The Big Book of Big Winners 2016

THE BIG BOOK OF BIG WINNERS 2016

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WELCOME

WELCOME TO THE UK BUS AWARDS 2016 A welcome message from TONY DEPLEDGE OBE , Chairman of the UK Bus Awards

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he last 12 months have seen some significant events at both a national and an international level - the vote to leave the European Union will present many challenges for the country and for the public transport industry as a whole - and, as we all know, the full impact of that decision will take many years to work through. And we also know that efficient and effective bus networks, run by committed people, promoted by supportive public authorities and working in an open and co-operative way to find ever more innovative ways to improve the performance of our services, are essential for our local, regional and national economies and for the quality of life of everyone in the country.

And it’s for that reason that I am so pleased once again to invite you to look in detail at the great panorama of the achievements of the bus industry that the UK Bus Awards - now in its 21st year - presents. We can look back on another successful year; it is a credit to local authorities, operators, suppliers and everyone who contributes to the services that we provide, that we once again see such strong evidence of commitment, innovation and dedication.

Some of the challenges that bus users face are still waiting for a solution in far too many places - the scourge of traffic congestion, for example, remains as damaging as ever and its impact on the speed, punctuality and predictability of bus services continues to increase. We also face new challenges - and new opportunities - from the increasingly

important area of information technology and - as it is usually known - “disruptive” technology generally. Our future customers will expect their mobility needs to be met by an innovative approach to the creation of overall solutions - probably using several modes - that can be presented as a coherent offer. Responding to such challenges, the UK Bus Awards will itself continue to develop the categories for which we offer recognition, reward and inspiration to take account of new ideas, new technologies and new approaches to the challenge of mobility. Given also that so much of the customer experience rests on the everyday delivery of reliable services, we will, of course, continue to offer awards that celebrate the dedication of people across operators and public authorities.

I have had the pleasure of being the chairman of the UK Bus Awards for three years now; I am delighted that, as I step down after this year, my good friend and former colleague Mark Yexley will take over the chairmanship.

Mark has the knowledge, experience and vision to help guide the UK Bus Awards as it continues to change and develop alongside changes and developments in the industry. He will have the benefit of working with the many people who freely give their time and effort to make the UK Bus Awards such a success. The UK Bus Awards benefits in particular from the work of a large team of judges, managed yet again with great skill by John Owen. The judges assess, review and select the Bronze, Silver and Gold winners in each of our categories.

They bring knowledge, interest and experience

from operators, local authorities, passenger and campaigning groups and academics alike.

The skills of the judges and the rigour that they apply to the process, deliver strength to the UK Bus Awards as we recognise, reward and inspire the industry – and as we celebrate success!

Not for the first time, we see how authorities and operators can align their objectives and work together to benefit bus users and to attract non-users. Co-operation between partners – however that is achieved - is the key to delivering rapid, cost-effective and successful projects that build on the knowledge, experience and competence of each of the players – as those recognised by the UK Bus Awards so clearly demonstrate.

I’m sure that what we are celebrating here will inspire you to seek out new ideas and new projects that can be future winners – for what we celebrate here is celebrated even more by those who use our services and see at first-hand what we can deliver. Our wish is to inspire everyone to aim for the success of the best; that inspiration is a key feature of our work.

I thank all those who help to make the UK Bus Awards such a success - sponsors, organisers, entrants, judges and the many people who help to support and promote the scheme and who have helped me so much in the time that I have been Chairman of the scheme. It’s a pleasure to see what our industry can achieve and I feel sure that the UK bus industry - and the UK Bus Awards have a great future. ~

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UK Bus Operator of the Year 2016

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Large Operator of the Year

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CONTENTS

SPECIAL AWARDS

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Overcoming Adversity Award OPERATIONS AWARDS

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Bus Operator of the Year

TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL AWARDS

Environment

Young Manager of the Year

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New Horizons Award

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Top City Operator

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Making Buses a Better Choice: The Peter Huntley Memorial Award

Top Shire Operator

PEOPLE AWARDS

Bus and the Community Award

Top Independent Operator

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Top National Bus Depot

Unsung Heroes Award

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Local Authority Bus Project of the Year

Top National Bus Driver: The Chris Moyes Memorial Award

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Putting Passengers First

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Services to the Bus Industry

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Award for Marketing Initiative of the Year

LONDON AWARDS

ABOUT THE UK BUS AWARDS

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London Bus Garage of the Year

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Luke Rees-Pulley Charitable Trust Award for Top London Bus Driver

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The Award for Sustained Marketing Excellence

Sponsorship

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Judging the UK Bus Awards

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Reflecting on the UK Bus Awards

UK BUS AWARDS 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairman: Tony Depledge obe Directors: Jamie Cash, Chris Cheek, Allan Edmondson, Ian Smith Director of Sales: Steve Cresswell Secretary: Michael Anderson MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Convenor of Judges: John Owen obe Members: James Freeman (First Bus), Andrew Garnett (Passenger Transport), Alan Hill (ATCO), Alex Hornby (Transdev), John Miller (ROSCO), Claire Walters (Bus Users UK) and Trevor Whelan (CILT UK).

PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS

Accountants: The Shepherd Partnership Administration: Pat Gibson and Margaret Harrison (Admin24) Event Production: Paul Ashlee (Awesome Events) Marketing & Promotion: Ray Stenning and his team (Best Impressions) Media: Sam Crown (Markettiers4DC), Meera Rambissoon (The TAS Partnership) Video: Noel Fletcher (Gemini) PRODUCTION

The UK Bus Awards 2016 - The Big Book of Big Winners - has been produced by Passenger Transport.

Designer: Keith Simpson (keith@one-creative.com) Distribution: Courtesy of Passenger Transport, Bus and Coach Buyer, and BUSES This publication and the UK Bus Awards logo is copyright © The Bus Industry Awards 2016. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher The Bus Industry Awards Ltd, organisers of the UK Bus Awards, Rossholme, West End, Long Preston, Skipton, North Yorkshire bd23 4ql Telephone: 0870 900 1450. Fax: 0870 900 1480 Email: info@ukbusawards.org.uk Web: www.ukbusawards.org.uk

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FOREWORD

BUSES SUPPORT OUR ECONOMY AND CONNECT OUR COMMUNITIES ANDREW JONES , the minister

responsible for buses, wants to see a thriving and innovative commercial sector

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uses are England’s most used form of public transport, accounting for over 60 per cent of all public transport trips. Buses support our economy and connect our communities to the workplace, to each other, as well as vital public services such as healthcare and education. They help to reduce congestion in our urban areas, with cleaner bus technologies also contributing significantly to improving air quality.

A great deal has been achieved through innovation by the bus industry, and through joint working between the bus industry and the government.

According to the most recent Bus Passenger Survey by Transport Focus, overall 86 per cent of passengers were satisfied with their services. Almost 90 per cent of buses are now accessible and the number of CCTV systems on buses has doubled over the last 10 years.

Operators are making great strides to improve experience for their passengers.

Smart ticketing, whether on contactless cards, smart cards or otherwise, makes journeys across modes easier and speeds up journey times. There are now at least 700,000 smart cards in use outside London and they will only get more and more popular.

I am pleased that Arriva, First Group, Go-Ahead, National Express and Stagecoach have committed to introduce contactless ticketing, which will bring contactless payment to every bus outside London by 2022, with many areas benefiting sooner.

As I see it, part of the government’s role is to provide local authorities and bus operators with the tools they need to improve local bus services and get more people on buses.

The government has provided over £200m through the Local Growth Fund for 15 bus schemes, including new bus stations, rapid transit schemes and bus priority corridors.

We have provided funding to reduce emissions from buses and to tackle air quality hot spots. The government has provided £30m via the Low Emission Bus Scheme, which has funded over 300 low emission buses and over £7.6m-worth of supporting infrastructure. As part of the Autumn Statement, the chancellor announced more funding for future transport technologies. This included £150m to invest in cleaner buses and taxis, which will include putting new low emission buses on the road as well as retrofitting existing engines to reduce harmful emissions.

The government is also making legislative changes to unlock the significant potential that exists in the bus industry. To this end, we have introduced the Bus Services Bill that is currently making good progress through Parliament.

The Bill will improve options for partnership working between local authorities and operators. The new Enhanced Partnerships will allow local authorities and bus operators to agree their own standards for services in their area by, for example, setting emission standards to improve air quality, or introducing Oyster-style ticketing.

The Bill will make it easier for passengers

to access information on timetables, fares and routes. The open data provisions will require bus operators to make data about routes, fares and the operation of bus services open and accessible.

The Bill will, of course, also introduce simplified powers for local authorities to franchise bus services. Franchising will enable authorities to specify the services that passengers want, and deliver an integrated network of services. The government’s intention is that these will be available automatically to combined authorities with directly elected mayors. Other local authorities will be able to access franchising powers on a case by case basis with the secretary of state’s consent.

Bus services should be accessible to everybody who needs to use them, but for many passengers a lack of information can prevent them from travelling. I am very proud that the government will be introducing regulations to require provision of audiovisual information on board buses. We will shortly begin working with representatives of the bus industry and disabled people to ensure effective and appropriate regulations are produced.

I want to see a thriving and innovative commercial bus sector, and to help the industry grow passenger numbers. I want, also, to encourage the sector to continue working with government and customers to introduce schemes and products that will make bus travel even easier and ever more attractive. ~

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9TH FEBRUARY 2017 QEII CENTRE, BROAD SANCTUARY, WESTMINSTER, LONDON SW1P 3EE

Media partners

The third annual UK Bus Summit will be held in London at the QEII Conference Centre, Westminster on 9th February 2017 and once again is supported by the Department for Transport.

Following its resounding success in 2015 and 2016, the UK Bus Summit has become the central platform for a national policy discussion on issues facing the bus sector. Discussion will focus on the crucial role that buses play in supporting society and stimulating the economy; the range of successful technologies available for tackling pollution; and, the scope for improved ticketing and information to enhance the passenger experience. The event will also provide a forum to analyse and debate the strengths and weaknesses of the contrasting delivery models.

Keynote Speaker: Andrew Jones MP Transport Minister

Confirmed Speakers

The Summit is a must-attend event for anyone who wants to be up to speed with all the latest developments in the bus industry.

Additional confirmed speakers include: Humza Yousaf MSP, Scottish Transport Minister

Valerie Shawcross CBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Transport

• Dr. Manfred Rudhart, Chief Executive, Arriva • Giles Fearnley, Managing Director - UK Bus, FirstGroup Plc • Prof David Begg, Chief Executive, Transport Times • Anthony Smith, Chief Executive, Transport Focus • Claire Haigh, Chief Executive, Greener Journeys • Andy Eastlake, Managing Director, Low CVP • John Henkel, Executive Sponsor - Integrated and Smart Travel, Transport for the North • Neill Birch, Director – Public Transport Operations, Systra

Martin Griffiths, Chief Executive, Stagecoach

David Brown, Chief Executive, Go-Ahead

Laura Shoaf, Managing Director, Transport for West Midlands

Leon Daniels, Managing Director Surface Transport, Transport for London

Sponsored by

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For more information please visit www.transporttimes.co.uk or call 0207 828 3804

Supported by

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Our recipe for

Success...

High customer satisfaction levels

The UK’s best value fares Focus on safety and engineering

Investment in our people and training

Major digital investment

Millions invested annually in new buses

Committed to providing greener, smarter travel

Congratulations to all of our employees recognised at the 2016 uk bus awards: Stagecoach East Scotland, St Andrews Depot Gold Award - Top National Bus Depot Stagecoach London, Leyton Garage Gold Award - Top London Bus Depot Ray Clements, Stagecoach London ROSCO Safe Driver of the Year Stagecoach East, Fenstanton Depot Silver Award - Top National Bus Depot Stagecoach South Silver Award - Marketing Initiative of the Year

UK BUS

Stagecoach East Scotland Special Commendation - Overcoming Adversity Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire Special Commendation - Overcoming Adversity

AWARDS WINNER

Joe Somers, Stagecoach East Special Commendation - Unsung Heroes

Stagecoach East Scotland Bronze Award - Sustained Marketing Excellence

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SPECIAL AWARD

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

SPECIAL COMMENDATION

STAGECOACH EAST SCOTLAND THE FORTH ROAD BRIDGE EMERGENCY

1 1. The Stagecoach East Scotland team.

2. Parts of the A591 in Cumbria were washed away following Storm Desmond.

3. Some of the team who helped to run the special shuttle service between Grasmere and Keswick.

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ALAN MILLAR (2)

On a normal weekday Stagecoach East Scotland runs some 365 service journeys across the Forth Road Bridge, part of the 22 million plus vehicles a year that use the 52 year old structure.

On Tuesday 1st December 2015, a fault was discovered on part of the bridge that supports the carriageway.

A contraflow system was immediately introduced to allow for emergency inspection, after which, during Thursday 3rd, it was decided to close the bridge completely for repairs.

When this happens, the nearest alternative crossing is at Kincardine, fifteen miles upstream, which results in an extra journey of nearly 50 miles, much of it on congested, single carriageway roads. At this stage, the duration of the closure was unknown but from that point onwards, Stagecoach management were involved with the emergency planning process.

By Monday morning, Stagecoach had assembled staff and vehicles from across the wider group to operate additional special shuttle services every 20 minutes from three Fife Park and Ride sites to Edinburgh via the diversionary route. This included the reopening of a closed bus depot at Cowdenbeath to house the 32 extra vehicles and a host of other tasks that included finding accommodation for loan drivers – in three days flat!

The route via Kincardine was designated a bus priority route manned by police to ensure as fast a journey as possible, and the existing Express City Connect network was rescheduled to use the same route. The services were run successfully, with some modification, until the bridge reopened on 23rd December – after a huge effort by the engineering team in the teeth of some very severe weather.

Every part of the Stagecoach East Scotland team pulled together, with drivers accepting last minute changes to duties, supervisors juggling ever-

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changing schedules, engineers staffing and maintaining an additional depot, customer services teams trying to keep everyone up to date, managers looking after the extra workload in addition to their regular duties and assisting with keeping everything legal.

The UK Bus Awards management committee felt that this huge effort by staff and managers at Stagecoach East Scotland was fully deserving of a Special Commendation. Their hard work meant that Scotland could be kept moving during the three weeks of severe disruption caused by the emergency closure.

SPECIAL COMMENDATION

STAGECOACH CUMBRIA & NORTH LANCASHIRE THE 555 SHUTTLE SERVICE

After record rainfall throughout the autumn of 2015, the arrival of Storm Desmond on 4th and 5th December wrought havoc throughout northern England and southern Scotland. A record 16 inches (405 millimetres) of rain fell at Thirlmere in the Lake District over the 48 hours. One of the consequences was that the A591, the key north-south route between Kendal and Keswick, was almost completely washed away in places. This resulted in

the complete closure of a key three-mile stretch. The only alternative route entailed a drive to Kendal followed by a 15-mile long diversion via Penrith.

Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire operates the local bus network, including the iconic 555 route along the A591 between Keswick and Kendal. Immediately after the storm, extra services were provided from Kendal to Penrith to connect with the PenrithKeswick service, but it was clear that something else had to be done. An alternative route was identified by Cumbria County Council using a narrow road on the western side of Thirlmere, and a forest track which was hurriedly upgraded.

The route was not suitable for the double deckers usually used on the 555, so smaller vehicles were found, requiring additional drivers and special arrangements for crew breaks in the village of Grasmere, 17 miles away from the home depot in Kendal.

The shuttle service between Grasmere and Keswick was introduced to local acclaim on 16th February, but was quickly overwhelmed by the demand, so capacity was increased by 64% by the 28th. A team of ten dedicated drivers, supported by other depot-based staff, manned the route - with extra customer care staff stationed in Grasmere and Keswick. Special low fares of £5 a day and £20 a week were in force.

Between February and the reopening of the A591 in May, the shuttle services carried over 44,000 passengers. It was acclaimed by the community it served and helped to mitigate the damage to the local economy, at one stage estimated at £1m a day.

The UK Bus Awards management committee felt that this huge effort by staff and managers at Stagecoach was fully deserving of a Special Commendation. Their hard work and team effort meant that this connection in the Lake District could be opened up three months before the road repair could be completed. It has also demonstrated the positive role the bus plays in meeting the needs of local communities.

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CONGRATULATIONS! Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers and QBE Insurance congratulate Nottingham City Transport UK Bus Operator of The Year 2016

Arthur J. Gallagher is a global risk management and insurance services provider. Our advisors have many years’ industry experience which helps us to deliver solutions that meet our clients’ needs.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact Phil White T: 01732 744749 M: 07803 200518 E: phil_white@ajg.com or visit: www.ajginternational.com

Arthur J Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered Office: Spectrum Building, 7th Floor, Blythswood Street, Glasgow, G2 7AT. Registered in Scotland.

Company Number SC108909.

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OPERATIONS

UK BUS OPERATOR OF THE YEAR

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2 1. Nottingham City Transport celebrate their success 2. Prentice Coaches 3. Excellent Mystery Traveller scores pushed NCT into the top spot 4. Reading Buses

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Sponsored by

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GOLD WINNER

SILVER WINNER

NOTTINGHAM CITY TRANSPORT

This is the ‘grand prix’ of the UK Bus Awards. Pre-eminent amongst bus operators in the UK, the UK Bus Operator of the Year, more than any other, delivers consistently excellent customer service and demonstrates its success through sustained effort over the long term. The crème-dela-crème, the UK Bus Operator of the Year is selected from the highest-scoring contestants in the awards for Top Independent Operator, Top Shire Operator and Top City Operator.

Research by Transport Focus has found that 97% of Nottingham City Transport’s customers are satisfied with the operator’s service, making them the most satisfied bus passengers in the country. Meanwhile, the city has the second highest bus use per head of population in the UK, despite a very challenging couple of years, and partnerships with local authorities have also brought benefits to customers.

However, it was customer service that clinched Nottingham the Gold Award in the UK Bus Operator of the Year category as a result of a very strong performance during the mystery traveller checks.

BRONZE WINNER

READING BUSES

PRENTICE COACHES

Despite their strong performance in winning the contest to be Top Shire Operator, Reading Buses, last year’s UK Bus Operator of the Year, did not quite make it two in a row in the overall contest. That said Reading Buses continues to be an excellent, and innovative, bus operator. The company is well known for its innovative approach to engaging new customers, and despite the ever increasing challenges associated with traffic congestion, it has tried very hard to keep passengers in Reading on the move. That innovation continues and the company keeps seeking new ways to delight its customers and champion making the bus as the mode of choice.

A very strong performance in the mystery traveller scores meant that Prentice Coaches, this year's Top Independent Operator, was a really strong contender in the overall contest. In the end, though, the family owned and run bus and coach operator just missed out on the top two prizes. Its family ethos means that the two directors of the Haddington, East Lothian-based company are heavily involved in day-to-day operations. That means that decisions are made swiftly and staff are constantly engaged. The company has innovated too with the latest environmentally-friendly buses and the introduction of a smart phone app for passengers.

