Bus people in Wales were celebrating today after it was announced in London that they had been shortlisted for the prestigious UK Bus Awards. The list contains more than 90 people, projects and organisations from around the country, selected by the judges from over 270 nominations to go forward to the final stages, including mystery traveller checks.

There are four nominations for the region. They are:

Cardiff Bus

Matt Stacey, a driver for Cardiff Bus, is nominated for the Top National Bus Driver award.

First Cymru

First Cymru is nominated in the Bus and the Community category because of its extensive and consistent charitable work with groups in the communities it serves.

Newport Transport

Newport Transport has two nominations, one for Top Independent Operator and one for the Unigo project in the Innovation award category.

Congratulating all the shortlisted entries, UK Bus Awards chairman John Owen commented: “It has been a bumper year for entries, proving that the industry really is determined to grow and improve.

"The number and quality of entries in this, our 17th year, has made for interesting and lively judging panels. In some cases the scoring was very close indeed - testament to the quality of the nominations,” he continued.

With the standards so high, results are inevitably going to be very close. “I wish all the nominees every success at this year’s event in November,” he added.

The shortlist includes representatives from virtually all sectors of the bus industry, with the Go-Ahead Group heading the list with 20 places, followed by Stagecoach with 13 places, Arriva with 10 and FirstGroup with nine. Other groups, independents and municipal operators also feature strongly, reflecting the diversity in the industry.

ENDS

Bus people in the Thames Valley were celebrating today after it was announced in London that they had been shortlisted for the prestigious UK Bus Awards. The list contains more than 90 people, projects and organisations from around the country, selected by the judges from over 270 nominations to go forward to the final stages, including mystery traveller checks.

There are seven nominations for the region.

Oxford Bus Company has attracted nominations in no less than four award categories: Shire Operator of the Year, Top Express Coach Operation and for driver Sharon Harry in the Top National Bus Driver category. The company also features in a joint entry with Oxfordshire County Council and Stagecoach Oxford for the Innovation award.

Reading Buses have three nominations. One is challenging Oxford Bus Company for Shire Operator of the Year, the second is for Marketing Initiatives and the third is in the Environment category for its new hybrid buses.

Congratulating all the shortlisted entries, UK Bus Awards chairman John Owen commented: “It has been a bumper year for entries, proving that the industry really is determined to grow and improve.

“The number and quality of entries in this, our 17th year, has made for interesting and lively judging panels. In some cases the scoring was very close indeed - testament to the quality of the nominations,” he continued.

With the standards so high, results are inevitably going to be very close. “I wish all the nominees every success at this year’s event in November,” he added.

The shortlist includes representatives from virtually all sectors of the bus industry, with the Go-Ahead Group heading the list with 20 places, followed by Stagecoach with 13 places, Arriva with 10 and FirstGroup with nine. Other groups, independents and municipal operators also feature strongly, reflecting the diversity in the industry.

ENDS

Bus people on the South Coast were celebrating today after it was announced in London that they had been shortlisted for the prestigious UK Bus Awards. The list contains more than 90 people, projects and organisations from around the country, selected by the judges from over 270 nominations to go forward to the final stages, including mystery traveller checks.

There are four nominations for the region. They are:

First Hampshire & Dorset with Hampshire CC have been nominated for the Making Buses a Better Choice award in recognition of the Eclipse project between Gosport and Fareham.

Eastleigh-based bus operator Bluestar is nominated for two awards. The first is Shire Operator of the Year and the second is for the Key smartcard in the Marketing Initiatives category.

Yellow Buses in Bournemouth also gets a mention due to driver Vanessa Knowling, who has earned a nomination for the Top National Bus Driver award.

Congratulating all the shortlisted entries, UK Bus Awards chairman John Owen commented: “It has been a bumper year for entries, proving that the industry really is determined to grow and improve.

“The number and quality of entries in this, our 17th year, has made for interesting and lively judging panels. In some cases the scoring was very close indeed - testament to the quality of the nominations,” he continued.

With the standards so high, results are inevitably going to be very close. “I wish all the nominees every success at this year’s event in November,” he added.

The shortlist includes representatives from virtually all sectors of the bus industry, with the Go-Ahead Group heading the list with 20 places, followed by Stagecoach with 13 places, Arriva with 10 and FirstGroup with nine. Other groups, independents and municipal operators also feature strongly, reflecting the diversity in the industry.

ENDS

Bus people in the Scotland were celebrating today after it was announced in London that they had been shortlisted for the prestigious UK Bus Awards. The list contains more than 90 people, projects and organisations from around the country, selected by the judges from over 270 nominations to go forward to the final stages, including mystery traveller checks.

There are four nominations for Scotland.

Scottish Citylink Coaches have been nominated for the Top Express Coach Operation award and are jointly nominated with the Stagecoach Group for the megabus.com Sleeper Service in the Innovation category. This unique overnight service runs between London and Glasgow.

