Stagecoach’s Oxford Tube named Express Coach Operator of the Year

• Transport group also scoops Environment accolade at 2011 UK Bus Awards
• Stagecoach also recognised for marketing, driving and depot excellence

Transport group Stagecoach is celebrating after its Oxford Tube service was named Top Express Coach Operator the day before yesterday (Tuesday 29 November) at the 2011 UK Bus Awards.

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How to get from London to Oxford by coach

The coach service – which links Oxford and London and is Europe’s most frequent coach service – won the award after being praised by judges for the standard of its operations and its continued success in attracting new passengers.

Perth-based Stagecoach Group also scooped the Environment Award at the 16th annual London ceremony after impressing judges with the measures it is taking within its UK Bus Division to become a greener business. Stagecoach has a comprehensive sustainability strategy and is investing £11million in a range of measures to meet its environmental targets. At its UK Bus Division, the Group is targeting an overall reduction of 6.2% in building CO₂ emissions and a cut of 3% in annual fleet transport CO₂ emissions by April 2014.

Stagecoach also achieved four runners-up places at the ceremony. In the Top Express Coach Operation category, Stagecoach East Scotland was named as runner-up for its Fife Express operation which links Fife and Edinburgh.

Stagecoach South West’s Torbay depot was named runner-up in the Top National Bus Depot Award while Stagecoach London driver Yvette Tomlin finished runner-up in the Top London Bus Driver category. And in the Marketing Excellence category, Stagecoach UK Bus was named runner-up for its Stagecoach Gold product, which provides luxury local bus travel in several towns and cities across the UK.

Stagecoach UK Bus Managing Director Les Warneford said:

We are delighted to win these awards which recognise the hard work of many of our employees who help provide high-quality, reliable and good value bus travel for millions of people across the UK every day.

We will continue to embrace new technology as well as trialling new and innovative ideas to attract even more passengers on to our greener, smarter bus services.

The following Stagecoach employees and companies were also Highly Commended at the awards:

• Sarah Anderson, Stagecoach East Scotland, Bluebird and Highlands (Young Manager of the Year Award)
• Graeme Leslie, Stagecoach Bluebird (Young Manager of the Year Award)
• Stagecoach in Oxfordshire, Introducing Electric Hybrid Buses (Environment Award)
• Stagecoach West, Route 66 (Eureka! Award for Marketing Initiatives)
• Stagecoach Group, Stagecoach Smart (Innovation Award)
• Stagecoach Bluebird, Jet 727 Service (Making Buses A Better Choice Award)
• Stagecoach East Kent&East Sussex, The Canterbury Triangle (Marketing Excellence Award)
• Stagecoach West, Greener Journeys (Marketing Excellence Award)
• Stagecoach Yorkshire, Creating Passenger Growth in Sheffield (Marketing Excellence Award)
• Stagecoach UK Bus, Citylink Gold (Putting Passengers First Award)
• Stagecoach East, X5 Service (Top Express Operation Award)
• Stagecoach South West, Torbay Depot (Top National Bus Depot Award)
• Stagecoach West Scotland, Kilmarnock Depot (Top National Bus Depot Award)
• Stagecoach Manchester (Top City Operator Award)
• Stagecoach East Midlands (Top Shire Operator Award)
• Stagecoach South (Top Shire Operator Award)
• Stagecoach West (Top Shire Operator Award)
• Frank Tumfo, Stagecoach London (Top London Bus Driver Award)

Congratulating all the shortlisted entries;

UK Bus Awards chairman John Owen commented:

In these difficult and uncertain times, we’ve been both surprised and delighted by the number and quality of entries for the 2011 UK Bus Awards.

Over five billion passenger journeys are made by bus every year, and the industry has a huge amount to offer in delivering reduced congestion and carbon emissions. The finalists in this year’s Awards are contributing hugely with their bright ideas and their commitment to customer service. They are paving the way for the future success of an industry which remains firmly at the heart of our national life.