Gareth Evans reports on this year’s UK Bus Awards final, held at an attractive new venue in London’s Docklands last week
Bus companies, local government and suppliers across Britain are celebrating their success in the 2017 UK Bus Awards, which last week announced the winners of its Go South Coast was crowned UK Bus Operator of the Year at last week’s UK Bus Awards, having earlier been victorious in the closely-fought contest for the title of Top Shire Operator. In addition, the company’s Eastleigh depot scooped the Gold Award in the contest to find the UK’s Top National Bus Depot – a unique hat-trick for the business.
Reacting to the news, Go South Coast MD, Andrew Wickham, said: “This is wonderful recognition of our team. A massive thank you to my 1,900 colleagues. They made these wins possible. We won’t be resting on our laurels though.”
Winners of the 22nd annual competition were announced at a glittering ceremony before over 710 industry movers and shakers at the delightful Troxy venue in London’s Docklands. The award ceremony was hosted by presenter Jane Hill on November 21, 2017. Trophies were presented by Richard Atkinson CBE, Director of Marketing and Communication at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.[wlm_nonmember][…]
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Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company (B&H) won the Silver Award in the overall contest, after being named as Top City Operator. B&H was also given a Special Commendation in the Sustained Marketing Excellence category for publishing its best-selling Bus Times guide to the city’s bus services for the last 30 years.
The prize of Top Independent Operator went to Stephensons of Essex, a well-known operator of services in Essex and Suffolk. Silver went to last year’s winners, Prentice Coaches, a family firm based in Haddington, East Lothian. Neighbouring Lothian Buses took the Silver Award in the Top City Operator competition, along with another Silver for the company’s ongoing campaign to reduce its environmental impact, Bus 2020.
Two long-serving industry figures were honoured with the Award for Services to the Bus Industry this year. Leon Daniels, shortly to retire from TfL as Managing Director, Surface Transport and Steven Salmon, CPT’s Director of Policy Development since 1997. The Awards Management Committee paid tribute to their long service – over 30 years in both cases – and to the contributions they have made.
The Award for Top National Bus Driver presented the judges with a close and difficult decision between Gold and Silver winners. In the end, the top prize to Maks Pruszewicz from Reading Buses, with the Silver Award going Dale French of Transdev Blazefield and Bronze to Phil Hadley from B&H. All were praised for their hard work, loyalty and customer service skills by their employers, the judges and mystery travellers alike.
Amongst the major groups, The Go-Ahead Group took home 12 awards: no fewer than six Golds, plus three Silver and three Bronze Awards. In addition to Go South Coast’s triple, Stephen King from Go North East took Gold in the new Leadership and Inspiration Award, and the group’s London operating company was named as one of two Gold winners in the environment category for the electric bus project at Waterloo garage.
Arriva scooped 10 awards – four Gold, three Silver and three Bronze. The ground-breaking ArrivaClick demand responsive service in Sittingbourne took the top prize in the New Horizons category, whilst ‘Team Brixton’ was named London Bus Garage of the Year. Also in London, Chris Leonti from Tottenham won a Gold Award in the Unsung Heroes category, whilst the group’s Luton depot scooped the top prize for its work with local people in the town in the Bus and the Community contest.
Stagecoach followed by winning nine awards – no Golds this year, but four Silver and five Bronze awards. FirstGroup meanwhile took four – two Gold, one Silver and one Bronze. One Gold went to First West of England for their ground-breaking ‘Beat the Rise’ marketing campaign to promote off-bus ticketing; the second one was to Paul Branigan of First Scotland East and Midland Bluebird, named as Engineer of the Year.
Transdev took four Silvers and two Bronzes – plus one Gold for Sustained Marketing Excellence on the high-profile 36 route from Leeds to Harrogate and Ripon.
Other winners included Abellio (two), National Express (one) and Wellglade (one). Amongst local authorities, Nottingham City Council took home three trophies – two Golds for its scheme to electrify the city’s Park & Ride services, and the other for its smart-ticketing for the Robin Hood Network. Transport for London’s comprehensive approach to bus priority in the capital also won them a Gold Award in the Making Buses a Better Choice category.
