The glitz and glamour returned to London as the industry gathered at the 2024 UK Bus Awards, reports Jonathan Welch
At London’s Troxy on Tuesday 26 November, this year’s UK Bus Awards took place, with glassware going to operators from across the UK and showcasing some of the excellent work going on across the industry, both to the benefit of bus users and of those who work within it.
Over 600 industry professionals, including CBW’s own Adrian Morton, gathered at the venue to celebrate the 28th annual UK Bus Awards. The not-for-profit initiative has become a cornerstone of excellence in the bus sector, and once again brought the industry together to honour the achievements that keep communities connected and moving around the country.
The ethos of the UK Bus Awards is recognising, rewarding, and inspiring, taking into consideration everything from innovative engineering to community-focused campaigns, and outstanding operators to the unsung heroes on the front line who deliver bus services every day. The awards’ judging process includes mystery travelling audits, where anonymous customers evaluate service quality against a detailed checklist of over 30 criteria.
Commenting on this year’s winners, Chair of the UK Bus Awards Alan Millar said: “This event is a testament to the passion, dedication, and ingenuity of those in the bus industry. It’s not just about buses; it’s about people, connection, and progress. Every winner and finalist inspires the wider industry to continue striving for excellence.”
Municipal win
Among the ceremony’s highlights was Nottingham City Transport, which was crowned the Gold Winner in the UK Bus Operator of the Year category. After winning Gold in the Top City Operator category, the municipal went on to beat Sanders Coaches (winner of the Top Independent Operator trophy for the second year in a row) and Reading Buses (the Top Shire Operator winner) to take the name of Britain’s best bus operator.
Individual achievements also shone, as Safiyyah Saiyed took home the award for Manager of the Year for showcasing her visionary leadership as Operations Manager at RATP Dev Transit London’s Hounslow Garage and its sister site at Hounslow Heath. Another RATP Dev Transit London colleague, Donnette Miller, was celebrated as Top London Bus Driver. Judges praised her for her encyclopaedic knowledge of the public transport network and for her often helping customers find the right bus stop and bus to their ultimate destination.
The Unsung Hero award went to Filica Patranoiu for his behind-the-scenes contributions as the Operations Supervisor for Arriva’s Stamford Hill Garage in London, whilst Ulsterbus driver Ivan Cochrane earned the title of Top National Bus Driver for his exemplary service and professionalism. His calm and approachable manner has led him to become a Driver Mentor, and he is known for always going above and beyond to ensure that a new driver is competent and confident and supported in their new role.
This year’s awards also highlighted the dynamic and essential role of buses in shaping communities and tackling challenges. First West of England won Gold in the Bus and the Community category for a campaign last year that marked the 60th anniversary of the Bristol Bus Boycott, which began after a prospective bus driver, Guy Bailey, was rejected for the job because of the colour of his skin. The company joined forces with community, religious, political and other organisations to mark the significant anniversary and the bus operator also commissioned a specially wrapped bus.
Culture & Environment
Go-Ahead’s Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus earned Gold in the Culture Change category for overhauling its training programmes and replacing generic PowerPoint presentations with more engaging and memorable videos that aim to give training a fresh and different approach. Martin Dean, Managing Director for UK Regional Bus at the Go-Ahead Group, said “I am delighted for the team at Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus for their culture change award. From the outset, colleagues are introduced to the company and the wide range of roles available, ensuring everyone’s valued. By celebrating the great work everyone in the depot and on the road undertakes, we are delighted to celebrate the positive impact this has on our customers.”
Northern Ireland’s Translink won Gold in the Environmental Innovation category for its Augmented Engineer initiative, which uses augmented reality technology to provide remote expert assistance to engineers working on its new fleet of electric buses.
Alan Millar added: “These awards remind us why buses matter. They’re about connection – connecting people to jobs, education, and each other. It’s inspiring to see how the industry continues to do just that while continuing to innovate and excel. Congratulations to all of our very worthy 2024 winners and finalists.”
UK Bus Awards 2024 Results
Bus and the Community sponsored by Heathrow
Gold: Bristol Bus Boycott (First West of England)
Silver: Sanders Coaches
Bronze: Skegness Seasiders Fundraising (Stagecoach East Midlands)
Highly Commended: There is someone… (First West of England with Suicide Prevention UK)
Finalist: The Friendship Bus (Arriva South)
Finalist: Green Lane depot, Liverpool (Arriva)
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