01/10/2008
- Stagecoach Warwickshire nominated as 'Best Bus Operator in Britain'
- 14 nominations in total for Perth-based transport giant
STAGECOACH is leading the way with the highest number of shortlisted nominations for the 2008 UK Bus Awards.
After winning four awards at last year's ceremony, the Perth-based transport group has 14 shortlisted entries in the competition's 19 categories this year and is once again in the hunt to be named Britain's best bus operator at the November awards ceremony.
Stagecoach in Warwickshire has been nominated for the Optare Shire Operator of the Year award, while the Stagecoach West Scotland X76/77 Express Network is in the running to be named as the Volvo Express Operation of the Year.
Three Stagecoach companies - Stagecoach in Fife, Stagecoach North West and Stagecoach Yorkshire – have been shortlisted for the BAA Heathrow Award for Integration.
The Stagecoach West Scotland Bio-Bus has been nominated for the Alexander Dennis Innovation Award while Stagecoach in Oxfordshire Route 20 is shortlisted for the Best Bus in the Countryside award.
The popular Stagecoach Goldline Service – which is now the most frequent bus route in Warwickshire – is nominated for its successful marketing strategy and six Stagecoach employees have been shortlisted for individual awards for their outstanding customer service and managerial performances.
The full list of shortlisted Stagecoach entries is:
- Stagecoach in Warwickshire (The Optare shire Operator of the Year)
- Stagecoach West Scotland X76/77 Express Network (Volvo Express Operation of the Year)
- Stagecoach in Fife Airdirect 747 (BAA Heathrow Award for Integration)
- Stagecoach North West Network Chorley (BAA Heathrow Award for Integration)
- Stagecoach Yorkshire Supertram Link (BAA Heathrow Award for Integration)
- Stagecoach West Scotland The Bio-Bus (Alexander Dennis Innovation Award)
- Stagecoach in Oxfordshire Route 20 (The Bus in the Countryside)
- Stagecoach Goldline (The CBS Outdoor Bus Marketing Campaign of the Year)
- Stagecoach North West – Rob Jones (The Centrebus Young Manager of the Year)
- Stagecoach North East – Jodine Milne (The Centrebus Young Manager of the Year)
- Stagecoach Devon – Tony Simmons (The Centrebus Young Manager of the Year)
- Stagecoach North East – John Page (The Chris Moyes Memorial Award for Customer Service)
- Stagecoach East Scotland – Gordon Watson (The Chris Moyes Memorial Award for Customer Service)
- Stagecoach Oxford – James Wright (The Chris Moyes Memorial Award for Customer Service)
Les Warneford, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus said: "We are committed to providing first-class bus services and I am delighted that so many of our companies and staff have been recognised for their hard work.
"Stagecoach is leading the way in raising the standards of bus travel. At the heart of our success is our strong partnerships, operational expertise, innovation, marketing and commitment to customers and, as a result, we are seeing more and more people get back on board the bus."
John Owen, Chairman of the UK Bus Awards said the shortlisted companies were a "shining example of excellence and good practice".
He added: "Every year we are impressed by the nominations we receive. This year the industry's commitment to quality and innovation shines through in every entry shortlisted.
"Our judges are now seeing the results of more than a decade of commitment to innovation by the bus industry, and the competition for awards has never been tighter."
The 13th annual UK Bus Awards will take place on 18 November 2008 at Battersea Evolution
Ends
For further information, please contact:
Stagecoach Group
Lindsay Reid, Corporate Communications Manager
T: 01738 442111 / 07500 446896;
E: lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com