The awards scheme plays a key role in raising the profile of buses, helping to shape political and customer perceptions and in recognising and rewarding the achievements of all the people who work so hard in the industry to deliver, plan and promote the services.
Mark Yexley, Chairman of the UK Bus Awards, said: “Every year our job gets tougher and tougher. We get to hear about some of the most amazing drivers out on the road.
“They’re truly outstanding in every way. The time and effort they take to make sure their passengers have the very best journey experience is commendable.
“We would like to congratulate all our finalists today. Well done from everyone at the UK Bus Awards!”
The full list is set out below
Bus and the Community Award
- Gold Award: Commitment to Luton – Arriva Midlands – Luton Depot
- Silver Award: Youth Express – Stagecoach West Scotland
- Bronze Award: Dementia Awareness – Arriva Midlands – Telford Depot
- Specially Commended: Imberbus – Bath Bus Company with Industry Colleagues
- Finalist: Payroll Giving – Arriva London
- Finalist: Titan Partnership – First Eastern Counties
- Finalist: Working with Young Offenders – RATP Dev London – Tolworth Bus Garage
UK Bus Operator of the Year
- Gold Award: Go South Coast
- Silver Award: Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company
- Bronze Award: Stephensons of Essex
Engineer of the Year
- Gold Award: Paul Branigan – First Scotland East & Midland Bluebird
- Silver Award: Paul Hickinbottom – Arriva Midlands
- Bronze Award: Colin Close – Arriva North East
• Finalist: Peter Graybrook – Arriva Midlands
• Finalist: Kerry Cousins – Nottingham City Transport
• Finalist: Steve Martin – National Express West Midlands
Environment Award
- Gold Award: Electrification of Park & Ride Services – Nottingham City Council
- Gold Award: Electric Buses – Go-Ahead London
- Silver Award: Bus 2020 – Lothian Buses
- Bronze Award: York Park & Ride Electric Buses – First York
• Finalist: A Cleaner and Greener Fleet – First Bus
• Finalist: The Big Lemon CIC – The Big Lemon
Transport for London Award for London Bus Garage of the Year
- Gold Award: Brixton – Arriva London South
- Silver Award: Twickenham – Abellio London
- Bronze Award: Barking – Stagecoach London
• Finalist: Sutton – Go Ahead London
• Finalist: Willesden – Metroline Travel Limited
Leadership & Inspiration Award
- Gold Award: Stephen King – Go North East
- Silver Award: Jim Small – RATP Dev London
- Bronze Award: Anthony Carver-Smith – Nottingham City Transport
• Highly Commended: Mariusz Przybylski – Abellio London
Making Buses a Better Choice: the Peter Huntley Memorial Award
- Gold Award: London’s Bus Priority Programme – Transport for London
- Silver Award: Vantage – First Manchester and Partners
- Bronze Award: Improving out of town employment sites in partnership with Liftshare – Stagecoach Midlands
• Finalist: Arriva Busway Services – Arriva Midlands
• Finalist: Doing more for less in Surrey – Metrobus
• Finalist: Robin Hood Network Smart Ticketing – Nottingham City Council
• Finalist: Orange and Royal Blue reinvigorated – Reading Buses
The Award for Marketing Initiative of the Year
- Gold Award: Beat the Rise – mTicket campaign – First West of England
- Silver Award: £1 flat fare for 18s and under – Go North East
- Bronze Award: Come on you red men! – Stagecoach MCSL
• Finalist: Get Your Ride On – Arriva UK Bus
• Finalist: Glasgow Airport Express – First Glasgow
• Finalist: Sandwell and Dudley low-fare zone – National Express West Midlands
• Finalist: Ellie the Electric Bus and friends – Nottingham City Council
New Horizons Award
- Gold Award: ArrivaClick – Arriva UK Bus
