£1 goes a long way 3 Investing in success 5 Driver’s MBE honour 12 Route to romance 13The newspaper of Stagecoach Group Issue 74 Spring 09

GREENER ANd SMARTERSpecial feature

on green issues

PLANS are under way for Stagecoach’s fi rst ever Group-wide Green Week.

Between April 20 and 24, staff and customers across all areas of the business are taking part in a week of environmental awareness activities.

These highlight the many benefi ts of using public transport, as well the advantages of being environmentally friendly in other areas of life.

And the event shows everyone how seriously Stagecoach takes its commitment to reducing the company’s carbon footprint.

SUSTAINABLE

Having recently appointed energy consultancy Inenco to undertake a three-year Carbon Management Programme, Stagecoach announces its Group-wide carbon footprint in the spring.

From there, Inenco will put in place new processes, key performance indicators, targets and initiatives to drive improvements across the Group, reduce the company’s carbon footprint and use energy even more effi ciently.

Stagecoach’s aim to encourage people out of their cars and on to public transport is one of the solutions to the ever-increasing challenge of climate change.

During Green Week, staff and customers are encouraged to think about other ways in which they can reduce their carbon footprint – both at work and at home.

LET’S GET GOINGFOR GREEN WEEK

Ten million reasons to celebrate!

Group-wide weekof action aims toraise awareness at work and home

Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Brian Souter says: “Green Week is a chance for us all to learn how we can improve our green credentials.

“At Stagecoach we are already working hard to reduce our carbon footprint. We want to share this work with our staff and customers.

“We also want to continue to improve our environmental performance. There are more energy savings we can make to ensure our business is

even more sustainable.”For customers, the main

highlights of Green Week are a Green Giveaway Day – when 20,000 ‘green kits’ will be handed out – and the chance to win a year’s free travel on Stagecoach services in an online competition.

Schools across the UK are also being invited to get involved.

Stagecoach employees are being provided with top tips on the best ways to save energy via a poster campaign featuring staff.

STAGECOACH Group has submitted its bid for the South Central passenger rail franchise, giving a fi rm commitment to deliver the complex projects set by the Government while maintaining high-quality services to passengers.

A Stagecoach Group spokesman said: “The South Central franchise presents signifi cant challenges and will be a period of major change.

“Our priority has been to ensure passengers have seamless access to a consistently safe, high-quality, fast, frequent and reliable railway during this time of transition.

“Stagecoach already has strong links with the franchise through its existing transport services and we have worked closely with local stakeholders in developing our proposals.

“We have an excellent track record of delivering complex and technical projects, from new timetables to smart ticketing, while maintaining excellent service to customers.

“We also believe our insight into what drives consumers’ lifestyle choices can help encourage people to reduce car use and get on board greener, smarter rail travel.

“We understand there are no easy solutions, particularly in the current economic environment.

“But we have a fully costed, sustainable plan and we are confi dent we can play a signifi cant part in improving the experience for rail passengers in London and the south of England.”

Franchise bid’sfresh challenges

On Stage news going on-lineFROM now on, On Stage is to become an online only publication, in keeping with Stagecoach’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.

Future editions of On Stage will be available on the Stagecoach Group website at www.stagecoachgroup.com/scg/media

A print-out will also be posted on noticeboards at depots.

MEGABUS.COM has welcomed its 10 millionth customer on board.

The market-leading budget coach service is now attracting around two million passengers a year in the UK, and Stagecoach has recently expanded its North American services.

Declan McDermott of London was the company’s 10 millionth customer, winning a holiday of a lifetime to New York, complete with a trip to Boston on a megabus.com service direct from the Big Apple.

Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Brian Souter said: “Since its launch in 2003, megabus.com has grown into a successful

global brand which is still growing. “We wanted to recognise the achievements of

megabus.com over the last fi ve years and what better way than by rewarding our 10 millionth customer with a wonderful prize?”

Lucky Declan said: “I was overwhelmed to be told I had won the prize as I had simply logged on to the megabus.com website to book a trip home to London from Cardiff.

“To think that I only spent £20 on my tickets and now I’m heading over to America is unbelievable.

“I can’t wait to visit New York and I’m sure the trip to Boston will be fantastic too.”

Declan McDermott, megabus.com’s 10 millionth customer, is set for a dream trip to the USA.

Centre pages

Staff are also invited to nominate their Green Champion – the employee they feel contributes the most towards reducing the company’s carbon footprint.

The winner receives a luxury two-night stay at an environmentally friendly hotel, including travel costs and spending money.

To request a Green Champion nomination form, please email: lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com

Green Champion

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uk bus

A former children’s TV star is one of Stagecoach’s newest recruits.

For four years, actor Rodd Christensen was better known as Spencer the Painter, who lived in the orange house on the BBC TV show Balamory.

The series – which was watched by two million viewers a week – came to an end in 2005 and Rodd has now started work as a driver with Stagecoach in Perth.

However, he has found he is still as popular as ever with Balamory fans, with youngsters queuing up to get a sneaky peek at him as he drives around Perth.

Rodd, a professional actor from Las Vegas, said: “Being a bus

FOUR bus drivers from Newcastle found a fun way to raise £5,250 for the Baby Unit at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.

A total of £2,625 came from donations collected at the Walkergate depot and on the buses by drivers Stuart Cooper, Dave Kenny, Ron Oxburgh and Mark Rutherford, who dressed up as elves during the festive season.

This figure was matched by Stagecoach North East to give a final donation of £5,250.

Ron Oxburgh said: “Last year we raised £1,700 on the buses and we were hoping to beat that sum this year, so we were thrilled to find out that we had raised £2,650.

“It’s also great that Stagecoach has agreed to match fund the figure again, as the Baby Unit is such a deserving cause and needs all the help it can get.”

Dave Kenny added: “Not only was it great to raise so much money for charity but it was also good fun dressing up and putting a smile on the faces of our customers over Christmas.

“We hope that we managed to spread a little festive cheer and showed that real Christmas spirit does still exist.”

John Conroy, Managing Director of Stagecoach North East added: “We are proud to have such spirited and dedicated drivers.”

Elf service aidsbaby treatment

Buses open anew chapter

A sound stepfor safe buses

STAGECOACH North East has invited companies to help create an internal staff discount scheme for employees.

In a difficult economic climate, Stagecoach believes that the business community should work together in implementing more innovative methods of generating market growth, such as partnerships and joint promotions that can significantly increase revenue and raise brand awareness.

The company has already signed up some great brand names, including Vision Express, Martino’s Restaurants, fashion accessory retailer All Dressed in Love and

BUS bookworms enjoyed a good read when travelling around Corby, thanks to a special festival.

Books on the Buses, part of the Play on Words Corby Literacy Festival 2009, was a fun and educational event in which easy-to-browse ‘Quick Read’ books were left on local bus routes for all to enjoy.

The books included works by personalities such as Tanni Grey-Thompson, Colin Jackson and Fiona Phillips.

Launching the event, Corby Borough Council’s Lead Member for Community, Cllr John McGhee, said: “The Books on the Buses event is our way of bringing the magic of the Play on Words festival to everyone in Corby.

“We want residents to look out for the books next time they are on their local bus route, pick one up and have a read. Don’t forget to get off at your stop, though!”

Chris Mallender, Chief Executive of Corby Borough Council (left) and Council Leader Councillor Pat Fawcett enjoy a quick read.

STAGECOACH Manchester is introducing a new safety feature to protect its drivers.

Microphones have been installed in drivers’ cabs to work alongside the CCTV cameras already on all of the company’s buses in Stockport.

Mark Threapleton, Managing Director for Stagecoach Manchester, said: “Whilst CCTV cameras have significantly improved both passenger and driver safety, we still receive an unacceptably high amount of comments from both our passengers and our staff about the manner in which they have been treated.

“These are notoriously difficult to resolve one way or the other but, with the ability to record incidents between drivers and passengers in both picture and sound, we hope to improve this critical area of customer interaction and reduce the level of unsubstantiated complaints we have to deal with.”

STAGECOACH in Oxfordshire has re-launched a number of major routes to further develop the core network of services carrying passengers from towns and villages such as Witney, Woodstock and Bicester.

The focus is on providing the best possible service to passengers and attracting new customers who have previously rejected the thought of taking the bus in favour of the car.

The routes already take around 53,000 travellers a week into Oxford and the hope is to entice many more people out of their cars.

the Stockton-based Teal Arms, and is looking to recruit around 100 in total.

All 1,700 staff will be kept up to date with offers and discounts from participating companies via internal newsletters and depot updates and will be able to use their Stagecoach employee card to access the offers.

Each offer will be unique and negotiated to suit the requirements

of the company involved and, where possible, there will be no duplication of services.

Jodine Milne, Marketing Manager, Stagecoach North East, said: “We created our internal staff discount scheme for three reasons.

“Firstly, we wanted to create and build strong working relationships with like-minded businesses across the region.

“Secondly, we hoped that by

Loyalty scheme providesgreat discounts for staff

Marketing Manager Chris Child said: “Many people already see the benefits of using public transport to get to and from work, go shopping or have a night out. It’s fast, cheap and environmentally friendly and drops you in the heart of the city.

“However, there are people who are often still welded to their car seat and dismiss public transport too quickly.”

Over the last three years, Stagecoach has invested over £4 million on new buses, and worked closely with Oxfordshire County Council to improve bus stops and

waiting facilities.The re-launch see buses

renumbered to become part of a family of ‘superior’ routes known as ‘S-Series’.

Chris added: “All the buses used on these services are low-floor and have easy access for pushchairs and the disabled.

