Go-Ahead Group sees most nominations go through to the final, with 15 across various categories
The finalists of the 21st annual UK Bus Awards have been announced.
Over 100 industry representatives gathered at the Volvo Technical Centre in Warwick to celebrate being named as Finalists. The 99 finalists were selected from more than 250 entries, across 20 categories.
The finalists were selected following a rigorous process of judging – bringing together over 40 independent expert judges.
Following mystery traveller checks to make sure bus services, drivers and depots match the star quality of their entries, the winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on November 23, 2016. The ceremony will take place at The Ballroom on London’s South Bank.
Tony Depledge, Chairman of the UK Bus Awards, praised the quality and range of finalists as being, once again, a credit to the industry.
He said: “The spirit of the UK Bus Awards scheme is one of celebrating innovation and good ideas as well as rewarding sheer hard work and commitment.
“Volvo’s Technical Centre in Warwick – a hallmark of innovation and sustainability – was an entirely fitting venue to announce the finalists for 2016 today.
“Across all award categories, our judges have seen an impressive range of entries that tackle new challenges, research new customer needs and build on past success.
“This is an industry that can be proud of its work – and we’re happy to showcase that to inspire our whole sector to roll out great ideas to benefit customers and communities across the UK.
“Our finalists have really impressed us with their star quality. I wish them all every success at the 21st UK Bus Awards ceremony in November.”
The annual awards are designed to recognise and reward the achievements of the bus industry and aim to inspire others with the examples set by the winners. The Finalists include nominations from bus users, bus operators and their staff from around the country, and as well as entries from local authorities, PTEs and Combined Authorities.
Go-Ahead Group tops the list for the number of finalists, with 15, closely followed by Stagecoach Group on 12. Arriva and FirstGroup achieved 10 each. Among individual companies, multiple award winner Reading Buses tops the chart with seven finalist placings, followed by Lothian Buses on five. Transdev Blazefield, RATP Dev and Abellio each received three.
The full list of finalists is as follows:
Bus and the Community Award:
* Disability Awareness, Blackpool Transport Services
* Helping Hand, Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company
* Big Bus Day, East Yorkshire Motor Services
* First Bus in the Midlands and Trussell Trust Foodbanks
* First Essex supporting Michael Birch and Essex Air Ambulance
* Skegness Seasiders Team, Stagecoach East Midlands
* Safe Zone Bus, Xplore Dundee
* Work experience for students with disabilities, Transport for Greater Manchester
Environment Award
* Environmental Improvements to Vehicles, First Bus
* Buses Do Their Bit – Durham Air Quality Monitoring Area, Go North East
* We think the World of Edinburgh, Lothian Buses
* To ‘planet Reading’ and beyond!, Reading Buses
* Inverness ElectriCity, Stagecoach North Scotland
* Clean Air for Schools, Transport for Greater Manchester
Local Authority Bus Project of the Year
* The West Midlands Bus Alliance: A UK First, Centro and National Express West Midlands
* Grasshopper Multi-Operator Ticketing, Aberdeenshire Council and partners
* Elland Road Park and Ride, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and partners
London Bus Garage of the Year
* Palmers Green, Arriva London
* Brixton, Arriva London South
* Putney, Go-Ahead London
* Uxbridge, Metroline West
* Hounslow Heath, RATP Dev London
* Leyton, Stagecoach London
Making Buses a Better Choice: the Peter Huntley Memorial Award
* Two Stars in Two Months, Bluestar
* Eclipse – Driving Up Expectations, First Hampshire & Dorset
* The Castles Express, Go North East
* Leopard and Lion, Reading Buses
* South West Falcon, Stagecoach South West
* Cityzap, Transdev Blazefield
* Goldline 212, Translink
The Award for Marketing Initiative of the Year
* #harveyBus – 410/411 X-Factor initiative, Arriva Yorkshire
* First Southampton Paints the City Red, First Hampshire & Dorset
* New Mendip Xplorer Brand, First West of England
* King’s City, Stagecoach South
* Busboost, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
* Bus Start, Arriva UK Bus
New Horizons Award
* CheckedSafe Walk Around App, CheckedSafe
* Employee App, First Aberdeen
* Nerve Centre Revolution, Go North East
* The Transport for Edinburgh App, Lothian Buses
* claret spritzer, Reading Buses
* E-paper bus stops, Transport for London
* Traveline GB Journey Planner, Traveline Information
Putting Passengers First
* The Transport for Edinburgh App, Lothian Buses
* West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership, National Express West Midlands and partners
* Easylink, Nottingham Community Transport
* Enabling tomorrow’s customers today, Reading Buses
The Award for Sustained Marketing Excellence
* Go, Go, Go!, Go North East
* Greener Journeys
* Lothian Buses NightBus
* Express City Connect, Stagecoach East Scotland
* The 36 – Riding Redefined, Transdev Blazefield
Top City Operator
* Arriva Merseyside
* Lothian Buses
* National Express West Midlands
* Nottingham City Transport
* Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire
* Translink Metro
Top National Bus Driver: the Chris Moyes Memorial Award
* Denis McMahon, Abellio Surrey
* Karen Wilson, Arriva Yorkshire
* Ian Walker, First Aberdeen
* Michal Kudla, First Essex
* Dave Forrester, Southern Vectis
* Brian Liddle, Transdev Blazefield
Top Independent Operator
* Compass Travel (Sussex)
* Courtney Buses
* Ensign Bus Company
* Prentice Coaches
* Uno Buses (Northampton)
Luke Rees Pulley Charitable Trust Award for Top London Bus Driver
* Felicia Grazette, Abellio London
* Helen Webster, Arriva London
* Richard Pincombe, Arriva London
* Nadine Allen, CT Plus
* Dean Golding, Go-Ahead London
* Peter Huttly, Go-Ahead London
* Hirji Hirani, Metroline Travel
* Terry Miles, RATP Dev London
Top National Bus Depot
* Tamworth, Arriva Midlands & Shires
* Gateshead Riverside, Go North East
* Wolverhampton, Park Lane, National Express West Midlands
* Fenstanton, Stagecoach East
* St Andrews, Stagecoach East Scotland
* Crawley, Metrobus
Top Shire Operator
* Metrobus
* Oxford Bus Company
* Reading Buses
* Stagecoach East Midlands
* Go South Coast
Unsung Heroes Award
* Darren Jackson, Abellio Surrey
* John Gordon, Go North East
* Ricky Lennon, RATP Dev UK
* Chris Vest, Reading Buses
* Joe Somers, Stagecoach East
Young Manager of the Year
* Alistair Timmis, Arriva Midlands & Shires
* Matthew Elsey, First Essex
* Sophie Moorby, Go North East
* Stephanie Maher, National Express West Midlands
* Dan Bassett, Reading Buses
* Katie Wagstaff, Stagecoach London
INFO
More details of the awards can be found on the UK Bus Awards website at www.ukbusawards.org.uk
