Stagecoach wins top coach Industry Awards

• East Scotland city connect network named Top Express Operation for third consecutive year
• Marketing activities for the network picked up silver award

Stagecoach East Scotland has been recognised with a top honour at the 2017 UK Coach Awards.

The transport group’s East Scotland business was awarded the Express Operation of the Year accolade at the 9^th annual event held in Manchester last week (Thursday 4 May) for the third year in a row with its Express City Connect network which operates across central Scotland.

Stagecoach East Scotland also picked up the silver award in the Coach Marketing Award category for continued efforts in promoting the Express City Connect services to residents and visitors to the area.

Stagecoach East Scotland’s Express City Connect network operates high-quality coach services across Fife and into Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Glasgow. Facilities such as leather seats, on board toilets, power sockets, air conditioning, activity packs for kids and free wifi have helped make the services an attractive alternative to the car, achieving increased passenger numbers.

Stagecoach East Scotland Acting General Manager Jon Oakey said: “Winning this award for the third year in a row is down to the hard work of our employees who are at the heart of delivering these services to our customers all year round.

“We are delivering high-quality, reliable journeys on modern vehicles, with free wi-fi and good customer service, to help attract even more people on to greener, smarter transport.”

Other Stagecoach operations across the UK were also successful at the awards; Oxford Tube driver Gavin Francis was named Top UK Express Driver after gaining praise for his friendly, engaging, patient and reassuring approach with passengers and for his ability to train and mentor new drivers, Stagecoach’s Oxford Tube service also won the silver award in Express Operation of the Year, Stagecoach South West scooped the bronze award in the Making Coaches a Better Choice category for its Falcon service.

The UK Coach Awards recognises the dedication and professionalism of individuals and operators across the UK coach industry, with awards covering a number categories.

Congratulating all the winners, UK Coach Awards chairman John Gilbert said, "Our customers demand improved quality both in terms of vehicles and staff. We cannot meet these demands without good business organisation and excellent staff, and to retain good staff, we need to recognise and reward them, and this is why I believe this event has a major part to play in recognising leading operators, business innovation, excellent managers, staff and operating crews.”