“They are driven by a group of regular drivers who live in the local community and have good relationships with passengers.

“The focus of S-Series is giving the majority of passengers what they want, and that’s a good, reliable bus service.”

collaborating with key retail and leisure outlets we could bolster trade during the current economic climate and in the future.

“Finally, we wanted to further enhance and develop the benefits we offer all our staff and a discounted loyalty scheme will offer something unique and useful to everyone.

“I believe it’s a fantastic opportunity for local businesses to increase revenue and engage regularly with a large captive audience and I hope that we can add to the catalogue of businesses that have already signed up to the scheme.”

BALAMORY’SSTAR DRIVER

driver is way tougher than being an actor.“You are responsible for everyone on the bus, then

there's the routes to try to remember and other people on the roads to deal with.

“I definitely now have a new respect for bus drivers.“I've had people tooting their car horns and pointing,

mums come up and ask because their children have recognised me and a little girl gave me a picture she had drawn of Spencer.”

Following his time on Balamory, Rodd worked on the stage and did some film work. However, he was keen to secure a steady income.

He said: “I didn't have the luxury to wait for the next panto or whatever to come along.

“I had done a bit of bus driving in the States and then I saw the advert on the back of a Stagecoach bus.”

Rodd joined the Stagecoach training scheme and hasn’t looked back since.

He added: “There were rumours going around the depot that I had been on television, but some

of the guys reckoned they didn't know what Balamory was.

“I suppose that would mean having to admit they'd

watched children's television!”

Perth Operations Manager, Gus Beveridge, said: “I am highly delighted with Rodd. He's like a breath of fresh air – full of life, popular and incredibly friendly.”

Rodd Christensen, aka Spencer the Painter.

Oxfordshire’s buses boast the S-factor

One of Oxfordshire’s S-Series branded S5 buses.

Spring 09 3

uk bus / uk rail

EAST Midlands Trains has announced its best ever reported figures for train punctuality.

The company introduced a new and improved timetable in December 2008 and, during the first full reporting period, it has recorded an amazing 95.16% of its London services on time.

This is the best punctuality figure since the franchise started in November 2007 – and a significant improvement on the same month last year when punctuality on the London route was 89.47%.

The company is also recording punctuality figures on its local routes that see above 90% of trains on time, again the best since the franchise started.

East Midlands Commercial Director David Horne said: “The news comes as no surprise to us as it’s something everyone who works for East Midlands Trains has at the forefront of their mind.

“And it is not just a one-off. Our average punctuality over the past 12 months also stands at 89% and is on the rise across our route.

“We’re going to be working very hard, not just to continue to operate at this level of performance but also to build on it.

“To help achieve this we also have an extensive programme of investment taking place during our franchise.”

This programme will see the company invest £90 million, making improvements in areas which impact directly on performance and reliability.

These include an upgrade to Derby train maintenance depot, providing efficient in-house overnight maintenance and greater flexibility.

A full refurbishment of East Midlands Trains’ fleet, including technical modification work to improve engine performance, will also take place.

EAST Midlands Trains’ internal communications team has scooped a top award at the prestigious HSBC Rail Business Awards.

The accolade, which was for Internal Communications Excellence, was awarded in recognition of the team’s work in launching the new organisation.

East Midlands Trains, which launched on November 11, 2007, was formed from three companies – Midland Mainline, Maintrain and Central Trains – and involved merging together three very fragmented groups of

East Midlands Trains Managing Director Tim Shoveller with Pete Waterman at the opening of the company’s new head office.

CELEBRITY rail enthusiast Pete Waterman officially opened East Midlands Trains’ new Derby head office – Prospect House, on Pride Park.

Pete said: “Being invited to this event was a wonderful way to come back to the city.

“It's really interesting to see Pride Park again as I was actually the first business based here!

“It's also nice to see the railway brought back to Derby – a railway city – in a modern and comfortable way.

“Sometimes we have to break with tradition and history, which is what East Midlands Trains has done with these new offices.

“I used to work as a DJ in the city in the 60s and 70s, so I know the place really well.

“I also used to come from Coventry, where I grew up, to Derby to do some train-spotting.”

DEFEATING THE CREDITCRUNCH WITH £1 FARES

Hitman jumps on board

Hard message from soft cellSHEFFIELD commuters were surprised to find themselves travelling to work in a padded cell!

The centre carriage of a Sheffield Supertram was transformed for a stunt by Time to Change – a campaign to tackle the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems.

The mobile ‘cell’ was emblazoned with provocative slogans such as: “One in four people will have a mental health problem in their life. That’s 50 on this tram – but they don’t need to spend their days in a padded cell.”

The message was that people who have experienced very common mental health problems are typically getting on with life and travelling to work, just like everybody else.

It’s thought that some 2000 shoppers and commuters travelled on the special tram and had a chance to chat to Time to Change volunteers during the day-long event.

Julia Shaw, Supertram’s Commercial Manager, said: “Everyone reacted very positively to the tram interior and it certainly got people talking and raised awareness about the message behind the campaign.”

Time to Change is England’s biggest and most ambitious campaign to end mental health discrimination.

A Sheffield Supertram carriage became a padded cell for the day.

New timetable’s record score

staff with no understanding of what East Midlands Trains stood for.

The internal communications team worked to turn this around and achieve an engaged and committed workforce.

Anna Richardson, Employee Engagement Manager for East Midlands Trains, collected the award at a ceremony in February.

She said: “We’re very proud to receive this award and would like to thank the judges for recognising the achievements we have made.

“The key to good customer service is committed staff who feel truly part of the company they work for, and we’re delighted that our investment in staff communications has helped to play a real part in pulling together a unified and dedicated workforce.”

Communicationsteam hits top spot

HArD-PreSSeD consumers can beat the credit crunch by bagging bargain £1 fares to and from London with an innovative budget coach and rail service from Stagecoach.

Megabusplus.com is the first service of its kind in the UK and will offer passengers a fast, integrated journey between Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and London by comfortable coach and high-quality train, provided by East Midlands Trains.

With quick journey times from just three-and-a-half hours, the new service will be faster than existing coach links to London and even some rail services.

It is also a major boost for travellers, as the last remaining direct flights between Yorkshire’s Leeds-Bradford airport and London Heathrow are axed.

Passengers using megabusplus.com will be able to travel between London’s modern St Pancras Station and nine key locations in the North of England – Hull, Scunthorpe, Doncaster, Castleford, Harrogate, York, Bradford,

Halifax and Huddersfield.The first services began on

March 30, with all megabusplus.com travel during the first week of the service costing just £1*.

Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Brian Souter said: “It’s really tough for families across Britain at the moment and everyone is looking for ways to make their pound go further.

“Megabusplus is a real boost for

people looking to travel between London and the North of England.

“You can get on a comfortable coach, transfer easily to a high-speed train and make the 200-mile trip to London in just three-and-a half-hours for the price of a loaf of bread.”

Megabusplus.com will use the brand new East Midlands Parkway station as an interchange to allow passengers to move seamlessly

between the coach and the train.The station is one of the

greenest ever built, using new technology to minimise its impact on the local environment.

Passengers will travel on 49-seat Volvo B10M coaches equipped with toilets and seatbelts and transfer on to East Midlands Trains’ HSTs direct to London.*All megabusplus.com fares are subject to a 50p booking fee.

The Megaplus routesn Hull-Doncaster-Scunthorpe-East Midlands Parkway-London St Pancras

n York-Harrogate-Castleford-East Midlands Parkway-London St Pancras

n Halifax-Huddersfield-Bradford-East Midlands Parkway-London St Pancras.

£1 can go far: Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Brian Souter launches the new service at London St Pancras Station.

Key servicesgo greenerGETTING around Cwmbran became even easier after Stagecoach in South Wales launched a new fleet of 17 low-floor Optare Solo buses onto five key services.

Stagecoach’s £1.5 million fleet investment follows a series of major investments throughout South Wales, including millionpound investments in Newport, Pontypool and Blackwood services over the past two years.

These investments aim to encourage more people to leave their cars at home and travel by bus instead.

Spring 094

uk rail

SOUTH West Trains is extending a trial of a new cashless payment system to eight more station car parks on its network, bringing the total to 18.

The scheme allows customers simply to turn up and park. They can then call the number on the car park ticket machine, provide their car and parking details and pay with a credit or debit card.

The trial, in partnership with

eAST midlands Trains recently held a special thank you lunch to honour thirteen of its longest-serving staff, who between them have notched up an incredible 407 years of service.

Staff from Derby, Sheffi eld, Nottingham and Lincolnshire attended the special lunch at Makeney Hall in Derbyshire. Some staff were celebrating 25 years’ service while others were due to retire.

The longest-serving of those being honoured was Derby-based train driver Keith Woodcock.

Keith, who lives in Mickleover with his wife Eileen, started work for British Rail as an engine cleaner some 48 years ago.

One of Keith’s colleagues said: “He is a gentleman driver, willing to pass on his knowledge to other drivers.”

Keith said: “I really enjoyed my time driving trains and the proudest moment of my career was when I ‘passed out’ to be a train driver back in 1978.”

Also retiring in March this year after 44 years’ service was Dave Chappell, who joined British Rail in August 1964, aged 15.

He started as an apprentice fi tter at York Training school and, after a year’s

training, moved to Leeds. He went on to work in various roles, including being one of the fi rst engineers to work on HSTs (High Speed Trains) when they were introduced in the 1970s.

More recently, he has been a riding inspector and assessor, travelling all over the East Midlands Trains route.

