Stagecoach Shines at Prestigious Events
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Issue 82 | November 2010 onThe newsletter stage of Stagecoach Group Our drivers are Stagecoach shines at among the best STAGECOACH prestigious events drivers have come out on top ONCE again proving its credentials at the 2010 Bus o as one of the country’s top Driver of the Year transport operators, Stagecoach has been competition. at the heart of two recent major global At the national events. nals in Blackpool, Top Stagecoach driver During the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Stagecoach East Sheila King is pictured the UK, Stagecoach undertook Scotland’s Scotland driver Brian with her trophy. largest ever private hire contract to transport Hurcombe was Best around 65,000 people to Glasgow’s Competitor in Scotland while Simon Furley Bellahouston Park for an open-air Mass. from Stagecoach South Wales was Best And, less than a month later, Stagecoach Competitor in Wales. transported 120,000 golf spectators to the And Sheila King, Stagecoach West, was Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor near Newport in top amongst 22 Stagecoach UK Bus South Wales. representatives, nishing seventh overall. The extensive transport operation for the Sheila said: “My jaw hit the oor when I Papal visit involved bus, rail and subway heard the results. I’m absolutely thrilled.” services and covered more than 160 towns and Andrew Stewart, Stagecoach North West, cities across every region in Scotland. More The transport operation for Pope Benedict was the second highest placed Stagecoach than 400 parishes in Scotland were each given XVI’s visit to Bellahouston Park in Glasgow. driver, in 11th place overall. their own detailed travel arrangements. Stagecoach UK Bus Managing Director Historic and rail operators across the country.” Les Warneford said: “We are extremely During the Ryder Cup, Stagecoach South proud of all of our nalists.” The detailed advance planning, which involved Wales operated around 140 vehicles a day from a number of partner organisations, ensured the two park and ride sites to transport more than transport operation ran smoothly throughout the 30,000 people each day to the event. Bad weather Outstanding deals day and the event was a great success. meant that the event had to be extended to a TRAVELZOO has shortlisted Stagecoach Scotland Regional Director Sam fourth day and Stagecoach reacted by drafting in megabus.com in North America Greer said: “It was an honour for us to have been 100 buses to ensure spectators could enjoy all of for an honour at the 2010 Travelzoo asked to undertake this prestigious contract and the action. awards. we are very proud to have played our part in Stagecoach South Wales Managing Director The awards celebrate the companies making this historic event a success. John Gould said: “Buses and drivers came from all behind the best travel deals and megabus. “The logistics of transporting so many people over the UK, quite literally from the south coast com has been shortlisted in the Leading to one location were very challenging. However, of England to the Highlands of Scotland. Provider of Outstanding Car Rental and our team did a fantastic job to ensure that “Each day of the event presented di erent Bus Deals category. It was also winner of the everyone got to and from the event safely and in challenges but our sta were excellent and we same category in the 2009 Travelzoo awards. an organised manner. We are also very grateful for have received extremely positive feedback from the assistance we have received from other bus many people.” Collecting the award on behalf of East Rail franchises Midlands Trains, Safety and Environment honoured at Director David Maxwell said: “This is a fantastic achievement and is recognition of the hard national awards work and support of all our sta , who are STAGECOACH Group’s rail enthusiastically delivering this strategy day in, franchises were honoured at the 2010 day out.” National Rail Awards. South West Trains impressed judges with East Midlands Trains scooped the award for The East Midlands Trains team with its consistent record of excellent punctuality. Environmental Excellence at the London Rail Minister Theresa Villiers. Commenting on the award, South West Trains awards ceremony and South West Trains Managing Director Andy Pitt said: “This award received a Highly Commended Award in the East Midlands Trains also picked up the Highly is testament to the hard work of the whole team prestigious category of Passenger Operator Commended Award for Innovation of the Year for at South West Trains, particularly our front-line of the Year for its outstanding operational its ‘interactive virtual train’ programme which is sta , who work tirelessly every day to provide performance in what is the largest and most used to train drivers and other sta more easily and the best service possible for our passengers, complex of all UK rail franchises. e ciently. sometimes under very di cult circumstances.” 