Stagecoach East Scotland are no strangers to the UK Bus Awards and they have two nominations this year. One is for the Express City Connect network across Fife into Edinburgh in the Top Express Coach Operation category. The second is for driver Ian Fraser, who is nominated for the Top National Bus Driver Award.

Congratulating all the shortlisted entries, UK Bus Awards chairman John Owen commented: “It has been a bumper year for entries, proving that the industry really is determined to grow and improve.

“The number and quality of entries in this, our 17th year, has made for interesting and lively judging panels. In some cases the scoring was very close indeed - testament to the quality of the nominations,” he continued.

With the standards so high, results are inevitably going to be very close. “I wish all the nominees every success at this year’s event in November,” he added.

The shortlist includes representatives from virtually all sectors of the bus industry, with the Go-Ahead Group heading the list with 20 places, followed by Stagecoach with 13 places, Arriva with 10 and FirstGroup with nine. Other groups, independents and municipal operators also feature strongly, reflecting the diversity in the industry.

ENDS

Bus people in the North West were celebrating today after it was announced in London that they had been shortlisted for the prestigious UK Bus Awards. The list contains more than 90 people, projects and organisations from around the country, selected by the judges from over 270 nominations to go forward to the final stages, including mystery traveller checks.

There are eleven nominations for the region. They are:

Arriva North West

Arriva’s new depot in Speke has earned them a nomination in the Top National Depot category. The new £3.9m depot opened in May 2012.

FirstGroup

There are two people nominations for First Manchester; Jeff Clayton is nominated for Young Manager of the Year, while Andrew Wilson is nominated for Engineer of the Year. FirstGroup’s North Region is also nominated for a Bus and the Community award for its Charity in the Community project.

Network Warrington has been shortlisted for the Bus and the Community award through its partnership working with local charities.

Cumbria-based Reays Coaches receives a nomination for the Marketing Excellence award in recognition of their “Hopping Mad” campaign in Carlisle and surrounding towns and villages.

Stagecoach Manchester features twice in the shortlist. One nomination is for Top City Operator and the other features Andrew Howard-Smith in the Unsung Heroes category.

Transdev Burnley and Pendle has attracted three nominations, one being for Top Shire Operator. Burnley depot also makes the shortlist in the Top National Depot category, while Dennis Tomlinson, the Duty Manager at Queensgate depot, is shortlisted for the Unsung Heroes award.

Congratulating all the shortlisted entries, UK Bus Awards chairman John Owen commented: “It has been a bumper year for entries, proving that the industry really is determined to grow and improve.

“The number and quality of entries in this, our 17th year, has made for interesting and lively judging panels. In some cases the scoring was very close indeed - testament to the quality of the nominations,” he continued.

With the standards so high, results are inevitably going to be very close. “I wish all the nominees every success at this year’s event in November,” he added.

The shortlist includes representatives from virtually all sectors of the bus industry, with the Go-Ahead Group heading the list with 20 places, followed by Stagecoach with 13 places, Arriva with 10 and FirstGroup with nine. Other groups, independents and municipal operators also feature strongly, reflecting the diversity in the industry.

ENDS

Bus people in London were celebrating today after it was announced that they had been shortlisted for the prestigious UK Bus Awards. The list contains more than 90 people, projects and organisations from around the country, selected by the judges from over 270 nominations to go forward to the final stages, including mystery traveller checks.

There are 14 nominations for Greater London. Eight of these are for the Luke Rees-Pulley Charitable Trust Award for Top London Bus Driver: Peter Bennett of Arriva London (Norwood); Rui Branco of Abellio London (Battersea); Scott Horney (Merton) and Roy Lambe (Stockwell) of Go-Ahead London; Angela Spragg of Quality Line (Epsom); Kamya Ssemakadde (Tolworth) and Warren Wills (Fulwell) of London United, and Peter Varley of Stagecoach London.

First London are shortlisted for the Bus and the Community Award in recognition of the Greenford Library Bus project.

The remaining five nominations are for the London Bus Garage of the Year award: Barking (Stagecoach London), Cricklewood (Metroline) Merton (London General), Orpington (Metrobus) and Putney (London General).

Congratulating all the shortlisted entries, UK Bus Awards chairman John Owen commented: “It has been a bumper year for entries, proving that the industry really is determined to grow and improve.

“The number and quality of entries in this, our 17th year, has made for interesting and lively judging panels. In some cases the scoring was very close indeed - testament to the quality of the nominations,” he continued.

With the standards so high, results are inevitably going to be very close. “I wish all the nominees every success at this year’s event in November,” he added.

The shortlist includes representatives from virtually all sectors of the bus industry, with the Go-Ahead Group heading the list with 20 places, followed by Stagecoach with 13 places, Arriva with 10 and FirstGroup with nine. Other groups, independents and municipal operators also feature strongly, reflecting the diversity in the industry.

ENDS