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OPERATIONS

TOP CITY OPERATOR

Sponsored by

This award is open to operators of registered bus services based in, or operating wholly or mainly in, the city region areas and other major cities with populations of more than 250,000.

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GOLD WINNER

NOTTINGHAM CITY TRANSPORT

Customers on Nottingham City Transport’s (NCT) buses are the most satisfied in the country, with an overall rating of 97% in the most recent Transport Focus survey. Nottingham has the second highest bus use per head of population in the UK, despite a very challenging couple of years as new tram lines were built, the ring road was upgraded and the A453 was expanded. Partnerships with local authorities have also brought benefits to customers including 1,400 bus stops with real time displays in Nottingham (the highest outside London), direct access to Nottingham’s Traffic Control Centre cameras to allow NCT Control Room staff to manage the network, and over 50 junctions now fitted with bus traffic light priority guaranteeing a green light for late buses.

NCT instigated a Roadworks Consultation Regime to ensure that bus operators are involved from the planning stage of street works, something that has been vital through the recent A453 widening, tram works and ring

road upgrade. The installation of next stop announcements has continued and they now cover 80% of the fleet, whilst the whole fleet now offers free Wi-Fi, which is thought to be a first for an operator in England.

The judges noted that despite difficulties with roadworks, NCT has continued to offer an excellent service. The Free Travel Fridays on routes affected by tram works is a nice gesture to keep customers happy. The company clearly ticks lots of boxes with investment in new vehicles and facilities for passengers such as next stop announcements and free Wi-Fi across the whole fleet. The judges also commented on the way drivers are looked after with extensive training and the highest pay rates in the region.

service for all those who visit, live, work, or study in Edinburgh and the Lothians. With a network of 70 day services, an extensive NightBus network operating citywide and the Airlink service which operates a 24 hour express service between Edinburgh Airport and the City Centre, Lothian Buses carries over 2.3 million passengers per week.

Edinburgh Bus Tours, the opentop tour division, is Scotland’s third most popular paid-for visitor attraction.

Highlights over the past year have included major changes to the provision of information, working with Google Maps to provide real time information, updating of the mobile app to include spoken directions for the visually impaired and the first m-ticketing app in the UK to allow transfer of a ticket to another user. The ‘We think the world of Edinburgh’ environmental brand was launched last year and now 94% of waste is recycled across all Lothian Buses sites. An additional two million passenger journeys were made last year.

The judges commented on the continued investment in the

SILVER WINNER

LOTHIAN BUSES

Lothian Buses, Edinburgh’s principal bus operator and the largest of the remaining municipal bus companies in the UK, has a vision to deliver a world-class safe, efficient, green and socially-inclusive transport

fleet, notably the 24 hour Airlink route which operates alongside the tram, and the increased functionality of the company’s app. Passenger carryings and revenues have both increased and the judges praised the frontline staff who have kept services on track during a period of changes in the organisation.

BRONZE WINNER

ARRIVA MERSEYSIDE

Arriva Merseyside employs just short of 2,000 people, operating out of six garages covering Liverpool, Knowsley, Wirral, Sefton and St Helens. Over 80 million passenger journeys are made each year with over 600 vehicles. Significant investment has been made in 114 new vehicles fitted with free Wi-Fi, as well as a further 48 hybrid and 12 all electric buses.

Arriva Merseyside considers itself to be a company focussed on people - both customers and employees, and a close-knit management team inspires confidence and good morale at each individual site. Numerous social activities take place to build team spirit across the

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garages including football teams, golf teams and other social societies. Staff regularly take part in activities to raise money for charities. There is a real sense of pride at Arriva Merseyside and depots are often used as trial areas for initiatives which are then rolled out across the company.

The judges noted the high standard of the company’s cross-river services using hybrid vehicles and Arriva Merseyside’s continued significant investment in new vehicles. The judges also applauded the company’s Polish and Promote scheme focussing staff on making buses look the best that they can before leaving to pick up passengers.

2 1. Nottingham City Transport 2. Lothian Buses 3. Translink 4. Arriva Merseyside 5. National Express West Midlands

FINALIST

NATIONAL EXPRESS WEST MIDLANDS

National Express West Midlands (NXWM) runs over 1,500 buses on 200 routes, carrying nearly a million passengers every weekday. There is much competition from the car, so the company has to work hard to attract passengers. A hundred new buses were ordered this year, all with next stop audio visual announcements and a further 141 vehicles have had it fitted.

Last year NXWM spent £34m on 58 ‘Platinum’ double deckers with free Wi-Fi and comfy seats.

After six months of service, some routes saw growth of between 10 and 25%, and 27% of those questioned were new bus users.

The company feels it is part of the community it serves and is proud of its worksforce diversity.

It is also the first transport plc to pay the Living Wage and NXWM is the largest Living Wage employer in the West Midlands.

The company also works closely with the police and has seen crime, and more importantly the fear of crime, fall markedly.

The West Midlands Bus Alliance has been a positive step and the judges noted other strong partnerships the company has built which are also bringing benefits to the business. Significant investment is increasing passenger numbers and encouraging modal shift.

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FINALIST

STAGECOACH MERSEYSIDE AND SOUTH LANCASHIRE

Stagecoach Merseyside comprises Liverpool’s Gillmoss depot and the Birkenhead garage, which between them operate 218 buses and employ 528 drivers, 95 engineers and 25 management and support staff. Last year the company operated 25.4 million passenger journeys, achieving 93.3% reliability. Passenger Focus found Stagecoach Merseyside was voted best value for money in both the PTE and All England categories, and its buses were voted best in the PTE category for cleanliness and condition.

Drivers are trained to assist customers in wheelchairs with boarding and alighting and the company offers a free taxi service for any customer in a wheelchair who is intending to board a service which is full.

Towards the end of last year, the first Stagecoach Gold fleet of 16 ADL 300’s was delivered for use between Liverpool, Wirral and Chester. Then in April, 14 Enviro 400s were introduced on Liverpool’s 14 route. Stagecoach Merseyside is part of a new formal Bus Alliance with PTE Merseytravel and bus operator Arriva which aims to grow the number of fare paying passengers, improving customer satisfaction and driving up investment for the benefit of all who use the region’s bus services.

FINALIST

TRANSLINK METRO

Metro is the brand name for bus services in Belfast and part of the wider Translink brand, the integrated public transport provider for Northern Ireland.

Against an extremely challenging set of circumstances with an unprecedented level of government funding cuts, Metro has had an outstanding year, delivering its highest ever number of fare paying passengers and strong results in passenger satisfaction levels.

The judges noted the turn around in the business and increased patronage.

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OPERATIONS

TOP SHIRE OPERATOR

Sponsored by

The judges noted that it strives to be as good internally as externally with various benefits and encouragement for staff development. Its colour-coded network is easy for new customers to understand and the company scores well on free Wi-Fi and next stop audio and visual displays, both of which cover 70% of the fleet. It continues to sustain a double digit growth in passengers.

GOLD WINNER

READING BUSES

The award for operators in the shire areas of the UK, covering all areas outside our major cities.

Reading Buses’ network of brightly-coloured and branded buses, together with a big focus on customer service and innovation, have made the company a real success story. It aims to be the best bus company in Britain and a role model for best practice across Europe and beyond. The company is well known for its innovative approach to engaging new customers, its strong partnerships with the university as well as being in the forefront of compressed natural gas powered bus operation alongside its electric hybrid and diesel fleet. Despite ever challenging congestion in Reading due to the re-building of the town centre over the past three years, it has tried very hard to keep its passengers moving.

Reading Buses continues to innovate, inspire its staff to be better, invest in environmentally friendly buses and improve its routes - always finding new ways to delight its customers and champion bus use!

Reading Buses continues to be an excellent bus operator.

SILVER WINNER

METROBUS

Metrobus registered a commercial network in Crawley in 2001 when the existing operator declared that operations in the town were unviable. The last 15 years have seen unprecedented growth, investment in fleet, depot infrastructure and new technology. The company is now an integral part of life in Sussex, Surrey and Kent, with a reputation for quality, investment and customer service. Telephones are answered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and Metrobus aims to reply to social media questions within 10 minutes. Free Wi-Fi is available on most of the fleet

and 20 vehicles have screens that show train departures when approaching stops at railway stations. Free morning newspapers are provided on all buses. The company works closely with Gatwick Airport and has increased two airport routes to 24 hour operation.

Metrobus has become renowned for creating an excellent and profitable service in an area deemed to be unviable by the previous operator, and the judges were pleased to see that there has been continuous improvement and innovation while consistently running services on time and with good drivers. The 24/7 telephone service is exceptional and reflects the company’s commitment to customer service.

BRONZE WINNER

OXFORD BUS COMPANY

Over the past two years, Oxford Bus Company has encountered huge challenges; the loss of a long serving MD, unprecedented levels of roadworks and congestion disrupting services across its operating area, and no let up in the strength of local

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competition. Despite this the company has made significant strides forward, with customer satisfaction on local services growing from 86% in 2015 to 91% in 2016. Park & Ride services were measured at 92%. These results reflect several initiatives to improve the customer experience coming to fruition, as well as the efforts made by the company to make it as painless as possible for customers to deal with disruption.

A real time information system went live this year which allowed the company to communicate information on disruptions much faster. The system has an open data feed supplying on-street signs and it hopes to integrate it with Google Transit. Oxford Bus Company has step changed employee and community engagement initiatives over the past 12 months, culminating in the business earning Investors in People accreditation for the first time, and numerous partnerships being established with local community groups.

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FINALIST

STAGECOACH EAST MIDLANDS

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Stagecoach East Midlands runs a network of bus services across Greater Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and East Yorkshire providing connections for local communities to employment, education, healthcare and retail facilities.

The company has voluntary Bus Quality Partnerships with Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire and Hull Councils, meeting regularly to discuss bus services, transport policies and customer feedback. It also works closely with district councils where developments have included brand new bus stations in Grimsby and Worksop, while work with the City of Lincoln Council will see construction of a new transport interchange in Lincoln, which is scheduled to open in December 2017. In 2016/17 a package of enhanced bus priority measures is being introduced in Skegness with Lincolnshire County Council.

The judges were pleased

1. Reading Buses 2. Metrobus 3. Oxford Bus Company 4. Go South Coast 5. Stagecoach East Midlands

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to see the company moving forward with new innovations such as timetables in Polish and increased passenger satisfaction levels to 90 in North East Lincolnshire and 92% for services in Nottinghamshire.

FINALIST

GO SOUTH COAST

Bluestar, more bus and Salisbury Reds form part of Go South Coast. Bluestar operates bus services in Southampton, Winchester and the Waterside and is the main interurban bus operator in southern Hampshire.

Newer vehicles offer passengers free Wi-Fi and USB chargers, and tickets can be bought online and through the company’s mobile app. Bluestar has a strong relationship with the University of Southampton, offering joint-ticketing across its Unilink and Bluestar networks.

Its goal is to remain the leading friendly operation throughout Southampton. more bus runs services through Bournemouth and Poole as well as: Unibus to Bournemouth University; the Purbeck Breezer which links Swanage with Weymouth and Dorchester, Bournemouth and Poole; and The New Forest Tour which operates three circular open-topped sightseeing routes around the New Forest.

Meanwhile, Salisbury Reds runs services throughout Salisbury and express services to Swindon, Southampton and Bournemouth as well as The Stonehenge Tour which runs hourly (half hourly in the summer) from Salisbury to the ancient monument.

The judges noted various improvements across the three brands. Salisbury Reds’ relationship with a house builder allowed the company to deliver six months of free bus travel to new homeowners, and the company also increased overall passenger numbers by 60% in a year. Bluestars 7 and 17 are new services filling gaps left by the withdrawal of the previous operator and which are producing very good passenger numbers. more bus has added USB chargers to the vehicles in its fleet that have free Wi-Fi.

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OPERATIONS

TOP INDEPENDENT OPERATOR Sponsored by

This award is for smaller bus companies with fleets of fewer than 100 vehicles, not owned by a public limited company (plc) or holding company which owns three or more bus operating subsidiaries.

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GOLD WINNER

PRENTICE COACHES

Prentice Coaches is a family owned and run bus and coach operator based in Haddington, East Lothian in south east Scotland. Established primarily as a coach operator, the company has run bus services for most of that time and bus services now account for over 50% of the business. Both directors are fully involved in the business on a day to day basis, so any decisions can be made swiftly. The company constantly engages with its staff, taking on board their ideas and often implementing them as improvements to its bus services and the business as a whole.

Prentice Coaches is a forward thinking innovative company that believes in running modern, eco-friendly buses, kept in immaculate condition, coupled with an old fashioned customer care ethos delivered by staff who take immense pride in delivering 21st century transport to our community. Live Bus Tracker has been available on the company’s

website for three years and the company’s mobile app (marketed as ‘App-Prentice’) is under constant development. Prentice Coaches has a sense of duty to the local community, having twice stepped in at short notice to replace essential local bus services cancelled by the previous operator, and then turned around those failing services by running new, attractive vehicles driven by people who take a pride in their job, and increasing passenger numbers substantially.

The judges liked this small, but high quality bus operation, not afraid to invest in new vehicles and the latest technology to deliver a better experience for its customers.

contract for subsidised routes in Bracknell, Courtney’s became the main bus operator in the area.

A belief in good customer service is very strong and the company instills these principles into all staff by providing high quality training opportunities.

Recent improvements have included the introduction of smartcards in Maidenhead (with the intention of expanding the scheme), the fitting of telematics across the whole of the fleet and using larger capacity vehicles to cope with increasing growth on the commercial Bracknell routes.

The introduction of new vehicles with Wi-Fi and USB charging points on the Bracknell to Camberley route has seen passenger numbers significantly increase, requiring a revision and re-timing of the service to meet customer demand.

The judges noted the excellence of the operation and the 30% increase in passenger numbers, no doubt partly due to the company’s focus on high standards of customer service.

SILVER WINNER

COURTNEY BUSES

Over the last year, Courtney Buses has continued to grow not only its fleet and operating area, but also its reputation for delivering high quality services, with friendly drivers and a modern fleet. After securing the

BRONZE WINNER

COMPASS TRAVEL

Based in Worthing, West Sussex, Compass Travel continues to grow its bus business. It has a strong customer focus ethos, and despite the difficult climate which has seen a number of well established independent companies fail in the past year, continues to invest heavily in both its fleet and workforce.

A new partnership with the organisers of the Wings and Wheels events at Dunsfold Aerodrome will result in the provision of a bus service on a permanent basis. Compass also provides five double deck shuttle buses at the Aerodrome between the car park and the studio hanger where BBC Top Gear is recorded. A partnership with Brighton & Hove City Council and Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company means that Compass is now accepting smartcards and m-tickets issued by the Brighton operator, which is thought to be the first such arrangement involving an

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4 1. Prentice Coaches 2. Courtney Buses 3. Uno 4. Compass Travel 5. Ensign Bus

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independent operator.

Real time travel information has been extended throughout Brighton & Hove on Compass routes and will shortly be extended to routes in East Sussex. The company believes in empowering employees to offer excellent customer service, giving them considerable latitude and flexibility to work with customers. Compass will post, free of charge, copies of its area timetable booklets and the company has a policy of reimbursing any taxi fares should a passenger incur this expenditure through a bus breakdown or similar.

Meanwhile, a further eight new buses have been added to the fleet this year.

The judges noted that Compass Travel is going from strength to strength, picking up routes from other operators and making a commercial success of tendered routes. It is expanding across a large geographical area, but is still maintaining its high standards that will be appreciated by customers.

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awarded for over 100 jobs and the acquisition of single decks branded for the docks fitted with luggage racks.

The investment in facilities has continued with the conversion of a 25,000sqft storage area into a workshop. Service improvements include taking route 44 from half hourly Monday to Friday to every 15 minutes in the peak, route 73 has been upgraded from a 20 minute peak service to 10 minute. Following the failure of a local operator, Ensign took over route 21, which soon became commercial with improved reliability after newer vehicles were introduced. Also new is a mobile app, allowing passengers to see exactly what control staff see. This has been particularly useful during road works.

The judges noted that it has been another strong year for Ensign Bus with improvements to the fleet, operations, facilities and the introduction of a mobile app for customers. The judges also highlighted the 2% pay increase on top of 2.5% the previous year.

FINALIST

ENSIGN BUS

Ensign Bus is an independent operator that runs a fully commercial network in difficult operating territory around the A13 and M25 Dartford crossing area. Numerous improvements have been made over the past 12 months. Sustained investment, will see an average front line fleet age profile of 5.8 years by the end of the year, with the oldest service route buses dating from 2008.

The private hire department has continued to grow and a major source of increased revenue has been additional film work, including buses provided for Dr Who, films with Jackie Chan and Brad Pitt in addition to numerous commercials and period set dramas.

Tilbury Cruise terminal introduced a more intensive schedule, meaning thousands of additional passengers and luggage needed moving safely and securely. Ensign was approached to trial a service, which led to a contract being

FINALIST

UNO

Uno is a joint venture between the Universities of Northampton and Hertfordshire and started operations four years ago. It follows the Uno principles and mission in that it serves the university’s travel needs but also dovetails with the travel needs of the local community - a virtuous circle. It was started with eight buses and now operates 25, and has integrated the transport requirements of local further education colleges. Five brand new buses were added to the fleet this year, which also now features Wi-Fi access, and over the summer a new mobile app was launched.

Mirroring the successful model begun by the University of Hertfordshire, the judges noted that the newer Northampton operation is building on its success and improving its offering to its passengers. They also appreciated that staff travel regularly as mystery shoppers to monitor the service.

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OPERATIONS

TOP NATIONAL BUS DEPOT

Sponsored by

This award is designed to recognise and reward high standards of operation and customer care throughout the UK. The award is open to bus depots or garages which operate buses on local services outside London.

The award is made to the garage which, in the opinion of the judges, delivers the highest operational standards to its customers.

1 1. St Andrews 2. St Andrews 3. Fenstanton

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GOLD WINNER

ST ANDREWS STAGECOACH EAST SCOTLAND

St Andrews depot, operated in the busy university town by Stagecoach East Scotland, runs with a fleet of 25 vehicles and operates local town services as well as routes across Fife and into Dundee. With good reliability statistics the depot’s efficient operations are a testament to the professionalism of the staff and high levels of morale at the site. Various social and sporting activities take place including the popular football tournaments

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and outings to some of the region many golf courses in association with other depots across Stagecoach East Scotland. It is often said that the St Andrews depot is a large family and the spirit and enjoyment they portray in their work demonstrates how much they enjoy their job.

The judges were pleased to note that the depot has a particularly strong social programme which no doubt helps create an excellent team spirit. With the many large events being held in the town, the depot has to cope with a big variety of transport provision on top of its regular services.

