11/11/2008

Stagecoach has won three top honours at one of the bus and coach industry's premier awards events.

Stagecoach Cambridge and Peterborough was named Large Bus Operator of the Year at the routeone Operator Excellence awards 2008.

The ground-breaking BioBus project in Kilmarnock, which involves a number of Stagecoach West Scotland vehicles operating on 100% recycled biofuel, won the Bus Operator Innovation award.

And Mark Threapleton, Managing Director, Stagecoach Manchester, won the Special Award after 32 years' service to the bus industry at the event held at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham.

A total of 15 awards were presented by routeone Editor Mike Morgan, comedian Jimmy Tarbuck and individual sponsors at the fourth annual awards ceremony to recognise excellence within bus and coach industry.

Picking up the Large Operator of the Year award, Stagecoach Cambridge and Peterborough was praised by the judges for constantly seeking and exploiting new initiatives to maintain an already impressive record of growth.

They said: "A 35% increase in passenger numbers, a 350% increase in operating profit, an excellent safety record and unquestionable modal shift in the period, is something for which it fully deserves national recognition."

Stagecoach West Scotland's BioBus project came out on top as Innovation of the Year after trialling the UK's first vehicles to run on 100% recycled biodiesel. The biofuel is manufactured from used cooking oil and other food-industry by-products, which are from sustainable sources. The project also allows customers in the west of Scotland to exchange used cooking oil for discounted bus travel. Since the project began in October 2007, it has cut CO2 emissions from the buses by 80%, saved 550 tonnes of carbon and more than 21 tonnes of used cooking oil has been recycled.

The routeone awards judges said of the project: "Without doubt the winning innovation has captured the hearts and minds of not only the community in which it serves but also much further afield. The results have surpassed all expectations."

Stagecoach Manchester Managing Director Mark Threapleton won the night's Special Award for the valuable contribution he has made to the wider industry over the past 12 months. Mark joined Stagecoach in 1995 and has worked in the bus industry for 32 years.

The judges said of Mark: "Working with others he has helped put together a credible blue print for public transport in a large metropolitan area. His leading role in this, and other joint operator initiatives, has earned him the respect of independent operators."

Les Warneford, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus, said: "A commitment to excellence, innovation, sustainability and customer service are at the heart of our approach to delivering bus services to our passengers.

"We are delighted to have received these awards which recognise the quality of our services and our people who ensure we delivery a first-class bus service. I would like to congratulate all three winners on their well deserved recognition."

This is the latest set of awards for Stagecoach, which was named Bus Operator of the Year for its West Scotland operation in 2005 and 2006.

At last year's Route One awards, the judges honoured three Stagecoach managers, with nearly 120 years' experience in their respective fields.

George Connell, Traffic Manager at Stagecoach West Scotland, was named Bus Manager of the Year. Colleague Alex McSorland, Operations Manager at Stagecoach West Scotland, was given the Special Award following nearly 50 years' service to the bus industry. Stagecoach Group Technical Engineer Adrian Havlin, was named Bus Engineer of the Year.

The Perth-based transport group has 14 shortlisted entries across 19 categories at this month's UK Bus Awards – more than any other bus operator in the country.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Steve Stewart, Director of Corporate Communications, Stagecoach Group
Tel: 01738 442111 or mobile 07764 774680
E-mail: steven.stewart@stagecoachgroup.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

Stagecoach
Stagecoach is one of the UK's biggest bus operators, running around 7,000 buses in nearly 100 towns and cities across the country, from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland to south-west England.