- Silver Award: Technology and innovation to make the bus best – Reading Buses
- Bronze Award: VAMOOZ – Transdev Blazefield
• Finalist: Passenger – Passenger Technology Group
• Finalist: Slide Bristol – RATP Dev UK
Putting Passengers First
- Gold Award:Robin Hood Network Smart Ticketing – Nottingham City Council
- Silver Award: £1 flat fare for 18s and under – Go North East
- Bronze Award: Belfast Airport Express – Translink
• Finalist: Passenger App and One Hour Ticket – Yellow Buses
ROSCO Award for Innovation in Road Safety
- Gold Award: Route risk assessment maps at Stamford Brook garage – RATP Dev UK
- Silver Award: ‘A Stone’s Throw Away’ safety film – Xplore Dundee
Services to the Bus Industry
- Gold Award: Steven Salmon – UK Bus Awards
- Gold Award: Leon Daniels – UK Bus Awards
The Award for Sustained Marketing Excellence
- Gold Award: 36: Riding. Redefined. – Transdev Blazefield
- Silver Award: ‘Lakes Connection’ 555 service – Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire
- Bronze Award: Express City Connect – Stagecoach East Scotland
• Specially Commended: Bus Times 30th Anniversary – Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company
• Finalist: Purbeck Breezer – Go South Coast (morebus)
• Finalist: Busboost – South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
Top City Operator
- Gold Award: Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company
- Silver Award: Lothian Buses
- Bronze Award: Stagecoach Manchester
• Finalist: Arriva Merseyside
• Finalist: National Express West Midlands
Top National Bus Driver
- Gold Award: Maks Pruszewicz – Reading Buses
- Silver Award: Dale French – Transdev Blazefield
- Bronze Award: Phil Hadley – Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company
• Finalist: Sean Thomas – Arriva Midlands
• Finalist: Neil Atherton – Arriva North West and Wales
• Finalist: Brett Haskett – Arriva Midlands
• Finalist: Jayson Heath – Kinchbus
Top Independent Operator
- Gold Award: Stephensons of Essex
- Silver Award: Prentice Coaches
- Bronze Award: Ensign Bus Company
- Finalist: Central Buses
- Finalist: Marshalls of Sutton on Trent
Top London Bus Driver
- Gold Award: Sabatino Barbarino – Abellio London
- Silver Award: Helen Webster – Arriva London
- Bronze Award: Peter Whiteman – Go-Ahead London
Specially Commended: Oliver Salbris – Go-Ahead London
• Finalist: Clement Grant – Arriva London
• Finalist: Michael Francis – Metroline
• Finalist: Altin Cana – RATP Dev London
• Finalist: Eric Forde – RATP Dev London
• Finalist: Tina Lee – Stagecoach London
Top National Bus Depot
- Gold Award: Eastleigh – Go South Coast (Bluestar)
- Silver Award: Shrewsbury – Arriva Midlands
- Bronze Award: Crawley – Metrobus
• Finalist: Luton – Arriva Midlands
• Finalist: Falls Road – Metro (CityBus)
• Finalist: St Andrews – Stagecoach East Scotland
Top Shire Operator
- Gold Award: Go South Coast
- Silver Award: Stagecoach East Scotland
- Bronze Award: Oxford Bus Company
• Finalist: Blackpool Transport Services
Unsung Heroes Award
- Gold Award: Chris Leonti – Arriva London
- Gold Award: Chris Plummer – Trent Barton
UKBA Special Commendation for Outstanding Service
• Lynne Nappin – Arriva Midlands
• Ashley Burrows – Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company
• Martin Brand – First Glasgow
• Jeff Stubbs – Go South Coast (Bluestar)
• Stuart Roughley – Stagecoach Manchester
• Neil Roughton – Arriva Midlands
Young Manager of the Year
- Gold Award: Dan Bassett – Reading Buses
- Silver Award: Mark Mageean – Stagecoach Manchester
- Bronze Award: Ben Mansfield – Transdev Blazefield
• Finalist: Paul Hickinbottom – Arriva Midlands
• Finalist: Dean O’Neill – RATP Dev London