SILVER WINNER

FENSTANTON STAGECOACH EAST

Stagecoach East’s Fenstanton depot houses 50 vehicles, many of which operate on the Cambridge Guided Busway for part of their route. Around three quarters of the fleet are modern Euro 5 and 6 buses with leather seats, USB and power sockets and free Wi-Fi. The depot is focussed on recycling as much as possible and helps promote green thinking within the local community throughout the year. One of Fenstanton’s greatest attributes is its team

spirit. Having been under the same management for the past 40 years there is a strong sense of commitment and respect among drivers, engineers, managers and all staff. The proportion of drivers who transfer in is far greater than the average depot. Although the majority of drivers are recruited as current licence holders Fenstanton still pride itself on its high level of driver training and its 100% new driver PCV pass rate. All new drivers are allocated specific driving mentors, selected for their driving standards and ability to teach others. Drivers who drive on the Guided Busway ➢ are given an additional two

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OPERATIONS

TOP NATIONAL BUS DEPOT

weeks training to ensure they can handle the variation in driving technique and increased customer service which is expected. This mentor system immediately instills a sense of support which can be felt within the depot. There is an active social scene, part of which includes a Golf Society which arranges annual trips away.

The judges noted the low lost mileage figure, despite difficult traffic conditions in Cambridge.

There is good infrastructure in the area, including the guided busway, which the judges noted is being utilised for short trips to improve journey times and reliability. Schemes such as reducing the cost of the day ticket by the same amount as the local authority increased the parking charge, was seen to be of great benefit to customers.

BRONZE WINNER

CRAWLEY METROBUS

Metrobus started operating from its Crawley Depot in 2001 when the existing operator declared that operations in the town unviable. The last 15 years have seen unprecedented growth, investment in fleet, depot infrastructure and new

technology. The depot has an enviable reputation for quality, investment and customer service and now houses a fleet of 145 vehicles. Currently 20 are fitted with audio next stop announcements and the aim is to have the entire fleet fitted by the end of the year.

The judges thought this was a very good operation in an area that is difficult for recruiting staff. The flexible working arrangements for staff with a young family were also noted.

satisfaction currently the highest from across all of Arriva’s depots nationally, and sickness and staff turnover dropping significantly over the last 12 months.

The judges were pleased to see significant improvement in most metrics including lost mileage, staff sickness and staff turnover.

Complaints per kilometre were also down.

real time providing a very high level of support for the company’s customers and staff.

The judges were impressed with the new depot housing operations alongside customer service and training. It was noted that keeping personal relationships in such a large facility must be difficult.

FINALIST

FINALIST

FINALIST

TAMWORTH ARRIVA MIDLANDS & SHIRES

Housing around 40 vehicles, Arriva says that the success of its Tamworth depot is solely on the exceptional and dedicated performance of its people. The entire workforce is engaged and committed to delivering one key goal - to provide the people of Tamworth with exemplary customer service. The culture is such that each and every member of the team is made to feel valued and listened to, which is in turn then reflected in the way the customers are treated. It is a structure which has paid dividends, with customer

GATESHEAD RIVERSIDE GO NORTH EAST

WOLVERHAMPTON, PARK LANE NATIONAL EXPRESS WEST MIDLANDS

Gateshead Riverside is Go North East’s flagship facility which opened in January 2014 as part of the company’s centenary celebrations. The £8.5m, 3,500sq metre facility houses 170 vehicles and over 500 employees and is the only public transport depot in the north east to have such technically advanced equipment which has enhanced health and safety and boosted efficiency. It is also home to the company’s occupational health, recruitment and training facilities as well as its new service delivery centre.

Along with the company’s customer service team, the service delivery centre monitors a range of communication channels and all of its services in

Wolverhampton is National Express West Midlands’ second largest garage housing 200 vehicle. In 2015, it won the company’s Depot of the Year and it has a reputation for excellent employee morale. In the last two years there has been a focus on improving the relationship between the operational and engineering teams to work together. This has resulted in reduced lost mileage and fewer complaints, despite increasing mileage and staff numbers.

The judges noted that all metrics are moving in the right direction and clearly the garage is improving. It is also good to see recent investment in new vehicles.

5 4. Gateshead Riverside 5. Crawley 6. Wolverhampton

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D N A H A BIG S R E N to B I G W I N o ur Winners LONDON BUS GARAGE OF THE YEAR, Brixton, Arriva London South – Bronze MARKETING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR, Bus Start, Arriva UK Bus – Bronze TOP CITY OPERATOR, Arriva Merseyside – Bronze The Chris Moyes Memorial Award TOP NATIONAL BUS DRIVER, Karen Wilson, Arriva Yorkshire – Bronze

Finalists LONDON BUS GARAGE OF THE YEAR, Palmers Green, Arriva London MARKETING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR, #harveyBus – 410/411 X-Factor initiative, Arriva Yorkshire TOP NATIONAL BUS DEPOT, Tamworth, Arriva Midlands & Shires YOUNG MANAGER OF THE YEAR, Alistair Timmis, Arriva Midlands & Shires Luke Rees-Pulley Charitable Trust Award LONDON BUS DRIVER, Helen Webster, Arriva London LONDON BUS DRIVER, Richard Pincombe, Arriva London

Congratulations to the whole Arriva team.

We’re proud to have you on board.

arrivabus.co.uk

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05/12/2016 25/11/2016 13:40 15:44

VOLVO BUS Proud sponsors

Congratulations to Reading Buses for winning gold in the Volvo Bus UK & Ireland sponsored ‘Environmental Award’ at the 2016 UK Bus Awards. Reading Buses was recognised for its ‘planet Reading’ and beyond! project.

The award category recognises a wide range of key environmental factors, all of which Volvo Bus enthusiastically supports.

Criteria included noise level consideration, vehicle emissions, improved energy efficiency and air quality management. Reading Buses was highlighted for its far-reaching initiatives in terms of emissions, fuel and ‘behind the scenes’ operating practices, beating stiff competition from industry leaders.

VOLVO BUS

Wedgnock Lane, Warwick CV34 5YA Tel: 01926 401777, www.volvobus.co.uk

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TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL

ENVIRONMENT

Sponsored by

This award is presented to the scheme which, in the opinion of the judges, constitutes the best contribution by a bus operator, authority, manufacturer or any group or individual within those organisations to one or more of the following: further improving the environmental friendliness of the bus; improving the environment in which buses operate; improving the environment for bus users and potential users.

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GOLD WINNER

TO ‘PLANET READING’ AND BEYOND! READING BUSES

Building on Reading Buses’ investments in bio-gas and hybrid-electric vehicles the company has now placed an order for the world’s first five Scania gas double-deckers, without funding support. The company is also investing in micro-hybrids and projects to re-engineer early hybrid buses with innovative new MagTec and Vantage powertrains. However, through its ‘planet Reading’ strategy, the company promotes high environmental awareness in all areas of the business. Some of the initiatives include: more than 200 solar panels on the depot roof saving 26 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, extensive cycle parking and a cycle to work scheme, green parking bays provided for employees who car share, priority parking for the top DriveWell bus drivers, two thirds of office waste being recycled, and the gas fuel coming from a carbon neutral and sustainable source.

Reading Buses’ commitment to reducing its environment

impact runs throughout its business. The judges noted that the company has been at the forefront of gas bus technology, whilst also investing in electrichybrid vehicles and retro-fitting older vehicles to become more environmentally friendly, making it a worthy Gold Winner in this category.

SILVER WINNER

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS TO VEHICLES FIRST BUS

2 1. Reading Buses 2. First Bus 3. TfGM 4. Stagecoach North Scotland

First Bus identified a declining trend in fuel efficiency and it became evident that new vehicles were less efficient than the buses being replaced, increasing both operating cost and CO2 emissions.

To reverse this trend, First Bus began hosting an annual testing programme at Millbrook Proving Ground which involved rigorously testing vehicles from different manufacturers head to head in order to better inform procurement decisions. As part of this work a new test cycle was also developed by First Bus and Millbrook engineers based on real world data to ensure results from such testing were both fair ➢ and meaningful.

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TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL

ENVIRONMENT A development race emerged between bus manufacturers which has led to significant improvements in the efficiency of their vehicles including reduced vehicle weight, optimised drivetrain efficiency, systems to recapture brake energy in order to power ancillaries and the introduction of Stop/ Start technology, all of which have resulted in fuel economy improvements of up to 30%, reducing CO2 emissions by the same amount. Overall the First Bus vehicle improvement programme has resulted in savings of around £10m per annum.

Although producing substantial savings for its own business, the judges applauded First Bus for developing the partnership which will bring benefits for the whole bus industry. The entry showed clear evidence of building on previous work and the benefits it brought.

A condition of DfT’s Clean Bus Technology Funding was that projects must deliver at least a 50% reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. However, TfGM set a higher target of an 80% reduction in these levels and over the course of six months achieved a reduction of up to 99% overall.

The judges liked idea that children should go to school by bus, rather than by car, which reduces congestion and emissions.

TfGM’s scheme has produced very good outcomes, providing good value for the funding.

BRONZE WINNER

CLEAN AIR FOR SCHOOLS TRANSPORT FOR GREATER MANCHESTER

Better air quality is a key shared priority of Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester. TfGM has developed a number of initiatives to help deliver the required improvements in local air quality, including work to encourage the use of Yellow School Buses, and alterations to reduce the vehicles’ emissions as part of the Clean Air for Schools programme. Two successful bids for government funding enabled TfGM to retrofit air pollution control equipment on all of the region’s fleet of 41 Yellow School Buses.

The remaining Yellow School Buses are hybrid diesel-electric, already producing up to 30% fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

FINALIST

WE THINK THE WORLD OF EDINBURGH LOTHIAN BUSES

Lothian Buses is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its activities and created an environmental brand, ‘We think the world of Edinburgh’. This commitment has seen the introduction of new technologies to reduce its impact on the environment.

With 85 hybrid buses currently in service, the company is on its way to meeting the Scottish Government’s ambitious climate change targets. Numerous resource efficiency projects have been carried out internally such as increasing recycling rates which last year reached 94% - as well as power and water saving projects.

The judges liked the ecobrand, and the approach which encompasses the entire operation, delivering comprehensive outputs.

5 5. Lothian Buses 6. Go North East

FINALIST

BUSES DO THEIR BIT DURHAM AIR QUALITY MONITORING AREA GO NORTH EAST

Durham County Council approached Go North East (GNE) in 2014 to discuss its intention to declare an Air Quality Monitoring Area (AQMA) for the Durham City area. An appraisal of the options was carried out, one of which was to reduce diesel engine emissions from buses. GNE agreed to be part of the process and made

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a successful Green Buses joint funding bid to fit particulate traps to buses and it also introduced hybrid vehicles, with a pledge to look to introduce more low emission vehicles in future years.

GNE has continued to invest in its fleet, introducing more low emission vehicles to help achieve the aims of the AQMA. This has included a fleet of 12 Optare Solos for the Indigo service and seven Streetlite double decks on The Castles Express route, followed by 20 Streetlite single decks in May and June 2016 for the Prince Bishops route.

The judges noted the good partnership with Durham County Council and GNE’s ongoing efforts to reduce emissions from its vehicles.

FINALIST

INVERNESS ELECTRICITY STAGECOACH NORTH SCOTLAND

Last year Stagecoach North Scotland launched a £1.1m fleet of six fully electric buses in Inverness. Partly funded from the Scottish Government’s Green Bus Fund, the Optare Solo EV buses are the first fully electric buses of their kind to be used in Scotland. The buses all have a regenerative braking system which generates and stores electrical energy when the brakes are applied, enhancing their operational range to between 70 and 95 miles per full charge. The vehicles’ top speed is 56mph but can be limited to a lower speed to conserve energy. The branding was developed in-house with the aim of raising public awareness of the technology and making the electric buses easy to identify on the road, avoiding the issue that the vehicles look identical to their diesel counterparts!

The judges liked this entry which, although small in scale, is significant in that if it can be shown that electric vehicles can work in smaller cities, they can be rolled out elsewhere. A good partnership with Hitrans was noted, which provided two charging points. Overall the project represents a message for the future.

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03/12/2016 11:33

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05/12/2016 30/11/2016 13:42 11:01

TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL

NEW HORIZONS AWARD

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4 1. Checkedsafe 2. Traveline 3. Reading Buses 4. Transport for London

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Sponsored by

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The judges were impressed with this solution to the problem of performing walk round safety checks. Its simple and easy to use format combines with the benefits of real time data.

Drivers doing checks in the dark benefit from an illuminated screen and torch facility.

Although focussed on the maintainence side, anything that helps ensure that vehicles are fully roadworthy is of benefit to passengers.

GOLD WINNER

CHECKEDSAFE WALK AROUND APP CHECKEDSAFE

Technology and customer interests and expectations continue to develop at a rapid pace; the bus industry needs to embrace these changes, and react to the challenges coming from a changing mobility and social landscape. The New Horizons Award is intended to be a showcase for creativity and innovation. As such, a successful nomination for this Award needs to demonstrate development of an original or novel idea, or the application of a technological solution, that achieves one or more of the following: improves the image of the bus; stimulates interest in, or desire for, the bus product; improves the viability or efficiency of the industry.

This Award will be made for the innovation or application which most contributes to the improvement of the bus product.

Checkedsafe uses an app to enable drivers to carry out the mandatory daily walk round check. The data collected is GPS time, date and location stamped and cannot be tampered with.

The data is sent to a back office system that allows transport managers to manage rectification and record actions in line with DVSA guidance. The system is DVSA compliant as it captures real time data. Developed from the point of view of a transport operator that found paper checks were difficult to enforce and monitor, this solution can eradicate non-compliance as required by the legislation.

The system has had live paying customers for almost two years and reviews have been very good with users reporting savings in time and money and improved maintenance.

SILVER WINNER

TRAVELINE GB JOURNEY PLANNER TRAVELINE INFORMATION

The Traveline GB journey planner allows users to plan door-to-door multi-modal journeys across England, Scotland and Wales with live bus times (where available) and timetable look up for every bus service. Available as a website and app, the new planner replaces the various regional

travel planners in an updated and easier to use format. The planner is the result of listening to customers and stakeholders and has been delivered by a not-forprofit partnership between the bus industry, local authorities, passenger user groups, and the UK government.

The judges liked that there is now one national journey planning app and website which give true door-to-door, multimodal and multi-operator travel information. The inclusion of real time bus information is a real benefit to users.

BRONZE WINNER

CLARET SPRITZER READING BUSES

Reading Buses’ Claret Spritzer is a new take on bus interiors and the overall travelling experience.

Four older vehicles have been refurbished, including new moquette, wood-effect flooring, silver hand-poles and graphics to the rear and staircase area,

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“come upstairs, it’s out of this world”. The upper-decks have been remodelled into three zones - study, play and lounge - which include table seating, a library and Lego to pass the time playing with, and the vehicles have free Wi-Fi and USB charging points. Meanwhile, the project has improved the efficient deployment of the company’s fleet. Reading Buses has also worked in partnership with Reading University to place the buses as a highly visible travel option for both staff and students, resulting in 17% passenger growth.

The judges thought that whilst some of the highly innovative ideas could be seen as a little gimmicky, the whole project has been backed up with sound financial savings in operating cost as well as creating a huge public relations opportunity, which the company was well positioned to exploit.

Involvement of customers in what was desired was noted, and creating travel demand from this demographic was seen to be very positive.

The exceptionally high download rate and positive feedback has cemented it as a permanent fixture within Aberdeen, and has been so successful that there are plans to develop apps in other businesses within FirstGroup.

The judges agreed that employees rarely read noticeboards so this seems a useful tool for employees with smartphones and tablets.

Anything that improves the channels of communication can only be a good thing.

FINALIST

EMPLOYEE APP FIRST ABERDEEN

In August last year First Aberdeen unveiled a new way to communicate with its 500+ employees - the Better Journeys for Life (BJFL) app. Born out of a need to communicate more efficiently with all staff particularly drivers who are a traditionally remote and difficult to reach group - more than 70% of the workforce now use the app on a regular basis.

The annual internal staff survey in 2014 identified that colleagues wanted increased levels of communication through convenient and more interactive methods. It was recognised that established forms of communication had extremely low readership, so there was a recognition that a faster and more efficient way of communication was required, and an app seemed to fit the bill.

The BJFL app contains news, route diversions, driver duty sheets and a regular video blog by managing director David Phillips.

FINALIST

NERVE CENTRE REVOLUTION GO NORTH EAST

Codenamed the Nerve Centre Revolution, Go North East has centralised its three control rooms into one Service Delivery Centre which harnesses the latest technology to provide up to date information for its customers through a mobile phone app and social media. All 650 vehicles in the fleet are now tracked in real time and calls from drivers are now answered in an average of eight seconds. Partnerships have been strengthened and the team now has access to 125 CCTV cameras and will soon have a member of staffed based at Tyne and Wear Urban Traffic Management Control.

The judges were pleased to nots the benefits that the new centre brings to customers by increasing reliability and providing real time information. Better internal communication, particularly with drivers, was also noted.

5 5. Lothian 6. First Aberdeen 7. Go North East

FINALIST

THE TRANSPORT FOR EDINBURGH APP LOTHIAN BUSES

The Transport for Edinburgh (TfE) smartphone app brings together Lothian Buses and tram information in one place, and together with its connected ticketing app, allows users to buy m-tickets. Almost 10,000 m-tickets are used each day and the app allows customers to transfer an m-ticket to another customer’s smartphone. The Travel Information app has been

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downloaded over 410,000 times and is used by an average of 30,000 people a day. In addition to journey planning, the app allows users to share their journey, while blind and partially sighted users can have any part of the app spoken, including next stop announcements and walking directions to the stop.

The judges recognised that the app and its associated ticketing app contain many useful features, such as the ability to transfer an m-ticket to another user, and that tram and Lothian Buses information is included. Whilst in theory a single m-ticket can be bought, which would be useful for a visitor to the city, there is, however, a minimum transaction charge. The app has clearly been successful for regular travellers.

FINALIST

E-PAPER BUS STOPS TRANSPORT FOR LONDON

Real Time Information is the life-blood of a metropolitan transport network, and despite the rise in personalised services and smartphone apps, the demand for on-street signage remains high. In London it is not practical to install these signs at every stop, but using e-paper displays, similar to those used on e-book readers, allows easy installation. A tiny amount of power is used to power the system which can be provided by a small solar panel and battery on the stop. This allows for real time countdown alongside timetable, and any other information, to be displayed instantly. A trial began last year and seven more locations have been added since.

Whilst this system is a new and innovative use for e-paper technology, the judges thought that it was much too early in the scheme to make a judgement on its long term viability. They added they would welcome an entry in a future year when outcomes are known and a decision on rollout made.

However, recognising the innovation, and its potential use in other areas, the judges thought that the project should be included in the list of finalists this year.

