps and NFC – these are all within our scope and are defined by project and, in particular, by the value they create for scheme owners, operators and users.

“One of the big areas for current development is the application of contactless bank card technology – it’s another, convenient way for passengers to pay but of course it does require considerable engagement with the banking system. Fortunately, this is an area where Parkeon already has significant experience through the automatic fare collection systems we’ve been rolling out not just in the UK but around the world.”

This commitment to push technological boundaries means the company is engaged in highly innovative projects, notably in meeting the aspirations of ‘generation-m’, for whom mobile ticketing is increasingly the default mode of payment. As part of this programme, Parkeon’s new Wayfarer6 driver console (see separate story) includes a multi-reader as standard capable of processing ITSO, Parkeon and contactless EMV payments.

In the hand-held devices arena, Parkeon technology is capable of handling cash and contactless smartcard transactions, supporting ITSO v2.1.4 contactless smartcards, Parkeon commercial card and period-based paper tickets.

Equally importantly, these multi-device and multi-protocol transactions are capable of being processed via Parkeon’s back office system - a hosted facility that offers a cost-effective solution for individual operators while strengthening the company’s position as the leading ITSO bus ticketing system provider with the broadest UK coverage. Q

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PARKEO N

their use easier. Our system uses Wireless LAN technology that suits our operational single depot environment perfectly. We find Parkeon good to deal with in their approach to making changes to the systems we use by providing the necessary software that has allowed us to become self-sufficient.

Q +A

Q&A w ith phil pearson, Commercial Manager, Network Warring ton Network Warrington was the Q first bus operator to move to Parkeon’s Wayfarer200 ticketing platform – what were the drivers for adopting this technology?

We were using Wayfarer 3 A ETMs prior to the changeover, and were offered the choice of the increasingly modified Wayfarer TGX150 ETM or to be an early customer for the new generation Wayfarer200. We chose the latter due to the consolidated approach to both the ticket machine and the architecture running it and our October 2009 ‘Go-Live’ date made Warrington the first company to use the Wayfarer 200 in anger. Given industry trends, it was a wise decision.

How has the relationship with Parkeon developed over the years and why has it been successful?

We were a long standing A customer prior to the Q

Wayfarer200 coming along. We used Wayfarer 3 ETMs from late 1999 and Wayfarer 2s before then – the good relationship between the two companies has continued due to the service and commitment of both parties. Good working relationships have been built up between our staff and theirs over many years.

Thinking about today, what do you see as the main benefits of doing business with Parkeon from an operational perspective?

We currently use the A Wayfarer200 and find them to be a good, reliable machine.

Drivers like them too, given the labour saving enhancements built into the ETMs like GPS to make

What has been the passenger response to smartcard schemes – particularly Touch&Go!what are the take-up trends in this area and how do you see ticketing technology developing for your operation?

Passenger take up has been A strong for Touch&Go! and it’s been quite a winner for us, especially since the product was streamlined last year. We have seen the number of Touch & Go! smartcards rise to today’s total of 3,500 regular users (though we’ve issued 21,000 cards in all) and the number of transactions increase to 1.6m per year. In addition, we’re also providing a stored value offer with Midas, which is beginning to make a positive impact locally.

Looking ahead, we expect the range of ITSO products accepted on-bus to expand significantly in the next few years as the neighbouring PTE areas catch up with us with their adoption of smartcard products. Q

– along with barcode reading, 4G connectivity, location-aware SatNav/route learning, and a touchscreen option.

“The Wayfarer6 sets a new benchmark for intelligent transport solutions, delivering value-driven onvehicle performance for bus

operators in a package that is backwards compatible with the Wayfarer200 yet futureproofed to take advantage of emerging technologies,” says Gavin Trimnell, head of sales and marketing at Parkeon. “And all supported by our unrivalled field service and UK based customer support teams.”

The Wayfarer6 supports the widest range of on-board operations ever offered, including automatic destination updating, 2-way driver messaging, real-time information and fleet management, along with sophisticated third party integration covering scheduling systems, vehicle telematics, voice

radio systems, CCTV, Android Inspector App and passenger Wi-Fi. It utilises many of the existing Wayfarer data sets and configuration files, thereby ensuring a seamless transition to the latest technology for public transport operators.

The console also communicates with Parkeon’s newly developed TMS 2 back office solution, offering web based reporting and system configuration, with options for hosting and managing operator systems. These developments position the Wayfarer6 as the most cost effective solution available to operators of all sizes and operational requirements.

Q

Q

SE T T I N G N E W BENCHMARKS I N OP E R ATOR BENEFIT Introducing Parkeon’s Wayfarer6 –the new generation driver console setting new standards in operational performance – and user benefit - thanks to even faster on-board processing, enhanced functionality and more flexible systems integration.

ALBUM members will be among the first in the UK to see the advantages available to bus operators through the new smaller footprint console, which offers multi-read capability including contactless EMV cards

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TH E AL BUM REPORT 2015

Benchmarking identifies best practice, as well as any room for performance improvement

BUSMARK HITS THE MARK FOR BUS PASSENGERS May 2015 w ill see the launch of busmark, a new sector-specific benchmarking club for the bus and coach industr y from the chartered institu te of l o gistics and transp ort (cilt) eading professional body, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), has released findings from a detailed survey completed by leading companies in the bus and coach sector. The results of the survey reflect on the state of the bus industry in the UK in 2014/2015 and have been published in advance of the launch of CILT’s new sector-specific benchmarking club for the bus and coach industry; Busmark. The official launch of Busmark will take place in May 2015.

