19/09/2007

• West Scotland, Cambridge and Merseyside bid for top excellence title
• Transport giant impresses judges with 13 UK Bus Awards nominations

Stagecoach is in the running to be named for Britain's best bus operator for the third year running.

The Perth-based transport group has 13 shortlisted entries across 18 categories at the 2007 UK Bus Awards – more than any other bus operator in the country.

Three Stagecoach companies – Stagecoach West Scotland, Stagecoach Merseyside and Stagecoach Cambridge – have been nominated for the City and Shire Operator of the Year awards.

Stagecoach West Scotland, which runs around 400 buses stretching from Dumfries to Glasgow, has won the top Belmont International Bus Operator of the Year Award for the past two years and is aiming to complete a hat-trick of wins.

The judges have shortlisted Stagecoach’s “Where You Want to Be” campaign for the Department for Transport’s Winning New Customers Award.

Oxford Tube, Europe’s most frequent express coach service, has been nominated for the Innovation Award and Express Coach Operator of the Year.

Stagecoach has also been shortlisted for categories covering marketing, rural transport, accessibility and integration.

The full list of shortlisted Stagecoach entries is:

• Stagecoach Research and Development Team – ‘Where You Want To Be’ (Department for Transport ‘Winning New Customers’ Award)
• Stagecoach Merseyside (Titan Outdoor City Bus Operator of the Year Award*)
• Stagecoach West Scotland (Shire Operator of the Year Award*)
• Stagecoach Cambridge (Shire Operator of the Year Award*)
• Stagecoach North East – David Hands (Chris Moyes Memorial Award: Industry People of the Year)
• Stagecoach South – Cruise Along the Coast (CBS Outdoor Award for Bus Marketing Campaign of the Year)
• Stagecoach Fife/Fife Council – Go Flexi ((Bus In The Countryside Award)
• Stagecoach Warwickshire – Route 63/64 (Bus In The Countryside Award)
• Stagecoach North East – Quaylink (Alexander Dennis Innovation Award)
• Stagecoach Oxford Tube – Enabling Passengers with Wi-fi (Alexander Dennis Innovation Award)
• Stagecoach East Midlands – Gainsborough Into Town (Claudia Flanders Memorial Award for Accessibility – sponsored by The TAS Partnership)
• Stagecoach East – Route X1 (BAA Heathrow Integration Award)
• Stagecoach – Oxford Tube (Express Coach Operator of the Year Award sponsored by Volvo Bus)

Les Warneford, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus, said: “We are delighted that our companies and our people have been recognised for their commitment to running a first class bus service.

“Stagecoach is leading the way in making bus travel better. At the heart of our success is a commitment to strong partnerships with our stakeholders. Combined with our innovation, marketing, operational expertise and commitment to customers, we are seeing more and more people get back on board the bus.”

Minister of State for Transport, Rosie Winterton MP said: “The UK Bus Awards is one of the most prestigious awards events in the transport calendar and I am delighted this year has attracted a record number of entries. It is a testament to the hard work that goes on in the industry to make bus services more attractive to the public. I look forward to attending the ceremony to meet and congratulate the people behind these successes.”

John Owen, Chairman of the UK Bus Awards, said the shortlisted companies were “the cream of the bus industry”.

“This year we’ve had a phenomenal response. The quality of entries is higher than ever and it’s an achievement in itself to have made the shortlist. They are all worthy winners and congratulations one and all – operators, local authorities and front-line staff.”

Now in its 12th year, the UK Bus Awards places a spotlight on best practice in areas such as marketing, customer service, innovation and integration, as well as the award of the prestigious Bus Operator of the Year prize. The Awards presentation ceremony takes place at Old Billingsgate Conference Centre in London on 7 November 2007.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Steve Stewart, Director of Corporate Communications,
Stagecoach Group
Tel: 01738 442111 or mobile 07764 774680
email: steven.stewart@stagecoachgroup.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

Stagecoach is one of the UK’s biggest bus operators, running around 7,000 buses in nearly 100 towns and cities across the country, from the Highlands of Scotland to south-west England.

*The winners of the Titan Outdoor City Bus Operator of the Year, Shire Operator of the Year and the Scania Independent Operator of the Year will battle it out for the grand prix prize of Belmont International Bus Operator of the Year Award