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03/12/2016 11:51

TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL

MAKING BUSES A BETTER CHOICE: THE PETER HUNTLEY MEMORIAL AWARD Sponsored by

Peter Huntley had a long career in public transport, working in transport coordination for local authorities, as a consultant at The TAS Partnership, as a journalist and writer, and as an inspirational managing director of a bus company, Go North East, between 2006 and 2011. He was tragically killed in a climbing accident in February 2012 at the age of 55.

Peter helped to found the UK Bus Awards in 1995 and this award is dedicated to his memory as the category that best represents the breadth of his interests and his passion for excellence.

GOLD WINNER

SILVER WINNER

BRONZE WINNER

CITYZAP TRANSDEV BLAZEFIELD

LEOPARD AND LION READING BUSES

Cityzap is an innovative concept in intercity bus travel by developing an ‘intelligent’ non-stop interurban bus service between Leeds and York. Drivers use sat-nav equipment (branded as Zap-Nav!) to choose the fastest route based on the current traffic conditions. They also underwent enhanced customer service training, empowering them to not only choose the route, but upgrade customers to weekly tickets and promote other offers as well as give a no-quibble refund. Since launch, Cityzap has exceeded its passenger targets and achieved passenger satisfaction scores of 5/5.

The judges considered this to be a truly innovative scheme, not only exploiting technology in a way not used before on buses, but also in handing over the power to select the route to the driver.

Good marketing and relationship building has produced excellent results. A very worthy Gold Winner.

Having identified the south and east of Reading as a growth area, Reading Buses took the opportunity to expand its network beyond Reading into Wokingham and Bracknell.

It saw the operator win a tender to operate the former route 144, which was rebranded as Leopard and operated with six high specification vehicles. It led to 56% year-on-year growth.

The newly re-branded Lion service, meanwhile, runs between Bracknell, Wokingham and Reading. Eight heavily refurbished buses were introduced, an enhanced timetable and doubling the Sunday frequency has resulted in ridership increases of 52% and 231% on Sundays!

The judges noted the company’s consistent approach to improvement has enabled it to produce significant increases in passenger numbers on these two routes, which is even more impressive given the very high levels of car ownership in the area.

TWO STARS IN TWO MONTHS BLUESTAR

Over the space of two months last autumn, Bluestar launched two new services to communities that that had been left without a viable local transport option. Research showed a need for an alternative bus service to Southampton hospital, so the Bluestar 17 was introduced with a peak frequency of 15 minutes, making it popular with staff and visitors. Meanwhile, residents of Sholing were left without public transport into Woolston and Southampton.

Understanding the distrust for transport providers, Bluestar 7 utilises a team of hand-picked drivers with the best customer service record. After initial passenger growth of 33% in the first three months, patronage has continued to grow by 13%.

The judges cited these two routes as good examples of how making improvements and going out and selling the services can reap rewards, even in a very difficult operating area.

2 1. Cityzap 2. Leopard & Lion 3. Bluestar 7 and 17 4. South West Falcon 5. The Castles Express 6. Goldline 212 7. Eclipse

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FINALIST

ECLIPSE - DRIVING UP EXPECTATIONS FIRST HAMPSHIRE & DORSET

South Hampshire Bus Rapid Transit is a pioneering partnership project developed

by Hampshire County Council with Solent Transport and First Bus, which links Fareham and Gosport with a dedicated busway built on the route of a disused railway. In its four years of operation, passenger journeys have grown to over two million a year and the scheme has encouraged modal shift.

The Eclipse services that use the busway are a shining example of a partnership working not just for passengers, but for the local economy. A KPMG/Greener Journeys study showed that for every £1 invested in the scheme, Eclipse is delivering £6.94 of benefits to bus users, non-users and the wider economy. This year First Bus invested £3m in a fleet of 17 new high specification vehicles for the Eclipse services.

The judges liked this mature entry with a proven track record of continued passenger growth over a number of years and modal shift from the car. They were also pleased to see the continued commitment of First Bus with its new bus investment.

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FINALIST

THE CASTLES EXPRESS GO NORTH EAST

Go North East’s Castles Express is the new brand for its interurban bus service linking Bishop Auckland, Durham, Chester-leStreet and Newcastle. New high specification branded vehicles have been introduced along with a slightly revised route producing much increased reliability. Yearon-year passenger and revenue growth has been between 11% and 13%. The judges considered this to be an excellent example of turning around an existing service with resultant growth in passenger numbers and revenue.

The distinctive branding makes it clear where the vehicles are going and sit alongside other sucessful Go North East branded routes.

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FINALIST

SOUTH WEST FALCON STAGECOACH SOUTH WEST

Stagecoach’s South West Falcon is a 24/7 coach service connecting Plymouth, Exeter, Taunton, Bristol Airport and Bristol City Centre. It was launched in February at a cost of £2.5m with eight high specification coaches featuring free Wi-Fi, power sockets and leather seats.

Falcon is a stand-alone brand, and through intensive marketing, it has generated a high level of awareness and exceeded passenger and revenue targets.

The judges noted that Stagecoach has done an excellent job in turning around and improving the service, and most importantly, going out and selling it. With the passenger growth from regional airports, the judges considered it is good to see that a bus company is taking advantage of this as well as building passenger numbers in and out of Bristol.

FINALIST

GOLDLINE 212 TRANSLINK

The 212 route links Northern Ireland’s two largest cities - Belfast and Londonderry. Starting in April 1991 with just one bus and two return journeys per day, the service now operates with a peak frequency of every 15 minutes over a 19 hour day. The 212 has become one of Translink’s major success stories with consistent passenger growth. The timetable was expanded in response to customer demand, and the introduction of 12 new high specification coaches this year has added capacity and increased comfort. Route development has enabled punctuality to increase to 98% and reliability to 99.8%, making the service popular with commuters as well as being heavily utilised by students and tourists.

Although replicating what has been done elsewhere in the UK, the judges were pleased to note continued passenger growth over a long period and a positive response by Translink to increase capacity and passenger comfort.

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TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL

BUS AND THE COMMUNITY AWARD

This Award is designed to recognise and reward a scheme, project or other activity which has provided benefits to local people.

The judges will be looking for nominations which place the bus industry (in its widest sense) at the heart of the local community in the area served, having achieved one or more of the following: raised funds for a local charitable project; helped the local community to achieve an objective of its own, examples of which could include: fundraising, provision of community facilities, other means to make life better for one or more groups of people in the community; or provided demonstrable benefits to the staff or team and/or for their employers.

GOLD WINNER

SILVER WINNER

HELPING HAND BRIGHTON & HOVE BUS AND COACH COMPANY

SAFE ZONE BUS XPLORE DUNDEE

Xplore Dundee supports a variety of charities and communitybased projects, but when it was approached to participate in the Safe Zone Bus, it seemed to be a natural partnership. The Safe Zone Bus is a bus fully equipped with a first aid area, seating and tea and coffee making facilities.

It parks at a fixed point in a city centre supermarket’s car park each Friday and Saturday night between 2200 and 0400 to provide a point of support for any vulnerable people out at night. The bus is staffed by a team of trained volunteers and first aiders who work closely with Police Scotland and keep in contact with local pubs and clubs which can refer people to the Safe Zone Bus via radio. There is also a ‘sweeper bus’ which travels through the city and picks up anyone who looks like they are in need of help. Dundee Safe Zone is a multi-agency partnership with Xplore Dundee, Police Scotland, the Scottish Ambulance Service, Dundee City Alcohol and Drug Partnership, Dundee Community Safety Team, Cair Scotland, the British Red Cross and Dundee Street Chaplains. The project has also

Helping Hand is considered to be the best assistive information card available, and was developed

by Brighton & Hove. It is now used widely by other bus operators in surrounding areas, and the deliberately unbranded cards are also used in cinemas and shops as far afield as the continent. The cards bespoke messages don’t label the customer’s condition (unless they wish it to) but instead focus on the type of help needed such as ‘Please be patient if I’m confused’.

The company is working with government to see if it is possible to roll the scheme out across the country.

“Brilliant!” was the way the judges enthusiastically received this entry. Brighton & Hove has shown how the bus industry can be a leader and has developed something with wide appeal beyond public transport.

Exemplary engagement with organisations and the local community has allowed personled development which it is hoped will be adopted across the country. The judges considered Helping Hand to be a very worthy Gold Winner.

secured grants from various sources, including the Scottish Government and Police Scotland.

The judges were impressed with the large number of partners working together to deliver the scheme and thought that is good for Xplore Dundee to be forming links with many of the organisations. They also considered it to be a good project to help a section of society that includes the homeless, injured and distressed as well as those suffering from the effects of alcohol.

BRONZE WINNER

WORK EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TRANSPORT FOR GREATER MANCHESTER

Working with Redwood School in Rochdale and the charity Pure Innovations in Stockport,Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) offers work experience placements to people with learning and physical disabilities at bus stations and transport interchanges in north and south Manchester. Sixteen students have completed the placements which have been tailored to their individual needs.

The experience has given the students the opportunity to work

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adopted the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust as its local charity. The judges thoughts were with Michael and his family and wish him well for his recovery. The support from First Essex and his colleagues was noted and their fund raising efforts will no doubt help the air ambulance in its vital work.

FINALIST

DISABILITY AWARENESS BLACKPOOL TRANSPORT SERVICES

Realising that a significant proportion of disabled people are unable to drive and do not use the bus or tram, Blackpool Transport created a scheme to champion this group through an enhanced offer based on a greater awareness by its staff of the varying needs of disabled travellers. Stakeholders from various disability groups worked in partnership to deliver experiential learning and customer engagement, extending the mandatory CPC training.

The judges noted that although much of the activity undertaken will be needed for all operators next year, being an early adopter could produce some best practice for the rest of the industry.

4 1. Brighton & Hove 2. TfGM 3. Stagecoach East Midlands 4. Xplore Dundee 5. First Midlands

FINALIST

FIRST BUS IN THE MIDLANDS AND TRUSSELL TRUST FOODBANKS FIRST BUS - MIDLANDS

A partnership was established in October 2015 when First Bus in the Midlands was approached by the Stoke-on-Trent Foodbank, asking if the company could help with providing free travel to get volunteers to their distribution centres. The partnership with the Trussell Trust has evolved with First Bus now providing free journey vouchers to volunteers and foodbank users in a number of towns as well as a foodbank run by Charity Link in Leicester.

Foodbanks are now firmly established as the operator’s local charity partners with a range of supporting activities in place as well as free travel. The partnership with the Trussell Trust has supported more than 2,000 individuals and families.

The judges were impressed with how quickly the company embraced helping foodbanks and rolled it out across the region and embraced other ways to help. They considered it to be something that other bus operators could replicate.

FINALIST

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as part of a team, develop new skills which has boosted their self-confidence and in at least one case, has led to employment.

TfGM has also benefited as the students have helped the organisation develop a deeper understanding of the issues that affect people with disabilities when using public transport and assisted in devising solutions.

The judges were impressed with this simple and adaptable scheme which opens up opportunities and creates real long term impact on the students taking part. Having disabled people in the bus industry will help make it more aware of the particular needs of some of its passengers, as well as providing a rewarding experience for its staff and demonstrating that TfGM is a part of the community it serves.

FINALIST

SPECIALLY COMMENDED

FIRST ESSEX SUPPORTING MICHAEL BIRCH AND ESSEX AIR AMBULANCE FIRST ESSEX

In September last year, First Essex bus driver Michael Birch suffered life threatening injuries after a lorry spilled its load crushing his bus. Twenty-three passengers were injured, but none more so than Michael who was left with very severe life-threatening injuries and was rushed to hospital by the Essex Air Ambulance. Michael’s colleagues initially rallied around Michael and his family, and then at Micheal’s request, focussed their efforts on fundraising for the air ambulance which Michaels credits with saving his life. First Essex has now

BIG BUS DAY EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES

SKEGNESS SEASIDERS TEAM STAGECOACH EAST MIDLANDS

Conceived as a one-off event to celebrate the 80th anniversary of East Yorkshire Motor Services (EYMS) in 2006, the Big Bus Day is now an annual fixture and regularly attracts over 7,000 visitors with a mission to make buses and bus travel a part of the community in a fun and engaging way. People who attend the event get to see a bus operator as part of the community, rather than a faceless corporate entity and raises money for charity.

The judges thought this to be an excellent way to engage a large section of the community.

EYMS has done a very good job of sustaining the event and the judges praised the idea of engaging with young people, the bus users of the future.

The Seasiders are six individual liveried open top buses presented as named characters with classic seaside themes, which provide accessible transport between the top tourist destinations of Skegness and Ingoldmells. Staff at Skegness wanted to embrace the popularity of The Seasiders and use this to raise money for charitable causes. It has seen thousands of pounds raised and enhanced the profile of the Stagecoach business in Skegness.

It has encouraged bus patronage and investment.

What impressed the judges with this entry is that the activity was initiated, and is undertaken by, the staff at the Skegness depot, making it truly a part of the local community it serves.

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TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL

LOCAL AUTHORITY BUS PROJECT OF THE YEAR 1. NXWM and Centro 2. West Yorkshire Combined Authority and partners 3. Aberdeenshire Council and partners

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Sponsored by

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GOLD WINNER

SILVER WINNER

THE WEST MIDLANDS BUS ALLIANCE: A UK FIRST CENTRO AND NATIONAL EXPRESS WEST MIDLANDS

The performance of most bus services is critically affected by local authority policies on traffic management, parking and road network development as well as land use and the relative importance placed on the needs of public transport compared to other priorities. Even in these times of austerity, it is possible for authorities working either separately or in partnership with operators and other stakeholders to deliver projects that can improve local bus services.

ELLAND ROAD PARK AND RIDE WEST YORKSHIRE COMBINED AUTHORITY AND PARTNERS

Partnership between Centro (the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority), bus operators and other stakeholders has been thriving in the region for many years, particularly with the region’s largest operator, National Express West Midlands (NXWM). The West Midlands Bus Alliance is the first partnership of its type in the UK with a structure that aims to ensure there is greater buy-in from bus operators, as well as the highways authorities and LEPs by providing shared ownership of objectives and delivery. The intention is that by working closely together all of the benefits that might otherwise be achieved through franchising can be achieved, but without the need for contractual arrangements.

In a very comprehensive and well supported entry, the judges were impressed by the integration between NXWM and Centro.

Being a good model that could be reproduced elsewhere, they were also pleased to see a single body acting in the interests of passengers, making the scheme a very worthy Gold Winner.

The 800 space Elland Road Park and Ride opened in 2013 as a partnership scheme between the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leeds City Council, with First West Yorkshire as the partner operator.

The ÂŁ2.8m project set out to offer fast, reliable, comfortable and frequent access for commuters and visitors to Leeds city centre.

It has demonstrated very strong passenger growth contributing to modal shift with over 500 cars parked at the site and over 1,000 single passenger journeys made every weekday. Over 60% of people using the service are regular commuters and work is underway on extending the car park. Plans are well advanced for a second site in Leeds.

The judges were pleased to note that the park and ride site had been created in a partnership between the local authority, transport authority and a bus operator and has encouraged modal shift. The scheme is clearly very successful as it is being extended and a second site planned.

BRONZE WINNER

GRASSHOPPER MULTIOPERATOR TICKETING ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL AND PARTNERS

GrassHOPPER is the branding for an operator-led multioperator bus ticketing agreement for north-east Scotland. It is administered by Aberdeenshire Council on behalf of a management committee made up of public sector organisations as well as First, Stagecoach and nine other smaller bus operators.

Adult day and weekly passes for six geographical zones across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are available covering an area of approximately 6,500 sq km.

GrassHOPPER tickets allow passengers to travel on any local bus route and to connect between services. Paper-based tickets were replaced with smartcard passes in the summer, with further developments to follow.

The large number of bus operators, covering a wide geographical area, that are participating in the scheme impressed the judges. Integrated off-bus ticketing is to be encouraged and multi-operator tickets are very beneficial for customers. The judges were also pleased by aspirations to extend the scheme to other modes.

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award winning

The West Midlands Bus Alliance

Faster journeys - increased investment in highways ÂŁ125 million of investment in happier passengers Customer satisfaction of 87% Cleaner air - we have halved emissions in the last five years and will halve them again by 2020 Integrated ticketless travel - buy tickets on mobile or bank card Comfier seats, next-stop announcements, free WiFi and USB charging

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TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL

PUTTING PASSENGERS FIRST

Sponsored by

Delivery of excellence in customer service is vital to the future of the bus industry. This award is designed to promote its delivery and improvement by rewarding excellence, best practice and innovation in this essential area.

The judges are looking for: an organisation that broke genuinely new ground in either the delivery of customer satisfaction, or engagement with and gaining feedback from customers; a particularly creative solution, developed by an organisation or team, which had vastly improved the passenger experience; or an initiative that had improved the journey experience for a particular passenger group.

Ideally, the winner of the award will set ambitions for the future and thus blaze a trail for others in the industry to follow.

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GOLD WINNER

ENABLING TOMORROW’S CUSTOMERS TODAY READING BUSES

Reading Buses has adopted a tailored focus on young people, recognising them as the commuting and leisure customers of the future. The company identified young people as being the biggest growth market for bus travel and arguably where Reading Buses has the best opportunity to attract and retain users.

Whilst always providing a strong multi-generational offer, the company aims to convert and retain young people by providing transport that meets their needs in their formative years, before their travel behaviours mature and cement, and they become car owners. Clear branding and discounted ticketing (Solo), a dedicated school bus network (Silver stars) and a studentfocussed University bus (Claret spritzer) have been provided and marketed through social media and interactive approaches to

engage and communicate. The results are clear with 68% more Solo customers in four years and 17% more customers on Claret university services.

The judges were impressed with Reading Buses’ approach, clearly defining what it wanted to achieve, and properly measuring the outcome. The company has successfully targetted the demographic that is traditionally the most difficult to please with a combination of appropriately branded vehicles, attractive ticketing options and marketing

through the channels most likely to reach these customers. A good example of putting passengers first and a worthy Gold Winner.

SILVER WINNER

WEST MIDLANDS SAFER TRAVEL PARTNERSHIP NATIONAL EXPRESS WEST MIDLANDS AND PARTNERS

The Transport Focus Bus Passenger Survey found that feeling safe is an important driver in deciding whether to use public transport, so the West Midlands

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1. Reading Buses 2. NXWM 3. Transport for Edinburgh 4. Reading Buses 5. Easylink 6. Easylink

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this demand, Lothian Buses has produced the Transport for Edinburgh App, which builds on the company’s existing digital journey planner and partnership with Google Maps to deliver a real time journey smartphone application. Once a journey has been planned, it can be tracked in real time with the information on journey progress shared with anyone by e-mail, text message, Facebook or Twitter. This has proved to be a popular feature among passengers, especially parents who use it to track their children’s bus journey and meet them at the bus stop.

Although not the first travel app, the judges noted its user-friendly design and integration with trams. Real time information is very useful for passengers, and the ability to share journey progress is obviously greatly appreciated.

