23/09/2009

• Five Stagecoach companies in line for ‘UK Bus Operator of the Year’
• 14 nominations in total for Perth-based transport group

Stagecoach is leading the way with the highest number of shortlisted nominations for the 2009 UK Bus Awards.

After winning more awards than any other operator at last year’s ceremony, the Perth-based transport group has 14 shortlisted entries in the competition’s 20 categories this year with five Stagecoach companies in the running to be named Britain’s best bus operator at the November awards ceremony.

Stagecoach in Fife, Stagecoach Bluebird and Stagecoach in Warwickshire are shortlisted for the Optare Shire Operator of the Year award while Stagecoach Manchester and Stagecoach North East are shortlisted in the City Operator of the Year category. All five companies are also in line for the prestigious UK Bus Operator of the Year award.

Three Stagecoach services – Stagecoach East Scotland’s Express Network, Stagecoach East’s Route X5 and Stagecoach West’s 444 service from Gloucester to London (operated on behalf of National Express) – have been shortlisted for the Volvo Express Operation of the Year award, while Stagecoach East Midlands is nominated in the Best Bus in the Countryside category for its Humber Fastcat service in partnership with East Yorkshire Motor Services.

Stagecoach Manchester Fleet Engineer Mike Brinicombe is shortlisted for the inaugural Engineer of the Year award and Stagecoach South West Operations Manager, Christina Ratcliffe is in line for the Young Manager of the Year award.

Two Stagecoach marketing campaigns – the Stagecoach South Travel Route 60 Style and the Stagecoach Group Gold campaigns – are in the running to be named as the CBS Outdoor Bus Marketing Campaign of the Year.

Les Warneford, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus, said: "We are committed to providing high quality, good value, reliable bus services and I am delighted that so many of our companies and staff have been recognised for their hard work in achieving this.

"Much of our success relies on strong partnerships, operational expertise, innovative marketing and a commitment to customer service and we are continuing to attract more people on to the bus."

The full list of shortlisted Stagecoach entries is:

• Stagecoach in Fife (The Optare Shire Operator of the Year)
• Stagecoach Bluebird (The Optare Shire Operator of the Year)
• Stagecoach in Warwickshire (The Optare Shire Operator of the Year)
• Stagecoach Manchester (The City Operator of the Year)
• Stagecoach North East (The City Operator of the Year)
• Stagecoach East Scotland Express Network (The Volvo Express Coach Operation of the Year)
• Stagecoach Route X5 (The Volvo Express Coach Operation of the Year)
• Stagecoach West 444 Gloucester to London (The Volvo Express Coach Operation of the Year)
• Stagecoach South Travel Route 60 Style (The CBS Outdoor Bus Marketing Campaign of the Year)
• Stagecoach Group – Stagecoach Gold (The CBS Outdoor Bus Marketing Campaign of the Year)
• Stagecoach East Midlands and EYMS – Humber Fastcat (The Bus in the Countryside)
• Stagecoach X2 Preston to Liverpool (The Department for Transport Award for Winning New Customers)
• Mike Brinicombe, Stagecoach Manchester (Engineer of the Year Award, sponsored by IRTE)
• Christina Ratcliffe, Stagecoach South West (The Young Manager of the Year)

John Owen, Chairman of the UK Bus Awards said a record number of entries had been received for this year’s awards.

He added: "We’re hugely impressed by the commitment to quality and innovation shown by the industry, especially against such a harsh economic background."

The 14th annual UK Bus Awards will be held on 12 November 2009 at the Hilton Hotel, London.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group is a leading international public transport group, with extensive operations in the UK, United States and Canada. The company employs 30,000 people, and operates bus, coach, rail, and tram services.

For further information contact:

Lindsay Reid
Corporate Communications Manager
Stagecoach Group
10 Dunkeld Road
Perth
PH1 5TW
Phone: 01738 442111
Fax: 01738 443076
Mobile: 07500 446896
email: lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com