17/06/2010

South West Trains employee Alan Hopgood has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Her Majesty The Queen in the Birthday Honours List.

Alan, who works as clerical officer at Teddington Station, started his career in 1978. His in-depth knowledge of the rail network coupled with an exceptional dedication to finding the most appropriate routes and tickets for customers have brought respect from colleagues and praise from customers.

Passengers appreciate Alan's helpful attitude and friendliness and his outstanding work saw him awarded the South West Trains' Outstanding Customer Service Member of the Year Award in 2008. Alan also outshone staff from other transport companies to win the Outstanding Customer Service category at the Railstaff Awards in 2009.

Passionate about his work and his customers, Alan takes pride in being helpful and giving excellent advice on travel arrangements as well as making sure customers get the best value ticket. He is also always on hand to offer retailing advice to his colleagues both at Teddington and other locations on the South West Trains' network, sharing his knowledge and expertise freely, ensuring that they feel more confident and better equipped to meet the passenger's needs. Alan received an impressive amount of letters of support from passengers supporting him for an MBE Honour.

Alan said: "I enjoy working at Teddington station. It is an ideal size station where I can meet with 30 to 40 "friends" every day and work with fantastic colleagues. Being honoured with an MBE is a real privilege. I am delighted to be given this honour and will continue to try my best to be helpful to our customers."

Matt Winnie, Area Manager for South West Trains said: "We are delighted for Alan to be honoured with an MBE. Alan's dedication to the railway and its people has been outstanding. His work over the last 31 years has earned him a great deal of respect and gratitude from fellow colleagues and customers alike. We are truly indebted to him."

ENDS

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NOTES TO EDITORS

Stagecoach Group

Stagecoach Group is a leading international public transport group, with extensive operations in the UK, United States and Canada. The company employs 30,000 people, and operates bus, coach, rail, and tram services.