FINALIST

EASYLINK NOTTINGHAM COMMUNITY TRANSPORT

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Safer Travel Partnership was set up. It is the first of its kind in the UK and brings together Centro, West Midlands Police, British Transport Police and bus operators including National Express West Midlands (NXWM). A number of strategies were employed including changing the way incidents are reported, plain clothes police on buses and the deployment of 4G data units plugged into onboard cameras allowing footage to be streamed live to the police, bringing a rapid

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reducing antisocial behaviour and making bus passengers feel safe using a combination of traditional methods and new technologies.

response to incidents. Police and Crime Commissioner figures show crime on NXWM buses is down 6% this year and the latest Transport Focus Bus Passenger Survey statistics showed that more passengers are feeling safer with 79% reporting they feel secure on NXWM buses, an increase of ten percentage points since 2012.

The judges noted this as being a very good example of partnership working with a number of agencies. The scheme has been very successful in

BRONZE WINNER

THE TRANSPORT FOR EDINBURGH APP LOTHIAN BUSES

Many customers, especially the younger, tech-savvy ones, expect more from bus operators when it comes to delivering up-todate information. To satisfy

Easylink is the new demand responsive bus service for the Greater Nottingham area operated by Nottingham Community Transport.

Launched in December 2015, it replaced the Dial-a-Ride service which had been losing customers. Easylink was designed to be attractive to as wide a circle of potential users rather than just those with “no other choice”. Many of the old barriers including annual membership fees, booking restrictions and zonal fares have been removed or significantly altered. Since the launch of Easylink, the number of journeys made has gone up 63% and the number of registered users has increased by 130%, compared with the old Dial-a-Ride service.

The judges noted the high level of consultation before the launch of the new service, which they considered to be very important in the context of the withdrawal of tendered bus services. Easylink shows that demand responsive transport still has a part to play in the public transport mix, even in a city with such a good network of bus and tram services.

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Congratulations to all the winners and finalists at the UK Bus Awards 2016...

WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED IN ASSOCIATION WITH: www.go-ahead.com GoAheadGroupPLC @GoAheadGroup

Nottingham City Transport Gold Winner: Bus Operator of the Year

NEWS ROUND-UP

SOUVENIR BROCHURE Information about all Gold, Silver and Bronze winners, and the other finalists, can be found in the official UK Bus Awards Souvenir Brochure - “The Big Book of Big Winners” - which accompanies the next edition of Passenger Transport.

UK Bus Operator of the Year, Nottingham City Transport helped raise money for the recent BBC Children in Need appeal

NCT crowned bus operator of the year

Local authority-owned company wins top prize just two years since it last won the coveted title in a competition that ALBUM members dominated UK BUS AWARDS

Nottingham City Transport was crowned Operator of the Year at this week’s UK Bus Awards in London. The local authorityowned company took home the coveted prize just two years since it last won the top honour.

NCT fought off competition from last year’s winner, Reading Buses, which took the ‘silver winner’ of the competition after winning gold in the shire operator category. Scottish operator Prentice Coaches was named the ‘bronze winner’ of the competition after taking gold in the independent operator category.

Judges were particularly impressed by NCT’s close 12 | 25 November 2016

attention to detail in a number of areas and, in particular, efforts to tackle traffic congestion issues as a result of roadworks by instigating a roadworks consultation regime that ensures that the operator is involved at every stage in planning street works.

THE MEDAL TABLE: UKBA 2016

ALBUM Go-Ahead Stagecoach NEG Arriva RATP Dev Transdev FirstGroup

G

S

B

5 3 2 2 0 1 1 0

5 1 2 2 0 2 0 1

2 4 1 0 4 0 0 0

12 8 5 4 4 3 1 1

“The company clearly ticks lots of boxes with investment in new vehicles and facilities for passengers such as next stop announcements and free Wi-Fi across the whole fleet,” said judges. They also commented on the way drivers are looked after with extensive training in customer service skills and offering the highest pay rates in the region.

Meanwhile, last year’s top operator, fellow municipal Reading Buses, took away a flurry of awards. The operator struck triple gold by not only winning the Top Shire Operator category but was also the ‘gold winner’ in both the Environment and Putting Passengers First contests. It also

won silver in the Young Manager and Making Buses a Better Choice categories. There was also a bronze award in the New Horizons category and Chris Vest, the operator’s academy trainer, was handed a special commendation in the Unsung Heroes category.

Alongside other council-owned and independents, the ALBUM group of non-aligned operators once again dominated the awards, relegating the nearest big group Go-Ahead - to second place.

The esteemed accolade for Services to the Industry went to Ian Morgan, co-founder and deputy chairman of Derbyshirebased bus group Wellglade, the parent company of award winning bus operator Trentbarton and sister companies Door2door, Kinchbus, Notts+Derby and TM Travel. The group is also part of the Nottingham Tramlink consortium and holds a 50% share in High Peak Buses.

Morgan has also been active for many years in the industry trade association, the Confederation of Passenger Transport. He served as president in 2009, and has been its chairman since 2011. He was appointed OBE in the Queens’ Birthday Honours in 2015 and he helped to found the UK Bus Awards as well, serving on the management committee for several of the crucial early years.

In making the award, today’s management committee, paid tribute to Morgan’s impressive record in the industry and the wider East Midlands community.

Driving Energy Further

Reading Buses launches environmental strategy Planet Reading strategy aims to cut environmental impact

Chinese firm launches three new electric models ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD used the United Motorcoach Association Expo in New Orleans to reveal the world’s first long range electric coach.

The BYD C9 is a two-axle coach that has a seating capacity of 47, a top speed of 62.5mph and a range of 190 miles. The new coach uses the proprietary BYD in-wheel drive axle and the 365 kWh lithium-ion battery pack can be recharged in less

STRATEGIES

Council-owned bus operator Reading Buses has launched a new employee environmental awareness initiative that aims to foster a wider understanding of sustainability and individual environmental impacts.

As part of the ‘Planet Reading’ initiative, the operator has launched a new set of annual targets which the operator says it is committed to monitoring as well as sharing progress with employees and reviewing each year.

Commenting on the new strategy, Martijn Gilbert, chief executive of Reading Buses, said that Planet Reading was part of a wider employee awareness initiative that challenges all employees in the business to consider their environmental impact on Reading and the wider planet. This includes new recycling and switch off initiatives.

There are now awareness posters and stickers across the company’s depots and offices to keep these initiatives visible to staff. In addition, all employees are being issued with a Caring For Our World information booklet which sets out the company’s green agenda.

The booklet also outlines the company’s 2015 targets for reducing waste to landfill, vehicle carbon emissions, electricity and water use and gives some advice on the ways in which employees can help with these initiatives as

Reading Buses Gold Winner: Top Shire Operator.

Gold Winner: Environment BYD REVEALS ELECTRIC COACHES

Transdev Blazefield Gold Winner: Making Buses a Better Choice

NEWS ROUND-UP

Martijn Gilbert (right) and Tony Pettit, the director of resources, launch the new Planet Reading strategy

well as how the company itself is helping to make meeting these targets easier for staff.

Gilbert also pointed to the operator’s use of low carbon buses powered by greener methods, such as the 31 hybrid and 34 biomethane buses as part of its strategy to get Reading moving using more sustainable forms of travel.

“We must continue to build upon our green credentials, not

only to reduce our impact on the environment, but also to show how green practices can benefit our customers and stakeholders,” he added. “Planet Reading gives us a fun and engaging platform to get everyone involved in this important topic, raising awareness of our impact locally and globally whilst demonstrating our ongoing commitment to be smarter and greener in everything we do on a daily basis”.

PLANET T RE READING ADING OBJECTIVES READING BUSES’ ANNUAL TA TARGETS: T RGETS: ET ETS: 20% reduction in waste sent to landfill; 8% reduction in electricity used in premises; 5% reduction in vehicle carbon emissions; and 2% reduction in water usage.

EMPLOYEES ENCOURAGED TO FOCUS ON FIVE KEY AREAS: Encouraging safe and fuel efficient driving using telematic technology; Recycling of all waste paper, card, plastic and cans; Switching off lights, devices and engines after two minutes of idling; Saving water at all times; and Considering more sustainable ways of travelling to and from work.

www.passengertransport.co.uk

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www.passengertransport.co.uk

West Midlands Bus Alliance Gold Winner: Local Authority Bus Project of the Year

“I don’t think anybody thought they wouldFINCH see TO O ADDRESS a viable electric YBMN MEETING ING National Express boss to coach solution”

speak at Birmingham event

EVENTS than two hours by way of a 200 kW Details have been announced for charging system. BYD claims that the up next the battery will retain tomeeting 80% of of the Young Bus Network, which will be its capacity over itsManagers 12 year useful held early next month. It will take service life. placeindustry on Mayis 3-4 and will be held at “The transportation Birmingham’s still just warming up to the idea ofJury’s Inn in the heart of thebuses, city’s”Broad Battery Electric transit said Street area. thepresident city is home to National Macy Neshati, BYD’sAs vice Express Group, the event’s keynote of bus and coach sales.

“It was speaker be Dean Finch, the exciting to walk around lastwill year’s group’s executive.

APTA Expo in Houston andchief see so Finch will address the delegates many reputable names displaying

an electrified transit bus. However, I don’t think anybody thought they would see a viable electric coach solution for a few more years.”

The BYD C9 is the first of three completely electric coach models that will be launched by the Chinese firm this year. The other two models are the longer tri-axle C10 seating the 58 passengers andduring shorter C6evening of May 3. The say that this promises to with seating for 21.organisers They will have beand an insightful a range of 190 miles 125 milesspeech about both his career at senior levels in public respectively. transport and his views from the top the top | 17of one of the UK’s 27position Februaryat2015 largest international, multi-modal transport businesses.

25/02/2015 17:47 The following day will hear presentations from other senior industry figures including Bob Dunn, managing director of Rotala subsidiaries Preston Bus and Diamond North West, and David Sidebottom, passenger director at watchdog Transport Focus.

“We are again assembling another jam-packed agenda of fantastic presenters who will doubtless inspire all young managers,” commented Alex Hornby, chief executive of Transdev Blazefield and YBMN committee member.

Bookings for next month’s event will open shortly online at youngbusmanagers.org.uk with discounts for early bird bookings.

“We are again assembling another jam packed agenda”

CityZap is operating between Leeds and York every 30 minutes

Sat-nav CityZap service targets rail passengers New non-stop bus link between Leeds and York will use sat nav technology to find the quickest route in a move clearly aimed at competing with rail NETWORKS

Last weekend saw bus operator Transdev Blazefield launch CityZap, a new express route connecting York with Leeds that uniquely will use satellite navigation technology to direct drivers to the fastest possible route between the two cities.

The non-stop service will operate every 30 minutes, with last buses at weekends as late as 3am. Each bus has been equipped with sat-nav technology that will allow the service’s dedicated team of drivers to choose the quickest route between Leeds and York and avoid congestion hotspots.

While a variety of introductory fares are being offered for the first few weeks of operation, including student fares of just £1

04 | 1 April 2016

per trip, the bus operator is clearly hoping to win custom from the parallel train service between the two cities. Until the end of April passengers in possession of a valid rail ticket between York and Leeds will able to use CityZap free of charge.

“We listen to what people tell us would convince them to use the bus more - a faster journey, personal space, on-board comfort and Wi-Fi connections - as

“This will enable us to really challenge the way people perceive bus travel” Alex Hornby, Transdev

well as a friendly driver,” said Alex Hornby, chief executive of Transdev Blazefield. “Essentially, often what they expect from their car, except we are giving them more. In CityZap we believe we have met and exceeded their aims, with a very powerful alternative for the motorist, given the use of sat-nav and empowering our drivers to decide the quickest route every time.”

Hornby added that rail users are also likely to see the benefits of more personal space and fares at better than half the price of a peak rail journey. He continued: “It is this pioneering overall service design, wrapped in an energetic and vibrant brand, that will enable us to really challenge the way people perceive bus travel.” www.passengertransport.co.uk

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Passenger Transport keeps you informed about what’s going on in your industry, in print and online. We are the leading magazine for those who are interested in the new ideas and initiatives that will shape the future of transport.

Find out about next year’s winners today

SUBSCRIBE TODAY Subscribing to Passenger Transport is easy. You can call us on 020 7749 6909, email subs@passengertransport.co.uk, or go online now to www.passengertransport.co.uk

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TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL

THE AWARD FOR MARKETING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR Sponsored by

This award is for successful promotional ideas and campaigns which get the message about services over to the target market through advertising, PR activity or sales promotion schemes. It’s about creating an impact, winning ‘hearts and minds’, creating or developing a strong brand or improving the image of bus travel, and helping to change public perceptions and/or consumer behaviour.

Sustainable Transport Fund programme using funding from the Department for Transport.

The judges were very impressed with the outcomes of this well thought out scheme: 83% felt less stressed than driving, 60% saw an improvement in their journey time and 77% will continue to use public transport and would recommend it to others. Six months later 43% were still using public transport instead of their car on a daily basis, showing a substantial and sustained modal shift and making Busboost a Gold Winner.

GOLD WINNER

BUSBOOST SOUTH YORKSHIRE PASSENGER TRANSPORT EXECUTIVE

Busboost is a transport initiative for South Yorkshire businesses and organisations that encourages commuters who normally travel by car, to switch to public transport for part, or all, of their journey. In the latest round of the scheme, almost 4,000 daily commuters were provided with a 28 day smartcard, giving them free use of local bus, tram and train services during the travel trial period. Seventy-seven percent of participants said they would continue to use public transport for all or part of their daily commute and would recommend public transport to other people.

The initiative was developed and delivered by South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and partners as part of the Local

SILVER WINNER

KING’S CITY STAGECOACH SOUTH

Having run buses in Winchester for almost 30 years, Stagecoach South identified passenger growth could be attained by creating a brand and identity

for the local bus network that resonated with local sensibilities, appealing to both residents and visitors, ensuring the bus felt like ‘a cut above’ as well as making improvements to the network and timetables thus changed the perception of bus travel.

King’s City is the new name and new look for Winchester’s local bus network with easy to read timetables and maps, online travel planning and better rail connections at Winchester station. A fleet of new Euro 6 vehicles with free Wi-Fi, USB charging points and next stop announcements are now in use with an eye catching claret and champagne livery.

“A very well done network re-launch with real passion,” said judges. Stagecoach South identified the weaknesses in its services and fixed them, along with a significant investment in a new fleet and an engaging local livery. The judges noted ➢

2 1. Busboost 2. Robert Jack from Passenger Transport with Tanya Shiodrick and Nicola Bladen from SYPTE 3. King's City

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TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL

THE AWARD FOR MARKETING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR that the company got its staff on board, as well as a wide range of local stakeholders, and created a high profile launch event.

BRONZE WINNER

BUS START ARRIVA UK BUS

Arriva’s Bus Start campaign was devised to challenge the perceived barriers to bus travel, encouraging people to re-evaluate their attitudes and behaviours about the use of Arriva buses.

The national multi-channel campaign incorporated large outdoor billboards, 30 second radio ads, digital/mobile display advertising, customer relationing management mailing, media relations and a combination of paid for and organic social media content. The campaign increased brand awareness, drove more downloads of the journey planning and M-ticket app and encouraged the switch to off-bus revenue through electronic ticket purchase as well as promoting the benefits and ease of bus travel generally. Bus Start exceeded all the commercial objectives set at the outset, and the outcomes continue to inform ongoing marketing activity.

The judges liked the comprehensive approach to this broad campaign. High levels of research gave plenty of measurable outcomes which demonstrated the great success of Bus Start as well as giving valuable information for future activity.

majority of parents are bus users. The children at the school created their own designs for a bus exterior on the improved 410/411 service. The winning design was chosen by judges and a public vote, and was reproduced on a bus used on the route. The #HarveyBus has become part of the community and runs past the school everyday. As the X-factor tour was coming to Leeds the week the service launched, Arriva Yorkshire took the opportunity to

use this as the backbone behind the marketing.

The judges liked the way that this initiative capitalised on a moment in time to come up with an imaginative marketing hook.

FINALIST

FIRST SOUTHAMPTON PAINTS THE CITY RED FIRST HAMPSHIRE & DORSET

Red is Southampton’s civic colour and was the livery of the city’s corporation buses. To

FINALIST

NEW MENDIP XPLORER BRAND FIRST WEST OF ENGLAND

4 4. Harvey Bus 5. Bus Start 6. City Red

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FINALIST

#HARVEYBUS - 410/411 X-FACTOR INITIATIVE ARRIVA YORKSHIRE

The #HarveyBus is the centrepiece of the Castleford network relaunch and it seems to have won the hearts and minds of local residents, passengers and the press.

The marketing initiative celebrated the first direct bus route into Leeds from the Chequerfield estate near Pontefract in West Yorkshire. The campaign worked closely with De Lacy Primary School in the Chequerfield estate, where the

continue this tradition, in 2013 First Southampton began reintroducing red buses on some of its most popular, high frequency routes. The marketing campaign used a range of channels to make the City Red the “prefer-red” public transport service in Southampton, and passenger numbers have increased substantially on the five routes that have been rebranded so far.

The judges were pleased to see the reinvigoration of the Southampton network and noted the substantial increases in passenger numbers as a result.

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First West of England’s service 376 links Bristol with the Somerset town of Street via Wells and Glastonbury. In recent years, passenger numbers on the route have grown steadily prompting the company to make a significant investment in the service in 2015 accompanied by a fully integrated bespoke marketing campaign to accelerate growth. To complement the arrival of eight brand new vehicles, the Mendip Xplorer brand was created to highlight the cross-country nature of the service connecting The Mendips with Bristol, linking Wells, Glastonbury and Street, which have no train services, to the railway and the city. The marketing campaign included a new Mendip Xplorer livery, uniform and name badges, new signage at bus stations and depots, and a large scale advertising campaign targeting commuters and tourists at various points along the route. The success can easily be measured by a 30% rise in passenger numbers in the first quarter of this year.

The judges noted the investment in new vehicles and were particularly pleased to see the partnerships created with visitor attractions and destinations along the route. The increase in passenger numbers speak for themselves.

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TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL

THE AWARD FOR SUSTAINED MARKETING EXCELLENCE

2 1. Greener Journeys 2. Lothian Buses 3. Greener Journeys

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1

Sponsored by

Jounreys has combined rigorous and credible economic analysis with hard hitting messages to influence political and policy decisions.

The judges noted the substantial achievements of Greener Journeys on behalf of the whole bus industry.

Its recent successes include a report showing that every £1 spent on the national Bus Pass scheme delivers £2.87 worth of benefits, leading to manifesto commitments from all political parties to support Bus Pass, without means testing; Greener Journeys showed that BSOG delivers up to £3.50 for every £1 spent, leading to cuts to BSOG being spared in the 2015 Spending Review; and investment in bus infrastructure has been shown to deliver up to £7 for every £1 invested, which prompted the creation of the Access Fund (£500m capital, £80m revenue).