The enlightening results of the

L

survey have confirmed that the importance of the bus and coach industry’s role lies at the heart of local communities. Findings include: Q A staggering 85% of the bus and coach companies surveyed give support to local charitable causes and local community activities.

Q The industry boasts an extremely diverse workforce, with the companies in the survey having more than 15% of staff from ethnic minorities and more than 10% female.

Q Bus and coach companies are at the forefront of using modern technology to help passengers and improve their operations, with

almost two-thirds having invested in such systems.

Busmark will enable bus and coach companies, whether large or small, to join this sectorspecific benchmarking club. An annual survey will be analysed by specialist CILT staff, returning detailed feedback to each club member in a traffic light format showing how they compare with their peers.

Operators will meet quarterly to consider and debate solutions to the challenges faced by Busmark members as well as discuss modern business innovation, all of which is aimed at improving the quality of service to their

passengers.

Austin Birks, chairman of the Busmark Steering Committee said: “Busmark has captured the attention of the UK Bus industry already. Operators of various fleet sizes from across the UK are jumping on board to see how they perform, what they do well and how they might improve.

“Benchmarking identifies best practice, as well as any room for performance improvement, that can help drive the continuous improvement of operations and service delivery – Busmark has been designed to improve the product to the people who really count, the passengers.” Q

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First Corporate Clothing ltd are pleased to give our continuing support to the ALBUM Conference and its members We wish Network Warrington, to whom we are uniform suppliers, a very successful conference T : 01639 899008 E : ZHSLZ'Ä YZ[JVYWVYH[L\R JVT W : ^^^ Ä YZ[JVYWVYH[L\R JVT

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TH E AL BUM REPORT 2015

FORS REACHES 3,000th ACCREDITATION fors, the recognition scheme, delivers safety, env ironmental and efficienc y benefits for f leet operators by encouraging the adoption of best practice. It has now reached a major milestone leet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) is delighted to announce its 3,000th company accreditation.

This significant milestone for FORS highlights the substantial support of the industry nationwide in demonstrating a commitment to raising professional standards.

TPA Portable Roadways, a leader for the provision of portable roadway access solutions to the outdoor events, transmission, construction and utility sectors, is the 3,000th company to be accredited by the award-winning recognition scheme, FORS. TPA Portable Roadways is based in Worksop, Nottinghamshire and after the scheme was rolled out nationally earlier this year FORS is pleased to report the popularity of the scheme for operators based out of London.

Martin Eden of TPA Portable Roadways said: “We are looking to become bigger and better at what we do and how we do it and our recent FORS accreditation will help us achieve that. The accreditation will provide us with more direction with procedures in the logistics industry and we look forward to progressing alongside FORS.” Ian Wainwright, head of freight and fleet programmes, Transport for London, said: “We are delighted that FORS has reached this impressive milestone of 3,000 accreditations. Since 2008 FORS accreditation has enabled fleet operators in London to demonstrate their commitment to improving the safety and efficiency of their vehicles. The success and

F

TPA Portable Roadways: 'We are looking to become bigger and better at what we do'

THE BENEFITS OF F OR S More than 210,000 vehicles from than 3,000 companies are now accredited to FORS. There are significant safety, environmental and economic benefits to joining FORS. They include: Q FORS accredited operators are 76% less likely to be involved in licence or insurance offences; Q FORS accredited operators are 64% less likely to be involved in Most Serious Infringements (MSI) offences; Q FORS accredited operators are 50% less likely to be involved in Drivers hours offences; and Q From 2012 to 2013 FORS accredited operators reduced injury collisions by 41% and total collisions by 25% FORS accredited operators make significant fuel and emissions savings, with many accredited companies experiencing an estimated 11% saving on fuel emissions across

all fleets.

As a member of the scheme companies can take advantage of free access to FORS Practitioner Workshops offering best practice information relating to fuel and emissions, safety, fines and charges and benchmarking.

There are three stages of accreditation with FORS - Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Members are encouraged to

growth of FORS now places it as the national accreditation scheme for freight and fleet operators.”

FORS is graduated into three levels; bronze, silver and gold.

Over 2,700 companies are bronze accredited, over 200 companies are silver accredited and over 50 companies are gold accredited.

FORS is an accreditation scheme that delivers safety, environmental and efficiency benefits for fleet operators by encouraging the adoption of best practice industry standards. Q demonstrate their commitment to raised standards by progressing through the scheme.

FORS Bronze has become the recognised quality level for fleet operators. From the construction industry to utility companies, retailers to higher education, fleet operators must demonstrate a commitment to sustainable fleet activities to tender for work from the likes of Mace, Laing O'Rourke, Thames Water and Cambridge University.

FORS has been recognised as an award-winning scheme and last year FORS won the Fleet Award at the Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards, as an outstanding model of its kind.

Being FORS accredited will demonstrate your commitment to improving road safety, enable your business to achieve competitive advantage and proves your commitment to higher professional standards.

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41 Redhills, Eccleshall, Staffs st21 6jw t : 01785 859414 e : thmsknw@aol.com w : www.album-bus.co.uk PASSE NGE R TRANSPO RT

Passenger Transport Publishing Ltd Industry, Adelaide Wharf, 21 Whiston Road, London e2 8ex t : 020 7749 6909 e : robert.jack@passengertransport.co.uk e : andrew.garnett@passengertransport.co.uk w : www. passengertransport.co.uk

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