David lives in Ripley, Derbyshire, with his fi ancée Susan, who he plans to marry next year. Both widowed, they have been together

now for seven and a half years.Dave said: “I always said we could

get married when I retire, so I guess the time has now come and we’re very excited! We’re going to start our married life together with a tour around the UK in our caravan.”

Everitt Ebanks retired in January after 29 years working at Sheffi eld railway station.

Claire Ansley, Route Manager for Derbyshire and Sheffi eld, said:

“Everitt has a wonderful way with the general public and is a really charming man.

“Even though we know he will still pop in to see us, we’re going to miss him dreadfully and we’ll never forget the service he gave not just to us as a company but also to the people of Sheffi eld.”

Tim Shoveller, East Midlands Trains, Managing Director, who hosted the event said: “We are very fortunate at

East Midlands Trains to have so many staff who have stayed with us for so long and who can draw on many years of experience on the railways.

“Over the years, the rail industry has seen many changes, and it’s still changing now.

“But one factor that I believe has remained a constant for companies like East Midlands Trains is the dedication and professionalism of staff who are part of the ‘railway family’ and this event is all about recognising their achievements.”

Those honoured at the event were: Keith Woodcock, Driver, Derby; Everitt Ebanks, Customer Information, Sheffi eld; David Chappell, Riding Assessor, Derby; Peter Hadley, Retail Manager, Derby;

Robert George, Technician, Nottingham; Ray ‘Garth’ Clarkson, Customer Service Assistant, Lincoln; Richard Rice, Treasurer, Derby; David Wilkinson, Project Manager, Derby; Michael Lockwood, Duty Retail Manager, Sheffi eld; John Hillman, Stakeholder Manager, Derby; Karl Brailsford, Driver Standards Manager, Derby; Nick Green, Senior Team Member, Derby, and Derrick Rawlings, Senior Conductor, Nottingham.

THANK YOU ALLTim Shoveller, East Midlands Trains, Managing Director (centre), paid tribute to long-serving staff at a special lunch.

Cutting costsin recession SOUTH West Trains has hit the

back of the net for local teenagers in Portsmouth by supporting the Havant and Waterlooville Football Club’s Under-16s team for the second year running.

The train company donated almost £1,000 to sponsor their training equipment, rain jackets and the club's annual 6-a-side tournament to be held in July 2009.

The club was founded in 1963 and, last year, 182 teams took part with youngsters from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight competing from all age groups, as well as some players with short-term contracts with local professional clubs.

Paul Harman of Havant &

Waterlooville Football Club, said: “I would like to say a big thank you to South West Trains for their support over the last few years and I hope that we can now form a strong bond as the money goes to a good cause which helps local children.

“We run 16 football teams, ranging from mini soccer to men’s youth football and all support is very welcome.”

Steve Hampson, South West Trains’ Area Manager, said: “It is easy to forget that all our greatest football stars of today started at this level.

“We are keen to support grass-roots football and we are pleased to sponsor the club’s many aspiring young footballers.”

A REVIEW of costs is under way at Stagecoach Group’s rail division to meet the challenges of the economic downturn and protect the business in the long term.

More effi cient ways of working are being put in place, but the company remains focused on delivering a good quality of service to ensure customers continue to be attracted to our services.

South West Trains and East Midlands Trains propose to reduce the number of jobs at their businesses by 380 and 160 people respectively.

Consultation with staff representatives is under way, and each business is focusing on meeting its responsibilities to employees by giving them as much information and support as possible.

The recession is affecting the global economy and it is key that everyone across the Group works in the smartest and most effi cient way. Our priorities are to maintain customer service, protect jobs for the majority of our people and provide a strong foundation for growth when the economy improves.

Meanwhile, changes under the cost review have led to Ian Dobbs, Chief Executive Offi cer, Stagecoach Group Rail Division, leaving the business.

Brian Souter, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, will directly oversee management of the South West Trains franchise.

Group Finance Director Martin Griffi ths will undertake the same role for East Midlands Trains and the Group’s light rail operations.

technology provider RingGo, started in December 2008 and originally involved the stations of Basingstoke, Farnborough, Southampton Parkway, Woking, Winchester, Surbiton, Havant, Andover, Richmond and Yeovil Junction.

The eight stations now joining

the scheme are Eastleigh, Salisbury, Guildford (long stay, Farnham Road and Premium car parks), Fareham, Brockenhurst, Farnham, Esher and Winchfield.

South West Trains Project Manager Andy Naylor said: “We are really pleased with just how popular this scheme has been

and we are delighted to expand this convenient payment option to more stations.”

RingGo’s Project Manager, Alex Walker added: “The uptake of RingGo at existing South West Trains’ stations has been fantastic.

“We are delighted that even more rail travellers are now being given the chance to use phone parking instead of cash.”

Park-and-dial trial extended

Running support for athletesSOUTH West Trains is supplying Young Person’s Railcards to over 200 talented sportspeople across its network for the second year running.

The Hampshire Talented Athlete Scheme, the fi rst of its kind in the country, was formed to ease fi nancial burdens on budding Olympians and give them support to smooth their journey towards a gold medal.

Chris Haresign, South West Trains Area Manager, said: “This is a fantastic scheme and we believe Sport Hampshire and Isle of Wight are giving young people something to aim for.

“By providing discounts for the 200 young people we believe this demonstrates our commitment to helping them achieve their full potential.”

Sportsmen Dean Showler-Davis, who received a gold award for athletics, and Alexander Goodman, silver award-winner in disability swimming, went to Winchester station recently to meet Chris and thank him personally for the ongoing support from South West Trains.

Angela Cooper of Hampshire Talented Athlete Scheme said: “South West Trains' continued support of the scheme is key, enabling us to provide tangible benefi ts to our talented athletes to reach their full potential in the lead-up to London 2012.”

Athletes Dean Showler-Davis and Alexander Goodman with Chris Haresign from South West Trains.

Net result for teen team

The Havant and Waterlooville Under-16 team with former Southampton and England footballer Matt Le Tissier. (Picture courtesy of The News, Portsmouth)

Spring 09 5

uk bus

ImProVeD services have followed Stagecoach’s acquisition of bus companies in Sussex and Lancashire.

The Group is investing £1.5 million in new, greener buses after buying Eastbourne Buses from Eastbourne Borough Council.

And Preston passengers have been promised a more integrated service following the recent purchase of Preston Bus Ltd.

Eastbourne Buses has some 150 employees and a fleet of nearly 70 vehicles based at Birch Road depot in Eastbourne.

The company’s annual turnover is around £5.6 million and, while the acquisition will see changes in management and administration, there will be no compulsory redundancies amongst driving and engineering staff.

The contract to purchase Eastbourne Buses is subject to approval by the Department for Transport.

Les Warneford, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus, said: “We are committed to ensuring that local people have access to a sustainable, comprehensive, high-quality and affordable bus network.

“Stagecoach already has a successful bus operation in the south and south-east of England, employing more than 2,000 people.

“Eastbourne Buses will enhance our position as a major employer and bus operator in the region.”

Stagecoach’s acquisition of Preston

Bus Ltd was approved by employee shareholders in January.

The company has around 300 employees and a fleet of some 120 vehicles running on 14 key routes in Preston and South Ribble, and the annual turnover of the business is around £11 million.

Stagecoach already operates around 160 vehicles in the Preston, Chorley and Fylde areas, and the Preston Bus operations have become part of Stagecoach North West, headed by Managing Director Chris Bowles.

Local passengers will benefit from plans for a more integrated network on all main corridors with the merger of the two operations, both of which have high quality low-floor bus fleets.

Fares and ticket ranges are being simplified, promising lower-cost bus travel for many people, and Stagecoach has given a two-year no compulsory redundancies commitment to driving and engineering staff.

Les Warneford, Managing Director, Stagecoach UK Bus, said: “In the past two years alone, we have invested around £4 million in improving bus services in Preston by introducing new vehicles, expanded high-frequency services, better-value travel and improved links into our wider bus network in the North West.

“While there will inevitably be some changes for our employees and for some of our passengers, we look forward to working with staff and

Phil Medlicott with the first of the new buses representing a fresh start in Eastbourne.

TEESSIDE bus driver Karen Hunter has proved an instant hit with local passengers.

Karen has been a bus driver with Stagecoach North East for just 18 months, but has already received three official commendations from her employer.

The plaudits came after Karen, from Eston, received letters of thanks from passengers for her friendly and cheerful disposition and her high standard of driving.

One passenger sent her a gift for cheering her up after countless trips to James Cook Hospital, while another passenger wrote to the Teesside depot declaring: “This lady wants a medal for outstanding service.”

Karen said: “I am a little overwhelmed by the kind response from the passengers, as I believe I am simply doing my job.

“A smile and quick ‘hello’ when people get on my bus takes no effort and it’s nice to get a smile back in return.

“One of the main reasons I love being a bus driver is you get to meet so many different people every day and I’d like to think that a few kind words and a friendly face makes their journey a bit brighter.”

Frank Price, Operations Manager at the Teesside depot added: “Karen is a real asset to the depot and the company as a whole, and sets a great example to all our new recruits by clearly demonstrating the need for providing the best customer service at all times.”

Your friendly local bus driver

A close shavefor rescue dogs

THE impeccable driving standards of 82 South Shields bus drivers have been recognised at an awards ceremony.

The Stagecoach North East drivers were honoured at the special event held in the local Trams Club.

The awards acknowledge and reward excellent health and safety records and are accredited by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA).