GOLD WINNER

GREENER JOURNEYS

This award is designed to recognise marketing excellence of over a sustained period that is likely to be measured in years rather than weeks. The award goes to the organisation that best demonstrates how an active, customer-focused marketing strategy, consistently applied over time, has driven business improvement, won extra journeys and captured new customers, ideally through a shift of travel from car to bus.

Greener Journeys is a crosssector campaign group dedicated to encouraging modal shift from car to bus. It exists to generate enthusiasm and awareness of the benefits of the bus at a grassroots level, while also arguing for greater investment in bus infrastructure, funding and regulatory mechanisms at both local and national political levels. Successful marketing to consumers, local decision makers and the bus industry is therefore vital to its objective of prompting behavioural change.

In recent years, Greener Journeys has run a number of public campaigns, from making the case for concessionary travel with the Case for the Bus Pass to encouraging people across the country to take the bus during Catch the Bus Week. Across all its campaigns Greener

SILVER WINNER

NIGHTBUS LOTHIAN BUSES

Many businesses as well as leisure and retail destinations in Edinburgh are open longer or even 24 hours a day. The strategy behind the expansion of Lothian Buses NightBus service is where there is evidence that a new route or increase in frequency has the passenger demand to sustain it, the company responds. Higher frequencies are employed to meet extra demand at the weekends, but the aim is to provide a comprehensive network seven days a week, working on the premise that the NightBus network should be available to as many passengers as possible, all of the time. This strand of the strategy has formed a key part of all NightBus marketing campaigns.

The judges noted the sustained growth of passenger numbers

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on Lothian Buses NightBus network, which had been fuelled by sustained marketing over several years. Getting staff out at night gathering feedback was seen to be very positive and no doubt influenced future network developments as well as the marketing strategy. A worthy Silver winner.

BRONZE WINNER

EXPRESS CITY CONNECT STAGECOACH EAST SCOTLAND

Continued investment and development in the Express City Connect network by Stagecoach East Scotland means that ongoing engaging marketing campaigns have been required over recent years. The varied target market and wide geographical area across Fife, Perthshire, Dundee and Angus as well as Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Livingston to where the network now extends, has required significant effort. Simple and consistent marketing and brand development have been used to promote the luxury coaches, fitted with free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, wheelchair lift, luggage lockers, CCTV, plug/USB sockets and the majority of the fleet also have leather reclining seats and a toilet on board. Cohesive and high quality publicity material, well placed advertising and creative messaging ensure that the services are recognisable, trusted and aligned with the luxury product and continue to be successful in achieving modal shift and a positive journey experience.

The judges noted the continued investment by Stagecoach East Scotland in this high quality network of services and were pleased to see consistent growth in passenger numbers and modal shift.

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5 4. Stagecoach East Scotland 5. The 36 6. Stagecoach East Scotland 7. Go North East

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FINALIST

GO, GO, GO! GO NORTH EAST

Go North East uses strategic and effective marketing backed up by solid research and the use of sophisticated techniques more

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akin to major retailers to ensure its business is well supported and its marketing activity targeted.

Over 10,000 pieces of customer feedback are collected and analysed every month, leading to continual improvement.

New technology has helped Go North East deliver successful and targeted marketing campaigns mixed with more traditional methods. The company has analysed bus routes and demographics to deliver and personalise mail shots in concentrated areas to households within 600 metres of a bus stop.

The personalised information includes nearest bus stop details.

The judges noted the granular research undertaken by Go North East and how that was translated into highly targeted and very successful marketing using a mixture of techniques.

FINALIST

THE 36 - RIDING REDEFINED TRANSDEV BLAZEFIELD

Billed as having the finest buses in the country, Transdev Blazefield’s service 36 links Ripon, Harrogate and Leeds using a high specification fleet featuring free Wi-Fi, community book exchange, quilted leather seats with airline-style tables, a lounge area with desks, two plus one seating upstairs and a glazed roof. The next stop announcements feature BBC Look North’s Harry Gration, a “beloved Yorkshireman” using an informal style to proclaim “get off here for a cup of tea at Betty’s Tearoom” rather than staid, robotic information. The 36 is a pioneer in the sustained marketing of buses and has never rested on its laurels, challenging people’s perceptions of public transport. In June the route became one of the first outside London to accept contactless payments.

Whilst applauding the extremely high standards set by the 36, the judges would like to see how well the most recent revamp detailed in the entry has been received and how passenger numbers and revenues have been affected.

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PEOPLE

YOUNG MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by

This award focuses on the talent we will all rely on to deliver our bus services for the next 20 years and more: the young managers, currently delivering and planning services at the sharp end - but whose skills will be vitally important over the coming years as the bus increasingly comes to be seen as an aid to reducing carbon emissions and fighting climate change.

1. Stephanie Maher

GOLD WINNER

STEPHANIE MAHER NATIONAL EXPRESS WEST MIDLANDS

Stephanie Maher joined National Express West Midlands (NXWM) in September 2011 on the company’s first busonly graduate scheme. Since December 2014, she has been Operations Manager of the busy Wolverhampton depot with 554 staff and carrying 28 million passengers a year. In 2015 Stephanie and her team won NXWM Garage of the Year.

Wolverhampton garage achieved the best scores in the company for safety, cost, customer and people performance, winning three out of the four categories.

Stephanie is very dedicated to her role as operations manager, and goes above and beyond to ensure the success of the garage and the welfare of her staff. Stephanie is a real people person and engages well with all members of the team at Wolverhampton. She has an excellent ability to build teams and to empower individuals.

Senior management believe that Stephanie’s winning combination of steely determination and a sunny personality makes her a great role model for women in

1

the bus industry.

The judges were very impressed with her quiet effectiveness and significant personal development over the past couple of years. The scale of the operation at Wolverhampton is large and Stephanie has done well to take this on so effectively alongside studying for an MBA. She goes out and influences how decisions are made in the industry and takes every opportunity to expand her knowledge. In a very tight contest, Stephanie pushed ahead to become the Gold Winner.

including a prestigious 12 bus operation for Vodafone. Dan is the key ingredient to making operations run smoothly. He motivates and leads his teams to ensure services are delivered in the best and most efficient way possible and works tirelessly to mobilise 420 drivers to deliver very high standards of customer service. He has delivered tangible results making services better for customers and employees alike.

Under Dan’s leadership reliability and punctuality have improved, a route acquisition was mobilised resulting in 51% more customers, while blame worthy accidents have reduced by 32%. That’s testament to his hard work and commitment to making changes to the business to make sure he’s getting the best out of all his employees, with a focus on the end customer.

The judges considered that as a company that already has very high reliability and riderships levels, it would hard to improve what Reading Buses is doing already, but Dan has made tangible improvements. He is a confident and competent young man and clearly plays a key role in the management team. Not resting on his laurels, he has plenty of ideas for the future

SILVER WINNER

DAN BASSETT READING BUSES

Dan Bassett is responsible for the management of Reading Buses’ day to day operations at depot level. This involves overseeing 420 drivers across the Reading and Newbury depots, 16 control room and supervisory staff, a resources supervisor and two driver performance managers.

The 181 bus operation consists of a mix of high-frequency town operations (including four x 24/7 services), lower frequency rural services, school buses and private contract operations,

and will continue to make a difference. The judges found it very hard to decide between the top two positions.

BRONZE WINNER

SOPHIE MOORBY GO NORTH EAST

Since starting with Go North East in 2014 Sophie Moorby quickly achieved the role of depot manager at Washington, the youngest person in company history to do so at the age of 23.

Sophie has used her positive attitude and confidence to focus on helping her staff so that she can get the most out of them, thus improving the service for customers. She has achieved buy in from every member of staff in her depot increasing engagement and morale. As a young female graduate taking over a depot early in her career, Sophie has integrated well into the team working well on her own, but also drawing on the company’s knowledge and experience when necessary. She has brought some fresh new ideas to the team, using a very impressive leadership and engagement model, whilst working hard to promote the company’s long term ➢ success.

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PEOPLE

YOUNG MANAGER OF THE YEAR

The judges were extremely impressed with Sophie and what she has achieved. Her direct, straightforward and no nonsense approach has served her well, and she has worked hard to bring on her staff and build an effective team around her. She has enormous potential for a very successful career in the bus industry and the judges would like to see her progress in a couple of years with another entry.

SPECIALLY COMMENDED

MATTHEW ELSEY FIRST ESSEX

Matthew Elsey manages the stores function for First Essex, initially for the Chelmsford depot, and he now manages stores across all First Essex depots. Matthew’s positive attitude and confident management style engages and focusses his team. He empowers and encourages them to be involved in all tasks. His theory is that a manager is only as good as his team, so

achievement, the judges wanted to award Matthew a Special Commendation.

teamwork is the key to achieving targets. Matthew has put into place an organised and disciplined working environment with control measures to maximise productivity and efficiency. A recent stock check by external auditors of more than 9,000 items showed 100% compliance. In fact First Essex is top of the league across all First Bus companies for operational compliance, which is largely down to Matthew’s hard work.

Matthew’s stores function is considered the exemplar across First Bus in the UK. The judges were very impressed with what Matthew has achieved. He is ambitious and deserves great credit for identifying a career path for himself. He can see the big picture, and understands how important the stores function is to the smooth running of other departments in the garage and has made it efficient and cost effective whilst building a strong team around him to ensure that systems are run properly.

In view of his special effort and

FINALIST

ALISTAIR TIMMIS ARRIVA MIDLANDS & SHIRES

Alistair Timmis is a young man committed to excellence in the passenger transport industry.

He began his career with Harrogate Coach Travel (Connexions Buses) in North Yorkshire in 2007, where he cleaned and fuelled vehicles as a part time job, and joined Arriva in 2012 as a General Management Graduate after studying at Durham University.

Alistair took every opportunity given to him to learn the business from the ground up and has honed his management skills in a number of different operational roles prior to becoming a General Manager at Tamworth.

It is a role he has made his own and excelled at, making a tangible difference to the running of services across the thriving market town.

FINALIST

KATIE WAGSTAFF STAGECOACH LONDON

Katie Wagstaff joined Stagecoach London’s management team at Leyton garage, a busy city centre depot with 370 drivers and 135 vehicles carrying over two million passengers every month. After getting a brief overview of the key departments and roles, she quickly adapted to the intensity of the role, having spent her previous year on the Stagecoach graduate programme in Portsmouth and Worthing. Katie quickly got to know the drivers and took direct ownership of the new entrants and probationers, overseeing their progress and development.

She has provided a fresh perspective on the operation and helped achieve a good set of year end performance figures.

Katie will tackle any challenge set and is confident in dealing with people at all levels, showing flexibility and never shying away from dealing with a problem or challenging behaviour.

2. Sophie Moorby 3. Katie Wagstaff 4. Matthew Elsey 5. Dan Bassett 6. Alastair Timmis

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PEOPLE

UNSUNG HEROES AWARD

Sponsored by

This award is presented to one or more individuals who perform junior or middle management roles in the industry and are known for their hard work, loyalty and devotion to duty. In many cases, the ‘Unsung Heroes’ are those who keep the wheels turning against the odds; no transport operator can do without such people – even though they often slave away for years with no recognition save their own satisfaction in a service delivered and a job well done.

* UKBA Special Commendation for Outstanding Service

punctual, clean and safe bus. If he notices a minor fault with a bus that does not require the services of a skilled technician, he won’t hesitate to correct the problem himself. If there are requests for CCTV footage that have come in overnight, he can be relied upon to remove the disk from the bus, place it in the safe, and then reload the CCTV system ready for the next driver. He is also happy to lighten the pressure on engineering staff by taking buses for chassis cleans to an off-site location. If he has time to spare before finishing work at 11.30am, he even lends a hand to the controllers, if they need help.

In the opinion of the judges, Ricky is a true unsung hero. He fulfills a traditionally hidden and unsung job which is nonetheless essential to the reliability of services throughout the day.

When he does his job correctly, no one notices, but everyone

GOLD WINNER

RICKY LENNON RATP DEV UK

While most of London sleeps, run-out supervisor Ricky Lennon is making sure that RAPT Dev London’s fleet of 70 vehicles at Park Royal Garage is ready to hit the streets. Arriving at work at 3.30am, six days a week, Ricky is the mainstay of the morning run-out. His core responsibilities are to oversee drivers’ pre-service checks, ensure that drivers are matched with the correct bus and oversee their departure from the garage. Ricky goes above and beyond in many ways. He is adamant that only clean buses leave the garage, so if he spots a dirty bus and a cleaner is not readily available, he will grab all the cleaning equipment and do the job himself. He says it only takes 10 minutes - a minor time investment if it means a

notices if he gets it wrong and services run late. His flexibility and effectiveness make him a very worthy Gold Winner.

SPECIAL COMMENDATION*

CHRIS VEST READING BUSES

Reading Buses’ Chris Vest is the company’s academy trainer.

He is responsible for educating and training new and existing staff in both a classroom and driving environment. His work ensures that Reading Buses not only selects the right candidates to employ, but also through his CPC sessions, maintains a high standard of customer service.

Working diligently behind-thescenes, Chris takes the lead in both the writing and delivery of the company’s annually refreshed driver CPC courses, meeting business and customer needs. He is the epitomy of a cool, calm,

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collected, consistent and effective trainer whose efforts shape the actions and approaches of the workforce. His likeable style and knowledge is unanimously respected.

Chris touches the working lives of all Reading Buses’ drivers, and the judges noted that he has a satisfaction score of 97.5% from his sessions, turning around the view of training from a chore to a pleasure.

SPECIAL COMMENDATION*

DARREN JACKSON ABELLIO LONDON

As driving standards manager at Abellio London And Surrey’s Beddington garage, Darren Jackson is responsible for all aspects of driving. Since taking on the role, Darren has successfully led a major turnaround in the KPIs he’s responsible for. Beddington

the KPIs. He is a safe pair of hands and works pro-actively to make things better for drivers and the customer.

historically languished in the bottom 10 of 80 garages of the customer complaints league table. Darren has worked hard with the drivers to reduce complaints, and in April, Beddington was eighth across London - a big turnaround.

Mystery travelling scores is another area where Beddington had struggled, usually achieving scores worse than the network average. However results have started to improve thanks to Darren’s proactive campaign in educating drivers on what it is that mystery travellers are looking for, and getting out sampling the product himself to measure how the drivers are performing. He’s also managed to reduce collisions by 33%. He is described by his employer as “a true diamond”.

The judges noted that Darren has clearly done a lot of work behind the scenes with drivers, making marked improvements in

SPECIAL COMMENDATION*

JOHN GORDON GO NORTH EAST

Bus station manager John Gordon works for Go North East predominantly at Eldon Square bus station, which is one of the busiest bus stations in the region with over 60 departures an hour at peak times. The role requires quick thinking and knowledge of which routes come from which depot to help achieve the smoothest operation possible for the company and customers. He also has to deal with customer enquiries ranging from a simple timetable query or which is the best ticket to buy, to helping customers when buses may be delayed due to road closures or

2 1. Ricky Lennon 2. The four winners of Special Commendations this year 3. Joe Somers 4. Chris Vest

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bad weather. Communication, both internally and to customers, plays a very important part in the role and John has undertaken sign language training in his own time to help him communicate with customers. John thrives in a busy environment and is often seen to be going out of his way to help customers and the company he works for. Some tasks are undertaken out of normal hours, where John has turned up early or stayed late to go above and beyond the call of his job.

The judges were impressed with John’s dedication to his role and noted that he often stays beyond his working hours to assist customers. They were also impressed that he is learning sign language in his own time.

SPECIAL COMMENDATION*

JOE SOMERS STAGECOACH EAST

Joe Somers joined the bus industry in 1960 as a conductor because he was too young to be a driver, an ambition he fulfilled four years later. And in 1991 he became the first bus driver to pass the Institute of Advanced Motorists driving test in a double deck bus. He then went on to hold various roles at what eventually became Stagecoach East in Peterborough until starting his current role as revenue inspector and customer relations officer ten years ago. Joe has also been involved with schools in the area promoting good bus etiquette, and investigating any issues or complaints on behalf of the schools. Although Joe currently works on a part time basis, he still spends countless hours out of his personal time promoting the company and the benefits of public transport. Undeterred by his age Joe can still be found in full uniform carrying out his revenue inspecting on a Saturday afternoon.

The judges noted that Joe had devoted his working life to the bus industry, and clearly enjoys promoting the use of public transport and helping others make the most of it.

His unwavering enthusiasm over many years makes him an Unsung Hero.

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to find out how we can help you.

Transport Benevolent Fund CIO, known as TBF, registered charity in England & Wales 1160901, Scotland SC047016

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PEOPLE

TOP NATIONAL BUS DRIVER: THE CHRIS MOYES MEMORIAL AWARD This award is presented to the bus driver who has best demonstrated excellent performance from the customer perspective in the year to the end of May 2015.

To win the title of Top National Bus Driver, entrants need to go that extra mile to provide the customers’ ideal; a driver who is friendly, helpful, conscientious, mindful of passengers’ comfort and well-being – in short, a true professional and a worthy ambassador for the job.

This award is presented in memory of Chris Moyes, whose distinguished career in the industry was tragically cut short by his death in 2006. Formerly chief executive of Go-Ahead Group, Chris was passionate about the importance of people to the industry.

1 1. Dave Forrester 2. Denis McMahon 3. Karen Wilson 4. Ian Walker

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GOLD WINNER

DAVE FORRESTER SOUTHERN VECTIS

“What a joy to work with this young man,” enthuses bus driver Dave Forrester’s employer, Southern Vectis. “Not only is he the consummate professional, he is also fun to have around with never a bad word to say about anybody and never a complaint about him from our customers or his co-workers.”

Dave started with Southern Vectis in 2011 as a network bus driver, quickly learning all the routes across the Isle of Wight.

The following year he applied

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to work on the prestigious seasonal open top services, and with his excellent record and enthusiastic personality, he was a great hit with tourists who also appreciated his encyclopedic knowledge of the island and its many attractions - both man made and created by nature.

Dave used his layover to actively engage with passing tourists and persuade them to travel. His hard work was demonstrated by an increase in sales when he was on duty. Dave has turned his hand to any type of driving required, stepping in to cover school bus shifts at short notice and also actively volunteering to assist at

the many events for which the company provides transport during the season. For the past year, Dave has been appointed as a relief controller, covering control duties when not required for his primary role of driving.

Not only has he reached the level of being a relief controller within a relatively short time period, he has done so in such a way that has earned him the respect of his colleagues.

Clearly a very popular member of the team at Southern Vectis, the judges noted Dave’s willingness to go above and beyond his role, such as to increase sales on the open top

services in the summer. He is dedicated to providing his passengers with a good service, no matter what type of operation he is driving. And he has earned the respect of his colleagues having been voted employee of the month earlier this year.