1 uk bus / uk rail on stage Supertram launches special tram livery SHEFFIELD Supertram has launched a new livery on one of its trams to celebrate the important role of trams in the city. October marked 50 years since the last She eld Corporation tram made its nal journey through the City streets. To mark this occasion, and to celebrate the enormous contribution that trams have made over the years to the city’s pro le, Stagecoach has brought together the old and the new by introducing a period livery on one of its vehicles. Tim Shoveller said: “Throughout the years, trams have played a hugely Pictured admiring the new tram livery are, from left: Stagecoach important role in She eld and they continue to do so. Light Rail Managing Director Tim Shoveller; David Young, Director “We’re pleased to be able to combine old and new with this new livery and of Customer Experience, SYPTE and Supertram General Manager hope people will enjoy using this tram as it serves the city.” Glenn Stocks. The new design will remain in service until the end of the year. Entrepreneurial Tickets, quick-smart! spirit recognised WHEN it comes to smartcards, THE Chief Stagecoach is ahead of the pack. Executive of The Group has become the rst major UK Stagecoach bus operator to complete the installation of Group has Government-standard smartcard ticket machines received a major on its entire UK bus eet outside London. UK entrepreneur All 7,000 vehicles in Stagecoach’s regional bus award. operations are now ready to move forward with Brian Souter the acceptance of smartcard transactions using the – co-founder of Government’s preferred ITSO technology, with Stagecoach, which is over half already accepting ITSO smartcards in celebrating its 30th Brian Souter, UK live schemes. anniversary – was Master Entrepreneur In London, all of the company’s 1,400 buses of the Year. accept Transport for London’s Oyster card. named UK Master Swiping reforms: The StagecoachSmart card is Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2010 Ernst & The milestone was reached just weeks after already making public transport journeys easier. Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. Local Transport Minister Norman Baker In June, Brian Souter was named Ernst & announced his aspiration for all public transport 50 stations on the South West Trains network Young Scotland Overall Entrepreneur of the to be covered by smartcard technology. and the East Midlands Trains ITSO smartcard Year 2010, and collected a major European He said: “The bene ts of smart ticketing are implementation project also well under way. award in Paris for a career of service to obvious: quicker, easier and potentially better Stagecoach also accepts English National public transport. value journeys on trains, buses and trams. Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) “That is why I am pleased Stagecoach is smartcards in North West England and also showing a commitment to rolling out schemes launched its ENCTS smartcard scheme across Greener and smarter across the country and I congratulate them on Northamptonshire earlier this month. their progress.” Martin Gri ths, Stagecoach Group Finance STAGECOACH has been rated as Stagecoach is the only UK bus operator to Director, said: “StagecoachSmart is another step one of the UK businesses most likely have launched its own smartcard scheme – forward in making it easier for people to travel to gain from the increasing challenge StagecoachSmart – across two entire operating and make integrated journeys using public of sustainability and its impact on companies, with the scheme now live across both transport. company performance, according to Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire. “Stagecoach delivers the best-value bus travel a new study. The company is also the rst to pioneer the use of any major operator in the country and our The survey, carried out by the Observer of ITSO smartcard technology on both bus and investment in new technology means we can newspaper in conjunction with Co- rail with StagecoachSmart also live at more than provide greener, smarter travel for our passengers.” operative Asset Management, assessed the impact of sustainability on the prospects of more than 300 of Britain’s biggest plcs. Back on the buses in London Stagecoach’s ecological performance put it among the leading 5% of UK companies STAGECOACH Group has returned to the new business, which employs around 4,800 surveyed. the London bus market after acquiring East and operates 1,400 buses. Steven Stewart, Director of Corporate London Bus Group. Chris Bowles, currently Managing Director Communications, said: “We o er greener, Stagecoach – which sold the East London Bus Stagecoach North West, has now been smarter travel solutions and we are pleased business in 2006 – reached a £53 million deal appointed Managing Director, Stagecoach this latest survey recognises that we are well for the company which is the third largest bus Manchester, with e ect from November 8.