To receive the accolade, drivers must achieve at least 42 weeks driving in a year having committed no traffic offences and without being involved in an accident that was deemed their fault.

Some drivers received a one-year driving award, while seven employees achieved 25 years or more and South Shields driver Brian Stanton was presented with a 33-year award for exemplary driving.

Brian has been a driver with Stagecoach North East for 38 years, which makes his award all the more

AFTER more than 30 years’ service, Stagecoach West Scotland SNVQ Scheme Coordinator Jack Ronald has retired.

Jack began his employment as a driver with West Scotland’s predecessor Western SMT, working on the London Express routes as well as local services, and even stepping in as an engineer from time to time to help recover broken-down vehicles.

He later became a driving instructor and, throughout his career, was well known and well liked.

All his colleagues from the Dumfries depot wish him all the best for a long and happy retirement.

BEDFORD bus driver Mick Johnson helped some four-legged friends after opting for a new image.

With a little persuasion from his daughter, he took the brave decision to have his beard shaved off while raising money for local dog rescue charity the Animal Rescue Advisory Service.

Fellow bus driver Leighe Tompkins volunteered to wield the razor, and the event raised over £700.00.

INVESTING FORSUCCESS

Leighe Tompkins helps Mick Johnson make his smooth transition for charity.

impressive as he has received an award for almost every year on the road.

A special award was also presented to Sharon Dyer for dedication and commitment.

Ex-driver Sharon is battling cancer but has chosen to remain at work, taking on an administrative role at the depot.

Her commitment to Stagecoach has inspired many of her colleagues and is testament to the community spirit at the company’s South Shields depot.

Brian Sleightholme, Operations Manager at South Shields, said: “The awards are a great way of recognising the high standards our drivers uphold every day.

“It’s a great achievement by the depot and a reflection of the motivation all our staff feel to operate to the very best of our ability at all times

“I’d like to congratulate all the drivers once again and thank them for their commitment and efforts.”

Drivers keep a clean sheet

other local stakeholders to attract more people to the benefits of greener, smarter bus travel.”

Peter Bell, Managing Director of Preston Bus Ltd, added: “We are pleased to have sold the business to Stagecoach, which

offered the best opportunities for our staff.

“This is a positive move which will ensure the continued delivery of high-quality bus services to the people of Preston.”

Eastbourne’s dynamic dozenAS new owners of Eastbourne Buses Ltd, Stagecoach East Kent & East Sussex has introduced 12 new single-deck, easy-access Enviro 300 buses to replace some of the older vehicles on the fleet.

Phil Medlicott, regional Managing Director for Stagecoach, said the new vehicles in the orange, blue and white Stagecoach livery will now become a familiar sight in the region as the Eastbourne fleet of 48 cream and blue vehicles are phased out.

“The £1.5 million investment in these new buses is just the start of a package of improvements to services we have planned to the Eastbourne bus network,” said Phil.

“The amalgamation of Eastbourne and Cavendish Motor Services Ltd acquired this month will benefit the bus using public in the region.”

Hanging up his L-plates

West Scotland Managing Director Sam Greer with recently retired Jack Ronald.

Spring 096

uk bus

STAGeCoACH has united with international development charity Transaid to provide vital driver training for a female market traders’ project in Ghana.

The Group has provided funding for Stagecoach driver training officer Tricia Brennan to spend two months training drivers from the Women’s Transport Cooperative in Ghana’s capital city, Accra.

In addition to her driver training role, Tricia – who is based at Stagecoach’s Exeter depot – is working with three key transport and road safety organisations to help develop unified private and commercial driver training standards across Ghana.

The first stage of training was delivered by Transaid to the cooperative in March 2008 and focused on basic techniques for commercial van driving.

Tricia is implementing the second part of the project to again provide training for new drivers and further improve the knowledge and skills of those in the original team.

She is further assisting the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) to develop commercial driver training standards and is tasked with helping to improve driving standards at West Africa’s largest bus operator, Metro Mass Transit (MMT).

And Tricia is working with Road Safety Limited (RSL), a truck driver training institute, to strengthen commercial truck driver competence.

Before leaving for Ghana, Tricia said: “I’m looking

forward to sharing my skills with the women to increase their knowledge of how to keep themselves and other road users safe, as well as increasing their awareness of efficient vehicle handling when transporting goods to and from the market.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for me to make a difference to others and I’m really looking forward to it.”

In Accra, women are the lifeblood of the community and provide the majority of goods bought and sold at the markets.

However, the lack of an appropriate and affordable transport service forces them into a punishing daily routine which reduces their profits and leads them to work long and dangerous hours, often from 4am until 11pm.

Stagecoach UK Bus Managing Director Les Warneford said: “Transaid and its partners have made huge strides by establishing the Women’s Transport Cooperative in Accra.

“Now we must make sure the drivers are trained to a high standard and that their vehicles are well-maintained.

“We’re delighted that Tricia has the opportunity to pass on her knowledge to local people and to the Ghanaian transport bodies, and we hope that her visit will go some way to improving road safety across Ghana as well as bringing long-term benefits to the Women’s Transport Cooperative.”

STAGECOACH has seen a huge increase in the number of applicants for its UK Bus graduate development programme.

This year, 527 applications were submitted for the six places available on the scheme – almost three times as many as last year’s total of 178.

These figures appear to support recent evidence suggesting that there are fewer graduate places available in the UK as a result of the current economic climate.

According to a recent survey by the Association of Graduate Recruiters, overall graduate vacancies are expected to decrease by 5.4% in 2009.

Just under half of 245 organi-sations surveyed expected to hire fewer graduates this year, with two thirds saying this was due directly or indirectly to the economic downturn.

The Stagecoach UK Bus graduate recruitment initiative was established in 2002 and now offers six graduate trainee places per year.

The two-year programme offers hands-on involvement within the business, complement-ed by off-the-job development and training room-style tuition.

The course covers training on operations, engineering, commercial and marketing operations and finance, and has allowed a number of graduates to progress into senior management roles within Stagecoach.

Matt Darroch, Training and Development Manager for Stagecoach UK Bus, said: “Evidently, with fewer graduate schemes around, competition for places is stronger than ever.

“Despite the economic slowdown, we are fully committed to the continuation of our graduate programme.

“We see it as a vital way of developing the managers of the future.”

STAGECOACH in Peterhead stepped in to help raise £9,500 for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Peterhead depot provided a bus to transport a 40-strong group of local fundraisers to Dyce. Once there, they cycled the 45 miles back to Peterhead along a disused railway track to raise money in memory of Peter Buchan, a Peterhead local.

With the help of collections at both Peterhead and Aberdeen depots, the total rose to an amazing £9,500 and organisers thank everyone who contributed.

Competition for graduate spots

On their bikes for charity

Bus helps firefighters save livesLIFESAVERS training for road accident emergencies have been given a huge helping hand.

Stagecoach East Midlands Engineering Director John Taylor presented firefighters with a double-decker bus to be used in simulated crash scenes.

Jeff Owen from the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service said: “Bus accidents are very rare but when they do happen, because of the number of casualties involved, the main concern is getting people out.”

The Fire Service will use the bus – which was withdrawn from the fleet for disposal – in a variety

of scenarios using cosmetic smoke, dummies and ‘real-life’ casualties played by volunteers.

John Taylor said: “The Fire and Rescue service attend a wide range of incidents including vehicle fires and road traffic accidents.“The practice vehicle will help them become familiar

with the mechanical layout of the bus and, in particular, the location of fuel tanks, emergency doors and engine stops.

“They will also be able to identify the best points of entry should they need to use cutting gear.”

Stagecoach East Midlands Engineering Director John Taylor hands the bus over to Jeff Owen of Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, along with members of Red Watch.

Santa drivers’Charity boost

Sweet-smellingscheme spreads

NINE North East bus drivers helped raise over £7,300 for charity after dressing up as Santa and encouraging passengers to donate to good causes over the festive period.

Teesside bus drivers John Bell, Ian Ferguson, Richard Marks, Nick Eland and Sarah Westmoreland helped to raise £4,044.58 for the Butterwick Hospice.

The drivers and customers raised £2,022.29 from collections and this figure was then matched by Stagecoach North East.

Colin Bateman, a driver from Newcastle, helped to raise £1,043.92 for the city’s Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) after his initial collection of £521.96 was matched by Stagecoach North East.

Meanwhile, David Hands, Ray Green and Barry Brewis from Stagecoach’s Sunderland depot raised £1,120.16 from collections on the buses and at the depot. This was matched by Stagecoach North East to give a grand total of £2,240.32, which was divided between St. Benedict’s Hospice and Macmillan Cancer Care.

A FRAGRANT pilot project is enjoying the sweet smell of success.

Following a successful trial on the buses in Nuneaton, aromas of ylang ylang, ocean, spring and other relaxing smells will soon be wafting through vehicles further afield.

Stagecoach ran the Nuneaton trials earlier this year and the customer feedback was so positive that special dispensers are now being installed on buses in Rugby.

Julie Gwynne, Stagecoach Rugby Operations Manager, said: “We take great pride in our vehicles and we undertake stringent cleaning routines daily.

“But we feel that the addition of these subtle fragrances will enhance the travelling experience.”

SAFER STANDARDSMembers of the Accra Women’s Transport Cooperative.

7Spring 09

SoUTH West Trains has launched the UK rail network’s first green cycle hire initiative.

The Stagecoach Group train company has joined forces with Brompton Bicycle to encourage passengers to cycle as part of a fully integrated low-carbon journey combining bike and train.