SILVER WINNER

DENIS MCMAHON ABELLIO SURREY

“Denis McMahon embodies an ideal customer-focussed bus driver,” enthuses his employer, Abellio Surrey. He’s based at the company’s Byfleet depot and loves his job, always ensuring ➢

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PEOPLE

TOP NATIONAL BUS DRIVER: THE CHRIS MOYES MEMORIAL AWARD that his customers have a safe and pleasant journey. He greets all of them as they board and wishes them a nice day as they get off. Despite having only been with the company for two and a half years, he has received an impressive amount of customer commendations, and in March this year he won the Employee of the Year at the Group-wide Abellio Achievement Awards.

“Denis is an inspiration to his colleagues and a credit to the bus industry!” says Abellio.

Although having only been a driver for less than three years, Denis clearly enjoys his job and his driving and exceptional customer service skills have been recognised by his employer becoming Abellio Group Employee of the Year.

The judges noted that he likes to share his knowledge and has been seconded to other garages in London to pass on his skills to other drivers. He is certainly an asset to the industry.

levels in his role as a bus driver.

The judges noted Michal’s excellent Drive Green scores, which will give his passengers a smooth and safe ride, as well as his exemplary customer service skills that include giving every passenger a warm welcome onboard the vehicle. He makes sure his service is reliable and punctual and he had received many customer commendations.

He’s the sort of driver that you want in your depot.

FINALIST

MICHAL KUDLA FIRST ESSEX

Michal Kudla has been a bus driver with First Essex for seven and a half years. He is reliable and always immaculately dressed, and his skills as a driver are excellent. Michal is committed to providing his passengers with the best possible customer service and has the best Drive Green score across First Essex, in fact, across the whole of the UK, he has the third best score.

Michal’s positive approach to driving and customer service is outstanding. He has worked on the Chelmer Valley Park & Ride service since it opened in April 2011 and has played a key role in helping develop the route into a sustainable and popular service. Michal is an exceptional employee who has excelled at all

FINALIST

IAN WALKER FIRST ABERDEEN

Ian Walker has passionately driven buses for First Aberdeen for 24 years. He has embraced life as a driver, and has successfully been elected by his peers as the Employee Director for Aberdeen.

He regularly works his days

BRONZE WINNER

KAREN WILSON ARRIVA YORKSHIRE

Based at Arriva Yorkshire’s Castleford Depot, driver Karen Wilson has received numerous commendations from customers and colleagues. Her driving and customer service skills have been recognised recently by the company, which appointed her as a mentor for new drivers.

She helps with route learning and ensures all new drivers are fully aware of all aspects of customer care, safety and customer expectations. Karen has great empathy and is brilliant at dealing with difficult situations.

She goes out of her way to build relationships with her customers, and takes their feedback about route and timetable improvements on board. “Karen has a heart warming personality and is a credit to the organisation,” enthuses her employer.

A customer service champion, the judges noted Karen’s commitment to providing a good service to her passengers. She is also willing to help colleagues and has shown passion for the bus industry.

off to help with community engagement projects and has spearheaded numerous safety campaigns. Whenever there’s a seemingly impossible task, Ian is called upon - he’s done everything from taking flowers to an elderly pedestrian involved in an incident, to volunteering to take local care home residents out for an ice cream and dressing up as Santa.

His excellent customer service skills are evidenced through his many commendations, and he exceeds expectations in every performance review. Ian has also become actively involved in incident prevention using his day-to-day experience on the roads. His commitment and enthusiasm for whatever he does is infectious, and he is respected by his peers and leaders alike.

The judges noted that Ian is always prepared to get involved with additional activities, such as volunteering to take out residents of a local care home several times a year and creating ‘welcome cards’ for new employees. He has many customer commendations, greeting passengers as they get on board and waiting until they are seated before moving off.

FINALIST

BRIAN LIDDLE TRANSDEV BLAZEFIELD

5 5. Brian Liddle 6. Michal Kudla

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Brian Liddle started driving for Transdev Blazefield in 1989 and customer commendations started coming into the Keighley depot soon after and have continued to flow since then. He is always cheerful, helpful, knowledgeable and consistently offers customers a smooth and safe experience.

Every passenger is given a cheery ‘hello’ as they board, and he understands the importance of providing the complete package of excellent customer service alongside a safe and reliable ride.

He treats every customer as an individual and truly cares about every minute they spend on his bus. “I wish I could have another 200 Brians,” says his employer.

The judges noted Brian’s long service record of incident-free driving and excellent customer service record with a string of customer commendations.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR COLLEAGUES

PROUD SPONSORS OF

THE UK BUS AWARDS

SILVER London Bus Garage of the Year Hounslow Heath RATP Dev London

GOLD Unsung Hero Ricky Lennon - Run Out Supervisor Park Royal - RATP Dev London

SILVER Top London Bus Driver Terry Miles - Driver - Stamford Brook RATP Dev London

BU 2 S 016 AW U AR K DS

RATP Dev operates and maintains expanding urban and intercity transport networks in the UK and around the world. RATP Dev is wholly owned by RATP Group.

Would like to congratulate the winners and short list entries who were nominated at the 2016 UK Bus Awards The awards represent the best of the best across the industry and all those whom strive to offer professionalism and succeed in doing so.

BUS AND COACH BUYER SERVING THE NEEDS OF THE BUS AND COACH INDUSTRY 01733 362300

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PEOPLE

SERVICES TO THE INDUSTRY

Sponsored by

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Sponsored by

buses. The group is also part of the Nottingham Tramlink consortium and a partner in its operating subsidiary Nottingham Trams Limited. It also owns a 50% share of local bus operator High Peak Buses.

Ian has also been active for many years in the industry trade association, the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT).

He served as president in 2009, and has been its chairman since 2011. He was appointed OBE in the Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday Honours in 2015 for services to public transport. He helped to found the UK Bus Awards as well, serving on the management committee for several of the crucial early years.

In addition to his work for the industry, Ian has been very active locally: at East Midlands Chamber of Commerce between 2006 and 2015, he served

GOLD WINNER

IAN MORGAN WELLGLADE

The award for Services to the Bus Industry recognises a significant and sustained contribution to the success of the industry by an individual who has gone consistently beyond the call of normal duty to improve and promote the bus industry for its users or the wider community.

The annual recipient of the award is decided by the management committee.

1 Ian Morgan 1.

Ian Morgan OBE joined the bus industry as a trainee with the National Bus Company in 1972 and held a variety of line management jobs culminating in his appointment as traffic manager of Trent Motor Traction company. In 1985, Ian was part of the management buyout team at Trent, becoming deputy chairman of its holding company Wellglade, a post he has held ever since.

Wellglade has grown into a group of five local bus operators in the East Midlands - trentbarton, Kinchbus Door2door, Notts+Derby and TM Travel - plus a cleaning business, Kleanline. It employs almost 1,500 people and operates a fleet of nearly 500

successively as president, board member and as vice chairman of the Derbyshire Members Council. He has been a board member at D2N2, the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, since the spring of 2015.

In making the award, the management committee paid tribute to Ianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hugely impressive record of service to the industry, the Wellglade group and the wider community in the East Midlands. They also particularly highlighted his key role in creating and developing groundbreaking approaches to product design, branding, marketing and staff training at Wellglade. These have made its bus operations hugely successful over the last 25 years, and the initiatives have acted as beacons for the rest of the industry to follow.

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LONDON AWARDS

LONDON BUS GARAGE OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by

This is the award which benchmarks the performance of bus garages in London, and rewards the best with a cash prize to be used on facilities to benefit the team which delivers the best service on a day-to-day basis.

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GOLD WINNER

LEYTON STAGECOACH LONDON

Stagecoach London’s Leyton garage is a busy city garage with 124 vehicles, including 40 New Routemasters, and 2.2 million passenger journeys each month. Overall performance has improved greatly over the past few years and now delivers a much more reliable service to its customers. Driving standards have improved, evidenced by higher TfL DQM scores and the success of the garage’s new personal development champions, and The Loop intranet site which keeps the team up to date and educated.

The garage views TfL’s Hello London course very positively in assisting drivers to further enhance their customer service skills. The scheme is promoted with drivers before they attend and followed up with each individual afterwards to discuss how they found the course and what they are going to take away and put into practice.

There is a popular garage football team which includes

drivers, engineers, managers and head office staff. Reflecting its East London location, Leyton is a multicultural garage and has a driver on the committee of the local Mosque which the garage supports with an annual charity fund raising procession for disabled children. Several local nurseries have visited the garage, and working with the company’s head office, Leyton regularly welcomes young adults for work experience. The garage also works closely with the Waltham Forest Safer Transport Team and maintains a good working relationship with the local Fire Brigade, assisting with its training events and improving its awareness of vehicle designs and major incident planning.

The judges noted that as a big inner London garage, Leyton manages to operate a reliable service in a difficult area with known bottlenecks such as the Blackwall Tunnel. Customer service and staff development are also high on the garage’s agenda.

It was also noted that the garage has excellent links with the local community, making it a worthy Gold Winner.

SILVER WINNER

BRONZE WINNER

HOUNSLOW HEATH RATP DEV LONDON

BRIXTON ARRIVA LONDON SOUTH

Staff at Hounslow Heath garage focus their attention on one end goal: improving the customer experience. All employees at the garage, whether it be the general manager, the driver, the engineering chargehand or the person who washes the buses, understands that the customer is at the heart of everything they do. All team members, many of whom have worked at Hounslow Heath for many years, are clear about the contribution they are expected to make towards the garage’s success and are accountable for it. Managers are convinced that it is the strong teamwork ethic and personal accountability that are behind the garage’s success. Morale is high and a strong ‘family’ atmosphere is born out in having the lowest staff turnover in the company.

The judges noted the exceptional commitment to customer care and team spirit at Hounslow Heath, as well as the the work with local schools in promoting travel by bus.

Arriva's Brixton garage is a large depot housing 150 vehicles.

It has implemented several improvements over the past year and ended 2015 without any lost mileage due to staff. The garage has built on its mileage performance strategies to include enhanced root cause analysis to help prevent breakdowns and improve reliability. Staff engagement and morale has been strengthened with personal development initiatives for supervisors, open forums and newsletters to keep everyone motivated towards targets.

There has been investment too with new canteen facilities and a computer room where staff can complete a wide range of courses. The garage has also begun working with the local community in support of the Lambeth Bus Day, a partnership with local schools and organisations seeking to assist those new to London’s growing bus network. To reinforce high standards, the garage has

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implemented a hall of fame photoboard and staff rewards scheme for high performance.

A number of improvements were noted by the judges in the metrics and they were also impressed in the upgrades to facilities for staff and the promotion of a recognition and reward scheme.

FINALIST

PALMERS GREEN ARRIVA LONDON

Home to a fleet of 70 vehicles, Arriva Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Palmers Green Garage has a vibrant, friendly and diverse workforce that reflects the cosmopolitan city that it serves.

Driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s length of service ranges from a matter of days to 44 years, but everyone mixes well and is supportive of one another. The engineering team maintains a close relationship with the route controllers showing commitment to the provision of a regular, reliable and customer focussed bus journey. The management and supervisory team regularly travel on vehicles to identify areas of improvement. A number of initiatives to upskill the staff to meet the needs of the customer have been developed. Staff from the garage are involved in charitable pursuits - including cycling, walking and running events. Social events have included paint balling, go karting and cycle rides have also been organised. Staff have also visited local schools to provide an insight into the life of a bus driver and provide an introduction to the use of public transport.

The judges noted an increase in staff turnover and the introduction of a new management team, which is making good headway with improving the team spirit at the depot and re-introducing social activities.

2 1. Leyton Garage 2. Leyton Garage, Stagecoach London - Peter Green & Mohammed Azim 3. Uxbridge Garage 4. Hounslow Garage 5. Putney Garage

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FINALIST

PUTNEY GO-AHEAD LONDON

The Putney garage is operated by Go-Ahead London and houses just over 100 vehicles. It has a good record in service and driver performance, supported

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by the improvement in DQM and a reduction in the number of complaints. It is in the top ten best garages for complaints, which has been achieved by having a well trained and engaged team of drivers who understand what is required, and deliver performance on the road in a safe, professional and skilled manner. A lot of work has gone into engaging all staff through more effective and frequent communication, both on a one to one and group level. The garage is big on sharing and celebrating its success as a team and as individuals.

The judges noted the emphasis on driver training and applauded the culture of sharing best practice throughout the garage.

Improved communication, in response to suggestions from staff, and a reward scheme are also positive steps forward to improve team morale.

FINALIST

UXBRIDGE METROLINE WEST

Metroline Westâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Uxbridge garage houses almost 100 vehicles and prides itself on having a strong teamwork ethos. Drivers, engineers, cleaners, supervisors, managers and administrative staff all work together to continually improve the performance of the garage, and they work hard to make sure everyone is involved and feels a part of this special team. The depot feels that this strong sense of unity, cooperation and teamwork helps foster greater communication and involvement, which is ultimately reflected in its performance, customer service levels and safety standards. It is a diverse and multicultural team and has been the best performing team and garage in the company for the last two years running, in having the lowest number of collisions. It is also proud to feature regularly at the top of the TfL league table for mystery traveller surveys (bus customer experience surveys).

The judges noted the exceptional team spirit in this garage with everyone working towards a shared goal of providing a safe and punctual bus service.

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LONDON AWARDS

LUKE REES-PULLEY CHARITABLE TRUST AWARD FOR TOP LONDON BUS DRIVER Sponsored by

weeding and irrigating the plant areas, clearing litter and other rubbish all in his own time and with no prompting.

The judges were impressed with Dean’s consistently high standards over 20 years of service. He goes out of this way to help passengers and colleagues alike and is especially good at supporting new drivers.

An impressive number of commendations have been received from customers praising Dean’s driving and customer service skills.

GOLD WINNER

DEAN GOLDING GO-AHEAD LONDON

Luke Rees-Pulley was passionate about buses throughout his life, which was tragically cut short by murder. The trust founded in his name seeks to rekindle the pride and status of bus drivers in the capital to the levels seen in the 1930s - when to be a bus driver was to be a respected professional providing an essential service.

This award is part of that process, recognising and rewarding top quality service and commitment. This award is presented to the London bus driver who has best demonstrated excellent performance from the customer perspective in the 12-month period to the end of June each year.

Dean Golding has been a valuable member of Go-Ahead London’s team at its Belvedere garage for more than 12 years, and has worked in the bus industry for over 20 years. He has always been a flexible and amiable person willing to go that extra mile and first to put himself forward to help others, gaining himself a high level of respect from his colleagues and management for his knowledge and approachability. Dean always gives his time to assist others and is an intelligent and conscientious worker with an excellent attendance and clean disciplinary history. His driving standards are high and customer service skills are excellent. He supports charity work and has done several events putting his body through some torturous treatment to raise funds for good causes. Dean can also be seen helping out with various projects around the garage. A recent example is a garden area introduced for the drivers to relax in where Dean is often found spending time

SILVER WINNER

TERRY MILES RATP DEV LONDON

”Terry Miles is just the kind of driver a customer hopes to find at the wheel of a bus,” says his employer, RATP Dev London.

“Smart, knowledgeable about the capital, aware of performance issues such as bunching, and always mindful of the safety of his customers, Terry embodies all the best attributes of the London bus driver,” it adds.

Terry is based at the Stamford Brook garage, and passengers find they instantly warm to

his gentle charm, making him approachable and keen to please.

If journeys take longer than expected, Terry makes a point of using the intercom to keep his customers informed of the situation such as when there are roadworks or delays caused by an accident. He finds that if he is proactive and tells customers there are problems ahead then they are generally understanding and appreciative of the effort to keep them informed. It’s clear that Terry enjoys his job and is proud of what he does.

The judges noted that Terry is a driver with almost 20 years, service and an exemplary driver combining excellent customer service with driving skill. Undoubtedly an asset to the business, Terry is a good ambassador for the bus industry.

BRONZE WINNER

NADINE ALLEN CT PLUS

Nadine Allen has been a driver for CT Plus for nine years and is based at the Ash Grove depot.

She regularly goes the extra mile for passengers and sets an example of customer service to

1. Dean Golding 2. Nadine Allen 3. Terry Miles 4. Richard Pincombe 5. Helen Webster 6. Felicia Grazette 7. Hirji Hirani

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her peers. “Nadine combines the best of customer care with the highest driving standards to ensure that the whole experience of travelling by bus is a first-rate one for our customers,” says her employer. This is exemplified by a professional, positive attitude in the workplace and evidenced by outstanding driving assessments, and commendations from managers. “We believe she is a credit to CT Plus and the profession itself,” the company adds.

The judges were impressed with Nadine’s professionalism and customer service skills as a driver. She makes a point of greeting passengers as they get onboard and thanks them when they touch in as well as making sure that everyone is seated or holding a handrail before she pulls away.

FINALIST

FELICIA GRAZETTE ABELLIO LONDON

”Felicia is everything that we look for in a bus driver,” says her employer Abellio London.

“She is a committed member of the team who goes above and

beyond the call of duty to ensure the travelling public enjoy a safe, reliable and comfortable journey.” Felicia works with drivers at her Battersea depot in an informal coaching role and has also supported the depot in training drivers on how to assist with wheelchair users. She is a great ambassador for the industry and has been involved in a number of TfL initiatives, including featuring in training and induction videos, attending a buggy summit, giving her voice for the new on-board announcements and being part of a radio advertising campaign to broaden the public’s view of the job of a bus drivers. She also works with schools and is a qualified transport youth engagement officer, a role that involves educating children to safely travel on buses.

The judges praised Felicia’s ‘can do’ spirit and the very wide range of activities in which she has been involved from voicing next stop announcements and radio commercials to giving talks to children and being an advocate for elderly and disabled passengers, all alongside her regular day job as a skilled bus driver.

FINALIST

HELEN WEBSTER ARRIVA LONDON

PETER HUTTLY GO-AHEAD LONDON

Enfield garage’s Helen Webster regularly goes above and beyond her usual duty as a bus driver with Arriva London. She is conscientious, hardworking and considerate to her colleagues and customers, which is reflected in the commendations she frequently receives. Helen regularly represents Arriva London at commercial events and she also assists the driver training department by taking a bus to visit schools with disabled children to help them understand the role of a bus driver. In addition, she recently attended a local school for World Book Day and read the children stories from the book ‘The Naughty Bus’ as well as leading several singalongs with the children.

Helen’s additional work with schools is what stood out with the judges on top of her driving duties, though that’s just scratching the surface of what else she done.

Although he has only been a bus driver for three years, Go-Ahead London driver Peter Huttly has made quite an impression on his passengers and colleagues.

“We have an individual here at Orpington who cares about this role as a driver and cares about delivering a good service to every passenger he meets,” enthuses his employer. Based at the company’s Orpington depot, he is known as an approachable and friendly member of the team.

