Stagecoach has been recognised with a top honour at the 2015 Scottish Transport Awards.
The East Scotland business was awarded the Best Bus Service accolade at the 13th annual event held in Glasgow on June 18, after impressing judges with its Coastrider X7 route which operates along the east coast of Scotland.
Stagecoach launched the X7 Coastrider service in 2011, providing a link between Dundee and Aberdeen via Arbroath, Montrose and Stonehaven. Services quickly proved popular and Stagecoach has since invested heavily in a further new fleet of luxury vehicles for the route, featuring free WiFi, leather reclining seats, air-conditioning and a toilet.
In 2012 the company launched a night service, and last year the route was extended through to Perth. The Coastrider X7 service now carries 12,000 customers each week and has seen a 36% rise in passenger numbers over the past year.
Stagecoach East Scotland Managing Director, Andrew Jarvis, said: “This award is a real credit to the hard work of our employees who deliver these services to our customers all year round.
“Thousands of people a week rely on the Coastrider X7 services as an affordable and reliable transport solution and, by investing in new vehicles, with free WiFi, and delivering excellent customer service, we look forward to attracting even more people onto our greener, smarter services in the future.”