South West Trains has invited some of its season ticket holders to take part in a free three-month trial of the scheme, which will use Brompton’s iconic folding bikes.

CTC – the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation – has given the thumbs up to the scheme, which follows extensive research by Stagecoach Group that has identified growing consumer support for healthier and greener lifestyles.

The number of people cycling on London’s major roads has nearly doubled since 2000 and Transport for London (TfL) is targeting a 5% mode share for cycling by 2025.

Cycle hire schemes are popular elsewhere in Europe, with initiatives launched in major cities such as Paris, Brussels, Barcelona and Berlin.

The idea for the South West Trains scheme followed research involving 13,000 people across the UK, including consumers in the South West Trail rail franchise area, focusing on public attitudes to green issues.

Health emerged as a significant factor in convincing people to ditch the car and switch to public transport. With growing interest in cycling, the bike hire initiative

STAGECOACH Group's commitment to sustainable business, enhancing local communities and helping meet the global challenge of climate change is outlined in a new publication.

Greener Smarter Together provides an overview of the Group's values, stakeholders and the way the company does business across its bus, coach, rail and tram operations in the UK and North America.

The 2009 Corporate Social Responsibility Report includes a range of information and case studies highlighting Stagecoach's commitment and success in many areas, including community

involvement, people, accessibility and affordability, health and safety, and the environment.

Steven Stewart, Director of Corporate Communications, said: “We pride ourselves on delivering high-quality greener, smarter travel. Not only that, we also recognise our wider social responsibilities.

“Responsible business is what we do every day and this new report demonstrates our commitment in action.

“It reflects the real difference our

people are making in our bus, coach, rail and tram operations in the UK and North America.

“However, we know that, while we are getting a lot right, we have further improvements to make. We will continue that journey with our stakeholders and strive to make the Group an even more responsible, sustainable and successful business.”

In keeping with the Group's drive to improve the environmental sustainability of its operations, the

document is only being published online at www.stagecoachgroup.com

The document is available to download as a pdf at: www.investis.com/scg/media/publications/policydocs/csr2009.pdf

In December last year, Stagecoach was named one of Britain's top ten Most Admired Companies in an authoritative survey of corporate reputation by Management Today and also collected an award for top company in the transport sector.

Conducted by Nottingham Business School, the survey looked at a range of performance criteria, including community and environmental responsibility.

Stagecoach was rated the most ethical of the UK's big five public transport groups in a survey carried out by the Observer newspaper in conjunction with Co-operative Asset Management in November 2008.

The Group was rated in the top 10% of UK plcs in the second annual Good Companies Guide, which assesses the performance of all the shares in the FTSE 350 index against a range of social, environmental and ethical criteria.

Recognising our responsibilities

STAGECOACH North West has invested £1.5 million in nine new greener buses

for its X2 route linking Preston to Liverpool via Southport and Crosby.

The new Scania Enviro 400 double-deck, low-floor vehicles are the first of their kind to feature Stagecoach’s Interurban specification, offering coach seating with seatbelts throughout.

Joining one of the buses on its maiden voyage were Preston City Councillor Matthew Tomlinson and Andrew Varley, Group Manager for Lancashire County Council Information and Marketing Group.

Mr Varley said: “We are very grateful for the investment in these vehicles which will improve traveller experience and help reduce traffic congestion.

“The new buses provide lower emissions and greater passenger access and represent a significant step forward in public transport provision.”

Stagecoach North West Managing Director Chris Bowles said: “This investment is testimony to the phenomenal success story of the X2 service, which has seen passenger usage grow by 27% since it was launched two years ago to its current 800,000 passengers a year.”

Launching the new buses are (from left): Alex Crane of Stagecoach, Matthew Tomlinson, Andrew Varley, Chris Bowles and Alan Stilwell from Mersey Travel.

Rail rubbishis recycledEAST Midlands Trains is helping the environment and saving money by recycling more waste from its trains and maintenance depots.

A new recycling scheme implemented at the company’s Neville Hill Depot in Leeds is expected to result in 90% of the company’s on-train waste arriving there being recycled, delivering a cost saving of £150,000.

Previously, waste was compacted at the depot and then taken to a landfill site, a costly and environmentally inefficient system.

But the new scheme involves a contractor collecting the waste daily and taking it away to be recycled.

Waste gathered from East Midlands Trains services, along with other general waste at the depot, amounts to some 480 tonnes annually.

Ted Ingle, Safety and Quality Manager at the depot, said: “We used to send all the waste from the depot to landfill, at significant expense to both the company and the environment.

“By putting this scheme in place we’re not only helping to meet our franchise target to recycle 15% of waste across the whole of our company, we’re also making business cost savings at the same time.

“Another benefit has been the elimination of previous compactor maintenance costs and vermin problems that were associated with compacting waste for landfill.”

During Green Week, East Midlands Trains is holding activities across the company, helping people to reduce their environmental impact.

The activities will include information and advice for customers on how they can save energy, reduce the amount of waste they create and travel in more environ-mentally friendly ways.

is designed to make it easier for travellers to make a greener, integrated journey.

Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Brian Souter said: “Our extensive consumer research around the UK has found that environmental concerns are growing. People are looking for travel choices that will help reduce their carbon footprint

and contribute to a healthier lifestyle.“We hope this innovative initiative

will make it easier for people to take the greener, smarter travel option, stay healthy and help save the planet.”

Passengers will be able to hire the South West Trains’ branded Brompton bicycles from the Lost Property Office at Waterloo station.

BIKE HIRE ROLLS OUT

Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Brian Souter launches the new initiative at London Waterloo station along with Will Butler-Adams, Managing Director of Brompton Bicycle, passengers taking part in the trial and Dave Holladay of CTC. (Picture by Ian Stoner, Rail Images)

Green buses boost route after £1.5m investment

Green issues are at the top of the agenda for Stagecoach.With this in mind, the

Group is holding a special Green Week from April 20 and 24.Packed with events to

encourage customers and employees to become more environmentally friendly, Green Week marks the latest move in the Group’s ongoing drive to ease its impact on the planet.Stagecoach’s

management and staff have already taken a wide range of steps to improve its environmental credentials.On Stage’s special green

supplement highlights some of the important progress we’ve made so far.

Green paGes

Spring 098

eAST midlands Trains and Network rail have officially opened the east midlands’ newest and greenest rail station.

The multi-million-pound East Midlands Parkway station will give hundreds of thousands of people across the region easier and better access to train services.

Owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains, the station aims to get people off the M1, out of their cars, and on to trains.

INVALUABLE

It is one of the greenest stations ever built, and is served by over 100 East Midlands Trains services per day.

Trains run to and from London every 15-20 minutes at peak times, with a journey time of around 1 hour and 30 minutes.

The facility serves as

£70m to boostgreen travel

DURING 2008, South West Trains recycled 20% of its waste – a big improvement on the previous year.

This year, the company hopes to recycle even more.

To help achieve that goal, South West Trains has recently started recycling trials at Clapham Depot and Clapham Junction Station.

These locations produce 800 tonnes of waste per year but, so far, recycling has managed to halve the amount of waste – preventing 400 tonnes of recyclable paper or card waste being sent to landfill.

Farnham depot is next on the list, with recycling trials due to start there soon.

STAGECOACH is planning a multi-million-pound investment in new vehicles for its growing bus operations in the UK.

An initial £70 million order for around 420 buses and coaches in 2009-10 will benefit Stagecoach customers across Britain, delivering some of the greenest vehicles in Europe.

Each of the new buses will meet new Euro 5 emissions standards which come into force in September, further improving the sustainability of Stagecoach’s bus and coach fleet.

Full details of vehicle manufac-turers and the areas in which the new buses will be put into service will be announced later this year as orders are confirmed.

Bus passenger numbers on Stagecoach services grew by around 4% last year, driven by continued fleet investment, innovative marketing campaigns, partnerships with local authorities, value-for-money fares and additional travel under concession-ary fares schemes.

Les Warneford, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus, said: “This planned multi-million-pound investment will bring significant benefits to passengers and the environment in local communities where we provide bus services.

“We are committed to reinvesting our profits to boost our quality of service to passengers, even in the current economic downturn

“These buses have some of the cleanest engines in Europe and this investment will support our drive to reduce the carbon footprint of our business.”

Mr Warneford added: “Stagecoach is leading the way in getting Britain back on board the bus and we are helping make people’s pound go further by offering excellent-value fares and a range of budget products.”

Paper projectaids recycling

NEWS-hungry train travellers can do their bit for the environment, thanks to a new recycling scheme.

Around 75,000 issues of the free Metro newspaper are handed out at South West Trains’ stations every day. That’s around 12 tonnes of paper – equivalent to a fully loaded Routemaster bus.

Now, a joint initiative between South West Trains and Network Rail allows passengers to recycle their newspapers at Waterloo station.

Recycling bins have been placed on platforms serving suburban routers as part of a six-month trial which started in September.

Head of Stations Andrew Fairbank said: “The vast majority of our passengers are responsible and help keep our trains and stations clean.

“But adding this facility can only improve this further and help the environment at the same time.”

The trial has generated around 1.5 tonnes of paper waste each day from just four platforms. The success of the scheme will be reviewed and both companies will examine ways of progressing it in the future.

ECO-FRIENDLY STATIONSET TO TEMPT DRIVERSEast Midlands Parkway helps drivemotorists off-road and onto railway

Great news on paper recycling

Bio-buses in action at eco-conferenceSTAGECOACH West Scotland’s Bio-buses were on hand to transport delegates to the 2009 Scottish Energy and Environment Conference in Glasgow.