He has an exemplary attendance record with no time off in the entire time he has been with the company. Peter steps in when others are off sick and helps cover the open work and Peter has had no accidents or collisions.

Clearly Peter is a valued member of staff and the judges hope that he will maintain his high standards for the year ahead.

Customer commendations were excellent and support he has given to colleagues is greatly appreciated.

FINALIST

RICHARD PINCOMBE ARRIVA LONDON

Richard Pincombe has worked for Arriva London for almost 15 years and has become a valued member of the Barking garage team. In the first half of this year, he has received two commendable mystery traveller reports which highlight his excellent customer service skills.

He also received a positive driving observation report in which the assessor reported that Richard’s driving “was smooth throughout and comfortable for the passengers” and that he “acknowledged passengers as they boarded and stopped close to the kerb at bus stops”. These positive reports led to Richard being nominated as Arriva London Bus Driver of the Year.

The judges commented favourably on Richard’s driving ability and his willingness to participate in projects around the garage and beyond, such as recording a radio advertisement for TfL.

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FINALIST

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FINALIST

HIRJI HIRANI METROLINE

Already Metroline’s Driver of the Year 2016, Hirji Hirani is dedicated to the job and is a welcoming and friendly face around the Cricklewood depot.

He is polite, friendly, very hard working and respected, and considered by his managers and colleagues as an ambassador for bus drivers. Hirji always reports for work on time, is always proud to wear his uniform, and ensures that he delivers the highest and most consistent levels of customer service and driving standards. He is consistently the highest scorer across all Metroline garages on its driving telematics system and is very dedicated to providing a safe journey for his passengers.

Drivers that give their passengers a smooth ride are just what the industry needs, and the judges noted that Hirji Hirani is such a driver and worthy of the recognition he has received.

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SPONSORSHIP

WHAT HAVE THE ROMANS UK BUS AWARDS EVER DONE FOR US? How do sponsors benefit from supporting the UK Bus Awards?

STEVE CRESSWELL , Director of Sales, describes how the scheme delivers to those who support it FIRST THINGS FIRST!

We are profoundly grateful to all our sponsors, stakeholders and entrants over the last 21 years, and express our particular thanks to the sponsors, supporters and patrons who have worked with us for all or virtually all the years that we’ve run the scheme.

Thank you.

WHY DO THESE AWARDS MATTER SO MUCH?

The bus industry is people centric and provides a first class service to many millions of passengers every day, in every corner of the land. That is the standard offering these days in an industry where social responsibility is taken very seriously and it figures highly, with many companies going above and beyond what is reasonably expected on a regular basis.

That is why it is so important to celebrate these achievements, our strapline is three simple but powerful words; in fact it is really our mission statement!

RECOGNISE, REWARD, INSPIRE

These three words best sum up what we are doing with our partners and stakeholders to promote all the good work that is being done.

As we all know from personal experience, it is nice at some point to be recognised if we do something particularly well or helpful to others.

A reward can be financial; but as some people rightly say a simple thank you is very powerful, for those individuals or teams, who truly excel, having your achievements recognised by your own industry experts, and

then celebrated by your peers and colleagues is the ultimate accolade.

Inspiration comes from those about you who are successful in many different ways: their examples encourage and foster excellence and improve morale.

WHAT DO OUR SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS GET FOR THEIR INVESTMENT?

Creation of an opportunity to build your brand and achieve a solid return on your investment Sponsorship is a vital weapon in the modern marketing toolbox it helps with: Q Creation of awareness Q Building customer networks Q Placing your brand at the heart of an industry community Q All the classic ingredients of brand building in one great package!

Becoming a UK Bus Awards sponsor will enable you to: Q Promote directly to buyers and key decision-makers Q Build customer relationships using corporate hospitality Q Widen customer contacts through networking at our events Q Maintain a year-round presence through internet advertising on a busy and well-used website.

Whilst on the subject of the website; here are some stats which reinforce the value of being associated with a Premier Event; Website unique visits run at 300 per day on average, goes up to 900 per day in autumn and

the average pages per visit is 4.5.

Depending on the option you choose, here is a indicative list of the type of presence a sponsor will gain on a year round basis and at the events themselves; Q Sponsors’ logos will be displayed during lunch at the presentation ceremony Q Each sponsor will receive a number of seats or a table at the presentation ceremony free of charge Q Sponsors will receive a display banner at the awards ceremony (precise positioning dependent on technical requirements of the venue) Q Sponsors have the opportunity to place a banner advertisement of their own design on the UKBA website for six months (June-December) Q A representative of the award sponsor will be invited to attend the finalists’ announcement in early October Q A representative of the award sponsors will announce the winners of their award at the presentation ceremony Q Award sponsors will be invited to exhibit at the presentation ceremony using a pop-up stand (not supplied) Q Sponsors have the opportunity to advertise in a souvenir brochure at discounted rates (separate contract with the publisher).

Q In addition we do adopt a policy of listening to and getting to know our sponsors and wherever possible will tailor the offering to suit your specific needs.

The annual event to announce the awards finalists takes place every autumn. This

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invitation-only event brings together up to 150 industry representatives, including trade press, UK Bus Awards sponsors and representatives from the organisations whose entries appear on the shortlist for each award. The announcement is followed by photographs, lunch and usually some form of technical visit.

OTHER SPONSORSHIP AND SUPPORT PACKAGES

Other sponsorship and support packages are available and offer a lower cost option for those who want to be associated with the UK Bus Awards, but have a more limited budget.

These packages provide an opportunity for industry suppliers to have their names associated with the overall UK Bus Awards scheme, in return for their contributions.

Sponsors receive a wide range of benefits together with a superb and memorable corporate hospitality opportunity.

WHAT DO OUR SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS GAIN FROM THEIR SUPPORT?

When a variety of methods of communication are researched as to effectiveness, from writing a letter to video presentation the results are clear, the ones that are closest to human interaction, face to face are the most effective.

This is why the Awards represent the best possible vehicle through which to get your message seen and heard.

Attending the Awards will help to raise your companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s profile within the bus industry.

The annual presentation ceremony provides an excellent occasion for memorable

corporate hospitality and enables sponsors to be associated with the prestige of the awards.

What if you could walk among hundreds of potential customers for a few hours and at some point get your message across directly to them all at once? Our event offers a unique opportunity to do just that. No other marketing is so targeted, effective and direct.

AWARD SPONSORS

WHAT DO OUR SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS GIVE FROM THEIR SUPPORT?

Q The ability for us, as a not for profit company, to continue and build on the positive message that our industry is friendly, helpful, effective, efficient and looks back with pride and forward with positivity.

Q To help all companies small or large by reinforcing the benefits of best practice and raising the motivation and performance of their staff.

Q Sharing of innovative thinking and practice to benefit the whole industry.

Sponsors and supporters make UK Bus Awards, the premier event in the bus industry.

This means that we attract many entries from numerous organisations and companies.

This gives the Awards a real feeling of worth; meaning that winning at the UK Bus Awards is extremely worthwhile. Evidence shows that winning awards helps with recruitment and staff morale, lifting service standards and boosting PR generally. After all; everyone likes an Award winning company.

PATRONS

WHO DOES IT ALL AND HOW?

The awards are owned and run by The Bus Industry Awards Limited (BIA). This is an independent not-for-dividend company especially set up to own and run the awards for the benefit of the industry.

BIA is wholly owned by Transport Events Group. Organisation of the awards is delegated by the company to a management committee which is responsible for key decisions about the scheme, including award categories, judging and venues/formats. The committee comprises representatives of the key stakeholders in the UK bus industry, including consumer bodies, local authorities, the bus operating industry and the trade press.

Transport Events Group is responsible for the organisation and administration of the awards and the event management.

The same team organises the highly successful UK Coach Awards, established in 2009.

More information: www.ukcoachawards.co.uk If you have read this far, well done and thanks. ~

SPONSORS

SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS

Our Director of Sales, Steve Cresswell would be delighted to discuss the benefits to be gained by being involved in our awards scheme, If you would like any information or just a chat then contact him on 07976 458862 or email steve.cresswell@transportevents.co.uk 59

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JUDGING ENTRIES

JUDGING YOUR QUALITY ENTRIES Distinguishing between so many top quality entries has become increasingly difficult.

JOHN OWEN OBE , Convenor of Judges, explains the process behind the judging of the UK Bus Awards

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considerable number of people give their time freely and willingly to assist the UK Bus Awards in its quest to ‘recognise, reward and inspire’ all that is best in the UK bus industry. Not least among these is the group of judges and mystery travellers. As ever, my thanks go to over fifty people from a wide range of backgrounds and organisations covering the whole of the UK who have given up their time to be part of the seven expert panels assessing the large number of entries and/or to mystery travel to ensure that service delivery meets the claims made in written submissions.

For the judges, considerable effort goes into reading, assessing and scoring every entry, prior to reviewing all supporting information online - and all of that before the time they spend at the panel meetings in London where they confirm their scores and discuss their views before coming to a final decision.

Such a fair, impartial and well-run judging and mystery travelling process is absolutely essential if the UK Bus Awards is to deliver on its mission to recognise, reward and inspire.

To fail to have such a rigorous examination of entries would not only devalue the Awards but also not do justice to the hard work of all who make the effort to enter.

This year, yet again, the judges were faced with some extremely hard choices. Even selecting finalists, let alone Gold, Silver and

Bronze award winners, has become much more difficult. The quality in some of the categories was such that, even after fairly robust discussion, the judges found it very tough to decide who should be included as a finalist if shortlists were to be kept to a manageable level. Hence some very good entries indeed did not make it!

But, in a way, this is good news. It shows how far the commercial bus industry has come in the twenty-one years of the Awards.

Entries that would have won just a few short years ago struggle to get short-listed these days. It also confirms why the whole process has to be so thorough if the right people and companies are to be recognised and rewarded as the industry’s best.

One of the things that sets the UK Bus Awards apart is the requirement; in the operational categories, to assess the quality of the finalists on the ground. Perhaps more than ever this year our mystery traveller checks have influenced outcomes.

As well as the quality, the standard of entries also continues to improve. However, there were again some who did not do themselves justice. Results and outputs are extremely important. Please respond to all sections – if you say nothing, the judges cannot give you a score! Do not exceed the 1,500 words limit in your summary – if you do you will be penalised otherwise it is not fair to the vast majority who do abide by the rules.

So please read the criteria and guidelines carefully – they are there to help you make the

best case possible for your entry.

The UK Bus Awards team is determined that what we do remains dynamic, reflecting the environment in which the industry operates as well as the needs of companies, local authorities and other stakeholders. The categories and criteria are kept under review, as are the entry and judging arrangements.

The input of judges and mystery travellers to setting, maintaining and updating the process is much valued and appreciated.

We do recognise how important your time is so, subject to maintaining the integrity of the Awards, we will continue to do all we can to simplify the entry process.

Please remember these are YOUR Awards, and we are always happy to receive feedback and suggestions as to how things might be improved. Your thoughts and ideas are always welcome.

We are grateful to The TAS Partnership for allowing the use of their quality audit system and software which enables us to compare fairly what are often very different operations in different parts of the UK – and special thanks this year also to Roger French and Alan Hill who assisted in reviewing and updating the mystery traveller manual.

Last but certainly not least, our thanks go to Claire Walters, Gavin Booth and Bus Users UK for organising the service quality checks – and on everybody’s behalf to Pat and Margaret at Admin 24 for all their hard work in bringing together all aspects of the entry and judging process. ~

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REFLECTIONS

A GRANDSTAND VIEW OF TWO DECADES OF CHANGE reflects on the huge changes that we have seen over the years - and their impact on the bus industry

CHRIS CHEEK

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s the UK Bus Awards concludes its 21st competition, it is a good time to reflect on the huge changes that we have seen over the years – in the environment in which the bus industry operates and in the industry itself.

As we were launching the original scheme, bus demand had been falling consistently in pretty much all areas of the country since the early 1950s, as social and economic change ravaged the industry’s traditional markets. First television destroyed the market for evening

journeys as cinema and theatre attendances plummeted throughout the 1950s and 1960s; then came the growth of car ownership.

This started in the mid-1950s and continued into the 21st century. In 1951, just 14% of households owned a car; by 1971 this had risen to 52%. When we founded the Awards, the number stood at 70%. This change took complete families away from using buses at all; as a result, whole generations have grown up whose only experience of using the bus was going to and from school if that.

Meanwhile, the arrival of fridges, freezers and supermarkets had changed our food shopping habits forever, reducing the frequency of visits to the high street. Then in the late 1980s came the move out of town: first supermarkets – then other retailers – shifted to sites that were ideal for car drivers, but difficult to serve by bus.

The same decade brought radical change in the labour market too. Big factories employing large numbers on a single site closed at an alarming rate during the 1970s and 1980s. Works buses, which once featured so prominently in schedules, virtually disappeared.

Even though the labour market has recovered, hugely diverse patterns of

employment have developed, affecting how people commute. The 1971 census shows that 22% of the workforce in England travelled to and from work by bus. By the mid-1990s, the ONS Labour Force Survey showed that this had fallen to 8%.

Some of these changes and trends have continued: household car ownership is still growing and has reached 76% of households, with 32% owning two or more vehicles. But the decline in commuting has largely been halted: 7% of people still commute by bus – which, bearing in mind the growth in the size of the workforce – means that more people now use the bus to get to work than for many years past.

But the last two decades, and particularly the last five years, have brought a whole new raft of challenges. The first and most important of these has been the growth of the internet and of mobile devices. They have prompted a revolution in the way people access information and pay for goods and services.

At the same time, the associated rise in the use of social media has turned the whole approach to customer relations upside down: whereas a customer charter could once promise a response to a complaint within seven days, it now seems too long if it takes

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seven minutes.

Of course the internet and smartphone revolution is far from universal: whole swathes of the population are either not interested or cannot afford to participate. Some research

by Transport Focus, for example, found that in 2015 54% of passengers still used a paper timetable, and only 10% of people were accessing real-time updates.

One of the biggest impacts the internet is having is on our High Streets, driving major change at companies like Marks & Spencer and driving once iconic brands such as BHS and Woolworth out of business. Analysis of the latest National Travel Survey shows that the decline of the high street is having a massive impact on bus passenger numbers in England – for both shoppers and those visiting for personal business such as banks, lawyers or medical appointments. The cumulative effect is that, since 2009, some 200 million trips a year have been lost as a result of people making fewer journeys for these purposes – that’s the equivalent of a 4% drop in total passenger numbers.

If social change has been the most powerful driver of demand for bus services over the last 21 years, then what of the efforts of the operators themselves? Here at the UK Bus

Awards, our monitoring, studying and judging of all the award entries has given us a unique perspective on what has been going on: a grandstand view of two decades of change.

At their best, the people, projects and organisations who’ve entered have certainly broken new ground and won extra passengers; at the very least, they may at least have mitigated the falls in patronage that would otherwise have taken place.

Three themes emerge: firstly, the emphasis on the customer. Led by pioneers and early award winners such as Brian King and Ian Morgan at Trentbarton and Roger French in Brighton, the emphasis on customer service has spread across whole swathes of the industry. As a result, almost everybody has raised their game. Not far enough in some areas, and not deeply enough in others, but sufficient to be recognised in some remarkable customer satisfaction scores from Transport Focus since their Bus Passenger Survey got under way in 2009.

The second theme, and it is strongly related to customer orientation, is employee engagement. The whole industry rests on the 1. Bus services still carry 7% of commuters.

2. Mobile devices have prompted a revolution in how people pay for goods and services.

3. Pioneer: Brian King of Trentbarton (centre) at the 2001 Bus Industry Awards.

4. Drivers make the difference: Raul Campos Folgado of Lothian Buses was named ‘Bus Driver of the Year’ award at the 2013 UK Bus Awards

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pivot of the relationship between customer and driver: you can have all the partnership agreements and fancy marketing you like, but it will all come to nought if poorly motivated and scruffy drivers who don’t deliver the service put everybody off. Customer care and people skills are an essential part of a good driver’s equipment – and since 2008 our Top National Driver competition has found some superb examples of excellence in our winners and finalists from all parts of the country – compleat [sic] drivers indeed!

Training and employee engagement spreads more widely than the drivers though. We have seen over the years that the winners of our top operator prizes have a genuinely different culture; it spreads not only through the management team but the whole workforce.

Supervisors, engineers, drivers, office staff and managers all genuinely working together to deliver the best possible customer service, and taking a genuine pride in all they do. It is inspiring to see, and genuinely comes over in the entries submitted, in our mystery traveller checks and in the employee interviews we undertake.

The third area of change is that of promotion. Over the past few years, the standard of invention and presentation in entries to a whole range of awards has occasionally been breathtaking. So many lessons learned and bright ideas conceived.

The need for truly multi-media approaches to promotion understood and adopted with gusto. And the results are plain to see for the best schemes: brands created and built, perceptions changed and - most important of all - customers won. The judges have certainly had some difficult decisions to make, and the more the years go by, the more difficult they become.

There are many challenges ahead – political, social, economic and environmental.

The industry’s biggest enemy, though, is congestion. Its most dangerous consequence is an unreliable service, but what then can follow is customer irritation, a loss of morale and the risk of staff shortages. Ultimately we all know that if you don’t deliver the service, you don’t stand a chance. All the smartcards or mobile apps or fantastic promotional schemes in the world will not change that fundamental truth.

Thanks in part to the awards and the examples set by our winners over the years, but most of all thanks to the unstinting efforts of all our people, the industry is probably better equipped to face the future than it has ever been: we have the experience, enthusiasm, tools, knowledge and techniques.

Here at the UK Bus Awards, we’re certainly planning to be around to recognise and reward all the efforts that will need to be made to meet those challenges – and we hope that our winners will continue to inspire everybody else. ~

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8th–10 th May 2017

The Hilton Hotel

BLACKPOOL! The conference theme is “Driving the customer experience” designed to demonstrate to delegates and our industry suppliers how they can improve their business by embracing a customer experience ethos with the Customer at the heart of everything we do.

The conference will showcase various aspects of how we can deliver excellent customer experience through technology, information, vehicle design and good old customer care.

Mon 8th May The Scania sponsored Album 2017 Golf Day Followed by an evening Heritage Tram Ride, Harry Ramsden’s Fish and Chip Supper and presentation evening.

Tues 9th May & Wed 10th May

Conference and Exhibition – Speakers such as Claire Walters (Bus Users UK), Ian Jones (Backhouse Jones), Adrian Grant (TAS Partnership) and many others will provide their insight in to how you can embrace a customer experience ethos to put the customer at the heart of everything you do.

Tuesday Evening – Lancashire supper in the Royal Suite with comedian and local musician Wednesday Evening – Gala Dinner in the Royal Suite with entertainment, raffle and auction

Open to CPT members for the first time!

Suppliers & Delegates Places are going fast. Book now and don't miss out on this exciting conference!

To book your place visit www.albumbus.co.uk p00.indd 64

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