Integration of bus and tram in Blackpool sees Blackpool Transport win award ahead of several rival nominees
Blackpool Transport has won the Public Transport Operator of the Year award at the North of England Transport Awards.
Held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on Thursday, November 30, the annual North of England Transport Awards aims to recognise and encourage innovation and excellence and help disseminate best practice throughout the North of England.
Blackpool Transport’s award for ‘Combining the best of bus and tram services’ beat off competition from Arriva North West, First TransPennine Express, Merseyrail, Nexus and Stagecoach.
Jane Cole, Managing Director at Blackpool Transport, said: “It’s a very exciting time in Blackpool at the moment. We’ve invested heavily over the past three years in order to provide the most technologically advanced buses available and our customers are really seeing the benefits.
ecognition for the award also goes to Blackpool Borough Council who have supported the investment in the transport infrastructure of the town.
“By 2020 Blackpool will have no bus older than five years, along with an integrated tram network and mainline trains arriving direct to Blackpool North Station. The benefits to the resort will be huge and I’m really excited to be a part of it all.”
Other award winners included:
• Combined authority of the Year – Merseytravel;
• Excellence in Technology – West Yorkshire Combined Authority (contactless ticketing using Bluetooth beacons and smartphones;
• Transport Team/Partnership of the Year – Merseytravel and Liverpool City Region Bus Alliance;
• Excellence in Travel Information and Marketing – Nexus; and
• Frontline Employee of the Year – Rob McCarthy, Inspector, Ashley Mumford, Inspector, Hayley Sibthorpe, Driver, Gary Wilkinson, Driver, and Jose Lusimana, Driver, all Stagecoach Manchester.