The conference, which took place at the Glasgow Hilton Hotel, tackles energy and environmental issues with a particular focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency, environmental management, safety, health and the environment and technical innovation.

This year’s hot topic was sustainable transport and, as sustainable transport

partner, Stagecoach provided two of its innovative Bio-buses to transport delegates to and from the event.

Sam Greer, Managing Director of Stagecoach West Scotland, said: “Public transport has a vital role to play in tackling the challenge of climate change and our Bio-buses have proved a great success, having carried more than 600,000 passengers to date.

“Environmental issues are of great importance to our customers and Stagecoach is committed to promoting greener, smarter travel as

Stagecoach bio-buses played a key role in a major environmental conference.

Special bins allow passengers to read and then recycle.

Spring 09 9

Green paGes

Number oneservice getseven better

STAGECOACH in Perth recently unveiled five new vehicles for route 15 between Perth, Crieff and Comrie.

Three Enviro 400 double-deck vehicles and two Enviro 300 single-deck buses will be used on the recently revised service 15.

The state-of-the-art buses not only ensure the route is fully accessible to wheelchairs and buggies, but also have the latest environmentally friendly engines which are fitted with Euro 4 engines – which meet the current European directive standard – and CCTV equipment to ensure maximum passenger and driver safety.

Charlie Mullen, Managing Director, Stagecoach East Scotland, said: “As

A MAJOR investment has paid off for Stagecoach in Newcastle.

The company spent £2.5 million on 17 new buses – a move which has brought 3,465 new passengers on board the Stagecoach North East vehicles during their first month on the road.

The new Enviro 400 double-deck, low-floor vehicles are the some of the most advanced models available.

And, while they are some of the most energy-efficient and easily-accessible, they are also fitted with the latest CCTV as an extra health and safety feature, and accommodate nine more passengers on the lower deck than previous models.

A new quarterly magazine created for the launch of the new services to keep passengers up to date with news and vital ticket information proved very popular.

Stagecoach has also received lots of feedback via email and letters from passengers praising the new vehicles and noting great improvements in their journeys.

Geoff Taylor, a driver with the company for 35 years, said: “Lots of people have passed comment about how comfortable and cosy the new buses are and that there is much more room during rush hour journeys.”

John Conroy, Managing Director of Stagecoach North East, added: “We have invested over £9 million in our fleet across Tyne & Wear over the last eighteen months and, as a result, have seen passenger numbers increase considerably.

“We are delighted that so many people are using and enjoying the benefits of our new buses so soon and hope more people take advantage of the service in the coming months.”

SOUTH West Trains has worked with Metro newspapers and TRANSEC to develop paper recycling bins that can be used at stations, without being in breach of security guidelines. The new bins will be trialled at Southampton Central, Richmond and Wimbledon stations this spring.

They will not only provide recycling facilities for our customers, but will also help to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and keep trains cleaner.

Bins banishmore waste

ECO-FRIENDLY STATIONSET TO TEMPT DRIVERS

Pictured at the opening of the new East Midlands Parkway Station are (from left): Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Brian Souter, Network Rail Route Director Dyan Crowther, East Midlands Trains Managing Director Tim Shoveller and Deputy Chairman of East Midlands Development Agency, Steve Brown.

a park and ride station for Leicester, Derby and Nottingham, reducing car use into the major cities and taking traffic off the M1.

Dyan Crowther, Network Rail Route Director, said: "East Midlands Parkway signifies our commitment to improving the rail network and providing high-quality accessible stations.

“It is a great facility which provides new choices for passengers and will tempt motorists from the nearby M1 to use a greener form of travel and aims to reduce congestion in nearby city centres."”

The station uses new technology – including a ground-heat heating system and locally sourced and recycled materials – to minimise its impact on the environment.

It has four platforms, with step-free

access, a station building with ticket office, 850 car parking spaces and other facilities.

East Midlands Trains Managing Director Tim Shoveller said: “This is the first new station in our region for many years and I am sure we’ll attract more passengers to rail from the surrounding roads.

“Perhaps more importantly in the current economic climate, the station will offer businesses in the region an invaluable link to attract new business to the region from London. With journey times to London of around 90 minutes and prices to London starting at just £8 we expect it to be a very busy station.”

FLOURISHING

East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) is one of the funders of East Midlands Parkway. Commenting on the new station, Steve Brown, EMDA’s Deputy Chairman, said: “Good transport connectivity is important to create a successful economy and flourishing region, which is why

East Midlands Parkway helps drivemotorists off-road and onto railway

EMDA has invested in East Midlands Parkway.

“The new station is an excellent example of what can be achieved through sustainable design and high environmental standards and will help support regional growth.”

Bio-buses in action at eco-conferencewell as reducing our own carbon footprint.

“The conference was a great opportunity for delegates from a variety of industries to share their knowledge of environmental issues and learn from each other.”

Vicki Dowling, Director of conference organisers Washington Dowling Associates, said: “We were delighted to have Stagecoach on board as sustainable transport partner and hope that in future years this important initiative can be developed further.”

passenger numbers continue to grow on our services, we realise that we need to present travellers with choices that are comparable to the private car.

“By heavily investing in the Stagecoach in Perth network and fleet we aim to further achieve modal shift.

“At a time when we are all very

aware of the environmental impacts of our lifestyles and of the money we spend, we want to ensure that switching to the bus can be a viable and enjoyable option for as many people as possible.”

Perth MSP Roseanna Cunningham said: “I am a big supporter of public transport and I firmly believe that investment in modern vehicles is an essential step to making bus travel more attractive and accessible to as wide a group of users as possible.

“Utilising the newest engine technology means, that alongside the benefits of persuading folk to leave the car at home and take the bus, these new vehicles will provide a double environmental bonus.”

A fresh fleetfor the FairCity of Perth

Operations Manager Gus Beveridge (left), Roseanna Cunningham MSP and Managing Director for Stagecoach East Scotland Charlie Mullen officially launch the new vehicles in Perth.

Spring 0910

Green paGes

Frontiersexpandedin the uSA

DALe moser, Chief operating offi cer of Coach USA, has overseen the rapid growth of Stagecoach’s megabus.com services in the US.

Around 150,000 people a month are now using the market-leading budget inter-city coach service which links 30 cities between the Midwest and Northeast.

Not only does megabus.com provide high-quality, budget travel, it is also a much greener mode of transport, with the majority of passengers choosing megabus.com as an alternative to cars and planes.

Megabus.com research shows that 90 percent of customers have used the budget service as an alternative to the car, train or plane.

Some 60% are former car users, 19% previously travelled with an airline and 11% used to take the train.

The following is an extract from a magazine interview with Dale Moser in which he gives his view on the continuing growth of megabus.com in the US.

■ To what do you attribute the rapid growth of megabus, which started in the United States in 2006 and since then has expanded more than 200 percent?There seems to be a signifi cant demand for the value-type service Megabus offers. We’re quite delighted.■ With such phenomenal growth, you’ve obviously tapped into new demographic groups. What customer bases does your service resonate with?Three core demographic groups are key components

AN investment of £3.5m has brought 17 brand new coaches to the popular X5 Cross County route.

Tony Cox, Managing Director of Stagecoach East, explained: “We have upgraded the entire fl eet on our Cambridge to St Neots, Bedford, Milton Keynes, Bicester and Oxford route.

“The new coaches boast greener engines, leather seats, free Wi-Fi, power sockets, air-conditioning and access for wheelchair users.

“We hope that these improvements will change people’s perceptions of coach travel and encourage greater use of this form of transport.

“The coaches have Euro 4 engines, which means less pollutants will be pumped out of the exhausts and passengers can reduce their carbon footprint.

“And all of the 70 or so drivers on this route have been put through extensive training on safe driving, manual handling and customer care.

“The investment in the new coaches is opening up accessible public transport to more and more people.

“Commuters love the free Wi- Fi and power sockets. They can start work as soon as they get on the coach.”

One of the new X5 vehicles.

STAGECOACH Manchester is buying 88 new buses to complement the £15 million already invested in 100 vehicles in 2008.

The move represents a signifi cant fl eet renewal and growth by the company, and will bring its total investment to £28 million.

Mark Threapleton, Managing Director of Stagecoach Manchester, commented: “This additional investment further demonstrates our commitment to the future, even in these recessionary times, by continuing to improve the reliability,

environmental impact and quality standards of our bus services.

“The new fl eet will replace our older buses and start to provide additional capacity on key routes into Manchester city centre.

“It will also allow us to cope with the expected rise in bus use over the next few years, as more and more people appreciate the fi nancial advantages and convenience bus travel can bring, together with its environmental benefi ts.”

Stagecoach Manchester Managing Director Mark Threapleton shows off one of the company’s newest vehicles.

of our overall base of riders.We have young professionals

under 30, the ‘silver surfer’ senior segment of leisure travellers and, most notably, the 30 to 55-year-old female who has left her $35,000 SUV in the driveway to get on the motorcoach because it’s a hassle-free, safe, reliable travel option that gets them where they want to go with a lot more money left in their pocket for sightseeing, theatre, dining and shopping.■ Do you see evidence that you’ve gotten people to fi nally leave the car at home for an intercity trip, opting for megabus instead? If so, what’s behind that choice?Consumers are looking for a deal in this economy, but they want safe transportation, reliable travel choices, and they love leaving their cars at home so they can relax, not pay for parking and tolls, and save on fuel.

Our independent surveys ask riders after they take Megabus: “If you had taken this trip today and not taken Megabus, how would you have travelled to your destination?” They all say if it weren’t for us, they’d have taken their cars.

This says we are seeing a modal shift, and that the fi rst choice after the personal auto is now the motorcoach. That’s a clear indication of how we’re not

just reinventing bus travel, but the view of bus travel compared to other modes as well.

Our targets are consumers who have never taken motorcoaches, or have a misperception of what it’s all about. We are trying to attract someone who has not previously felt comfortable on this mode. ■ How successful is megabus in retaining customer loyalty after their fi rst trip?After the customer tries Megabus once, 98 percent say they’d do it again. We like the repeat numbers we’re getting.

Almost 100 percent of our fl eet is new, with luxuries and

conveniences that are quite frankly surprising

to some

consumers. They see our fares, they see the value and the concept of low cost.

But, in our society, some think if it’s cheap it can’t be that good. In this economy, they’re willing to try it. Then, once they’re aboard, they see the fl at-screen DVDs, WiFi, the comfortable seating and other things they didn’t expect.

Plus, we’re convenient, serving city centre locations and not remote bus terminals removed from centre cities. We service spots with other intermodal connections from trains to taxis, or within walking distance to attractions.

We found it successful in the UK, and we’ve implemented it here.■ With routes in the Northeast and midwest, what cities do you connect?Chicago is the hub to 17 cities via spokes throughout the Midwest. In the Northeast, New York City is the hub for 11 cities by spokes. We are now serving 30 cities.■ Are you starting to feel like the fi eld is getting crowded?Megabus came out fi rst with the $1 fares and the yield-managed pricing, and we are delighted that other companies have copied our business model. We take it as a compliment, and it is excellent for the travelling public to have those options.

There are $1 fares offered on every bus on every trip every day in our service, and that will continue. It’s great that people have hitched their wagon to our horse, especially in these economic times.■ megabus fares start at a buck. Please share how things vary from that price point.Then it increases incrementally, but even our top fare is more

economical than any other travel mode when measuring comparable distances.

Every trip has a top end. New York to Toronto is more expensive than Boston to N.Y. ■ In 2006, less than three years ago, the travel landscape was quite different. Was there reticence back then to launching megabus in North America?There was no doubt in our minds that we could puncture the car culture.

We Americans are quite acclimated to our autos. But, in 2006, with the signifi cant congestion in urban areas, a signifi cant strain on energy sources and the mainstreaming of the environmental movement, our timing was good, although we view those as ancillary reasons for the decision.

The real initiative was targeting consumers economically.

Then came taking cars off highways, followed by achieving the highest passenger miles-per-gallon of any travel mode. We are the greener, smarter form of transportation. We are trying to change a car culture that has been a century in the making.

We’re trying to reinvent what has been successful in Europe. In under three years, we’re approaching three million passengers, from a baseline of zero, and with no brand recognition. We’ve hit a niche in satisfying travel needs. ■ What is the most common thing customers tell you about choosing megabus?Women say: “I’ve got more money to spend on the theatre, restaurants and shopping.”

SOUTH West Trains has explored a new, greener way to bring trains to a halt.

Regen (regenerative) braking involves the motors which normally drive electric trains being used as generators to brake them.

The electric current generated would normally be wasted as heat but, with this method, it is fed back to the third rail to power other trains, reducing total electrical demand from the National Grid.

Regen braking trials were recently completed in the Weymouth area, and early analysis of the results suggests the test train regenerated effectively, safely and smoothly, without any noticeable impact on braking performance.

South West Trains is now producing a test report for partner organisations and hopes to carry out a passenger service trial in the near future.

Big investment in new buses

Braking newson the tracks

A new class of coaches

accessible public transport to more and more people.“Commuters love

the free Wi- Fi

sockets. They can start work

they get on the

Spring 09 11

uk rail

eAST midlands Trains has launched a scheme urging communities to get involved in volunteering to care for and take pride in their local railway stations.

Through the Station Adoption Scheme, the company hopes to fi nd individuals and groups who want to volunteer to become the ‘eyes and ears’ of their local station.

Through their voluntary work they can also help to ensure that the station is well presented and looked after.

John Hillman, Stakeholder Development Manager for East Midlands Trains, said: “We already have around 15 people or groups who have successfully ‘adopted’ a station.

“But, with 88 stations, we still have a fair number that could benefi t from the additional support and enthusiasm that station adopters can bring.

“Anyone can volunteer to adopt a station, whether they are an individual, a community group or a rail enthusiast. All we ask is that

one of our larger stations such as Sheffi eld, Derby or Nottingham.

“We very much see our stations as a vital part of the community and look forward to joining forces with new friends to help keep them to the standard expected by passengers.”

Faye Lambert, Project Offi cer for North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership, said: “Station adoption is the lynchpin of community rail.

“We have many volunteers helping out at stations along the Crewe-Derby line and the support they provide is tremendous, whether it's tending platform gardens, checking station facilities or helping to distribute our visitor guide and rail timetable.

“For our Partnership, station adoption has been a great way of involving the community in

developing their local station.”Peter Smith of the Friends of

Alsager station group said: “As a group we're enjoying looking after the station gardens. Passengers and residents have expressed their appreciation and support and we believe it's also playing a real part in the ongoing enhancement of our town.”

Brian Barnsley, Operations Manager, Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP), added: “Evidence elsewhere around the country indicates that stations that have been adopted have become a part of the community they serve.

“They suffer less from vandalism and anti-social behavior simply because they are cared for and help the train operator to provide a fi rst-class service to their existing and future customers.

“Oh yes, and it’s also good fun!”

they commit to giving a little of their time and lots of their enthusiasm.

“In return, we will provide adopters either with a complimentary travel pass for use on our services as part of station adoption duties or a complimentary return ticket for two to London with East Midlands Trains.”

Once accepted, station adopters are required to carry out regular basic checks relating to the tidiness and cleanliness of the station. These checks are additional to those already carried out at all stations by East Midlands Trains.

“Any issues that may need addressing are then passed on to the local manager. This is particularly helpful at smaller, unstaffed stations on the network.”

John added: “We’re now taking applications from people to adopt their station.

“In general, people are more likely to think of smaller, unstaffed stations needing someone to ‘adopt’ them – but we see no reason why a group of people couldn’t adopt

EAST Midlands Trains has announced the introduction of a single daily direct return service between Corby and London St Pancras.

The company remains committed to providing a full and regular direct service for Corby and this will begin once the three trains required have been secured.

Contract negotiations are ongoing but, in the meantime, the company has worked with stakeholders including the North Northants Development Company (NNDC) to discuss a number of interim service options and to establish a preference – the daily direct return service.

Tim Shoveller, Managing Director of East Midlands Trains, said: “We see this fi rst daily direct train as a ‘taster’ of the full service we will introduce in the near future.

“We remain committed to being the operator that brings rail back to the town and look forward to welcoming lots of new passengers once we are in full operation.”

Simon Evans, Chief Executive of NNDC, added: “The interim service will operate while East Midlands Trains concludes negotiations to enable the introduction of the full timetable for Corby.

“This remains the overriding objective for all partners but, after nearly two decades without a passenger train service, we welcome the commencement of this direct commuter service to London as a positive step towards a fully connected Corby.”

THE ENTIRE fl eet of Super Voyager diesel trains operated by Virgin Trains has now been refreshed.

The work, undertaken by Bombardier at its Litchurch Lane works in Derby, has been completed two weeks early against the contract.

The 18 fi ve-coach and three four-coach trains have had the Shop vehicle moved to be next to the First Class accommodation, creating a 'hybrid' coach.

The seats in this coach are now in bays of four, with new laptop-friendly tables and revised seat cushions and backrests.

On busy peak-time trains, this coach can be used to provide additional First Class accommodation, with the normal

OVERALL passenger satisfaction with South West Trains services has reached an all-time high, according to the latest offi cial statistics.

Figures contained in the National Passenger Survey Autumn 2008 show that overall satisfaction with South West Trains jumped 2% to 87%, which is 4% higher than the national average.

It is the highest passenger overall satisfaction rating achieved so far by the company, which is investing millions of pounds in delivering a safe, punctual and reliable service.

Passenger satisfaction with South West Trains’ punctuality and reliability also increased by 5%, compared with autumn 2007.

Other highlights include a 5% increase in passenger satisfaction with the amount of space on trains, and a 1% increase in satisfaction with comfort of seating.

Stewart Palmer, South West Trains Managing Director, said: “I am extremely pleased we have achieved our highest ever passenger satisfaction score.

“We are making progress as a company, but there are some areas where we need to work harder and the challenge now will be maintaining this high result through tough economic times.”

EAST Midlands Trains has announced that 17 of its car parks have received the prestigious Park Mark Award for safer parking.

The accolade, which is awarded by the Safer Parking Scheme, recognises car parks which have low crime fi gures and signifi cant security measures, including good lighting and vegetation management.

Arthur Pretorius, Head of Stations for East Midlands Trains, said: “We recognise that safety and security is a key priority for passengers using our stations and it’s great that we now have this offi cial accreditation to prove how safe our car parks are.”

Park Mark Awards have been granted for station car parks at Alfreton, Beeston, Burton (2 car parks), Chesterfi eld, Derby (3 car parks), Hinckley, Kettering (2 car parks), Leicester, Lincoln, Lough-borough, Melton Mowbray, Market Harborough and Spalding.

The Park Mark Safer Parking Award is awarded by the Safer Parking Scheme, which is run by the Association of Chief Police Offi cers, supported by the Home Offi ce and managed by the British Parking Association.

Corby’s on-linefor new service

Car parks pullin the plaudits

STATIONSGO UP FORADOPTION

Early refresh for Super Voyager fl eet onboard offer being provided.

CCTV has been fi tted throughout each train, including the vestibule areas.

Forward-facing cameras have also been fi tted to the driving cabs, recording every journey the Super Voyager trains make.

Also upgraded is the galley area, with a double sink, water boiler, convection oven and improved lighting.

There are ten more seats on each fi ve-coach train and more luggage

space has been created.To commemorate the completion

of the contract, Super Voyager train 221144 was named ‘Bombardier Voyager’ prior to being handed over to Virgin Trains Chief Operating Offi cer Chris Gibb.

Chris said: “Bombardier have done a great job and I congratulate them in completing the work a full two weeks early, earning them a delivery bonus.”

Mark Williamson, President of Bombardier's Passengers Division in the UK, added: “This has been a great project and we are delighted that we have completed it to our customer's satisfaction – bringing major improvements for Virgin's customers – working closely with our UK supply chain.”

Customers arekept satisfi ed WHEN Britain was hit by its worst snowfall for 20 years,

it caused more than a few problems for the country’s transport network.

However, many Stagecoach bus services braved the weather to serve as many passengers as possible, while South West Trains and East Midlands Trains also did what they could to keep people moving in the extremely diffi cult conditions.

South West Trains Managing Director Stewart Palmer said: “I want to thank all the people who kept our train service operating during the severe weather.

“I am pleased to say that we kept going through the snow on many of our routes, showing that, when the chips are down, we try to do our very best.”

Arctic role for transport workers

The Friends of Alsager station adopters.

Britain’s big freeze failed to put the brakes on all bus and rail services.

Spring 0912

uk bus

STAGeCoACH bus driver robert fletcher recently had a royal appointment after being made an mBe in the Queen’s New Year Honours.

Bob, as he is more commonly known, made the trip to Buckingham Palace to collect the honour, which he received for services to public transport in Liverpool after a career spanning 46 years.

Bob, who is based at the company’s Merseyside depot, thoroughly enjoyed his visit to the Palace and even enjoyed a lengthy chat with Her Majesty as he was presented with his MBE.

He said: “It was a hectic day and I was just gobsmacked to be there.

“I was delighted to meet the Queen and spoke to her for about three minutes. It was a wonderful day that I’ll never forget.”

The 65-year-old began his transport career in 1963 as a bus conductor with what was then Liverpool City Transport.

After gaining his bus driver’s licence in 1965, he became a model driver whose enthusiasm for his job has never diminished.

For the past 18 years Bob has driven on Stagecoach services in the Fazakerly, Croxteth, Maghull and Kirkby areas of Liverpool where he is a favourite among passengers, both young and old.

Speaking of his MBE, he said:

Bob and his family enjoyed a lovely day out at Buckingham Palace.

SUNDERLAND bus driver Alison Conlan raised £180 for Macmillan Cancer Care by asking her fellow drivers to donate £1 to the ‘Big Friday’ initiative.

Alison has been a driver with Stagecoach North East for nine years and regularly raises money for the Macmillan Nurses.

Big Friday was the charity’s Christmas fundraising appeal and supporters were encouraged to ask their co-workers to donate £1 or whatever they could to the cause.

Alison collected £90 from the staff at the depot and then Stagecoach North East rounded the fi gure up to £180.

Alison said: “I am a big supporter of Macmillan Cancer Care and all they do for those suffering from the illness and their families.

“After a fellow bus driver was diagnosed with terminal cancer last year, I decided that I wanted to do more to help.

“I hope that the money the Stagecoach staff at Sunderland donated will help provide more care in our local community.”

A CHILDREN’S charity has received a cash injection, thanks to Stagecoach bus driver Mike Reid.

Mike, chairman of the fundraising committee of Stagecoach at St Andrews depot, has raised thousands of pounds throughout the last twenty years for many good causes and is renowned for dedicating his spare time to organising events across Fife, often enrolling the help of his family, friends and Stagecoach colleagues.

Leading children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent was the latest to benefi t from his work when a cheque for £1800 was presented to Hamish Alldridge, Scottish community fundraiser for the charity, recently.

Steve Walker, Operations Director, Stagecoach East Scotland, said: “Mike Reid’s fundraising efforts are highly commendable and, at Stagecoach, we feel extremely proud to have an employee who shows such dedication to fundraising, both in and out of work.”

Mike provides a charity boost

Big-hearted donations

Tireless charity fundraiser Mike Reid.

STAGECOACH Portsmouth’s Santa Bus raised £400 for a Hampshire hospice over the festive period.

Driver Tom Lowe was assisted by trusty Elf and colleague Sue Dryden, and the pair encouraged customers to notice the Rowan’s Hospice collection box at the front of the bus.

“We are grateful to our generous passengers who made donations and were keen to support the important work of the hospice,” said Tom.

“The atmosphere on the bus was great and appreciated by kids and adults who enjoyed the sweets we handed out, which were donated by the company and the Drivers Sports and Social Club.”

Santa Bus helps raise hospice cash

BOB DELIGHTEDBY MBE HONOUR“It’s a great honour and I was amazed when I received the letter.

“I’m absolutely delighted and it’s nice to be recognised for doing a job I enjoy so much.

“I’d like to thank everyone at Stagecoach for their support over the years, along with everyone else I have worked with.

“When I fi rst started the job in

1963, there was only one set of traffi c lights between Gillmoss and Liverpool City Centre. How things have changed!”

Stagecoach Merseyside Operations Director Les Burton added: “Not only has Bob been an excellent ambassador for the local community, for Liverpool and for the company, but he also

exemplifi es the traditional role of the bus driver.

“His attendance, appearance and attitude have won him the respect and admiration of passengers, fellow drivers, other employees, managers and directors.

“He is a model employee in every respect.”

THE 140 drivers and support staff at Stagecoach’s Thanet bus depot have a new Operations Manager after Michael Denne, who has held the position for fi ve years, retired after 42 years in the industry.

Michael began his career at the Westwood Garage depot as a conductor with the East Kent Road Company in September 1966.

Two years later, he trained as a driver and, like his father before him, drove coaches in the UK and mainland Europe before returning to buses when Stagecoach acquired the company in 1993.

He was promoted from driver to Relief Controller and then Controller.

And, in 2001, he gained his fi rst managerial role as Operations Manager in Canterbury, before returning to Thanet, where he started his career as Operations Manager in 2003.

Michael, from Ramsgate, handed over the operation of the depot to Paul Clark who has been promoted after managing the Dover Depot for a year. Prior to that, he was Assistant Operations Manager for Stagecoach in Bedford.

Michael Denne (left) welcomes Paul Clark as Thanet’s new Operations Manager.

STAGECOACH South West employee Maria Svabova has been awarded the prestigious title of Student of the Year at Exeter College.

Maria works at the company’s Exeter depot to help support her family back home in Slovakia and attended classes to improve her English.

After impressing everyone at the College with her excellent attendance and high standard of work, she was awarded the Student of the Year title by Professor Mary Watkins, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Plymouth University.

Simply the best: Maria receives her award from Professor Watkins.

Change at the topfor Thanet depot

“I’m leaving an excellent team of drivers to Paul,” said Michael.

“I worked with a handful of those drivers in my driving days.

“My time at the Westwood Garage depot has seen a lot of changes – mainly for the better – with new buses and improved routes that have attracted passenger growth.”

Maria’s top of the class

STAGECOACH Portsmouth’s Santa Bus raised £400 for a Hampshire hospice over the festive period.

the pair encouraged customers to notice the Rowan’s Hospice collection box at the front of the bus.

were keen to support the important work of the hospice,” said Tom.

adults who enjoyed the sweets we handed out, which were donated by the company and the Drivers Sports and Social Club.”

Santa Bus helps raise hospice cash

the Dover Depot for a year. Prior to that, he was Assistant Operations Manager for Stagecoach in Bedford.

better – with new buses and improved routes that have attracted passenger growth.”

Santa (Tom Lowe) with the Christmas bus.

Spring 09 13

uk bus

LoVe is just the ticket for a group of North east drivers who have proved you can live and work together happily ever after.

Donna and Barry Appleby and Carly Tindale and Jimmy Fisher are just two of the ‘loved-up’ couples who work for Stagecoach North East at the Slatyford depot.

Drivers Donna and Barry have been married for sixteen years, and both drivers have worked at Slatyford for around four years.

Donna says: “Barry started driving buses just a few months before me as he wanted a change of career.

“As soon as he passed his test and started driving he loved it and persuaded me to apply to join the team.

“We love our jobs, work the same shift pattern and get to see each other more than most couples do.”

Carly and Jimmy met at work and have been together for just over two years now.

Carly has been driving buses for Stagecoach for the last four years while Jimmy is an inspector.

“I love being a bus driver and

I never imagined that I’d meet someone and fall in love at work,” said Carly. “Working and living together works well for us.”

Meanwhile, couples Kim and Mickey Butler, June and Malcolm Henderson, Julie and Robert Walt and Leonie Zacharias and Barry Brewes are all employees at Stagecoach North East’s Sunderland depot.

Kim Butler is the receptionist at the Sunderland depot and has worked for the company for four years, while her husband Mickey has been a bus driver for 12 years.

The couple are due to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary this July and, this summer, their daughter Adelle is set to marry Carl Steinberg – also a bus driver at the Sunderland depot!

Geoff Reed, Operations Manager at the Sunderland depot, said: “Having couples working at the depot is testament to our desire and commitment to create strong sense of community and belonging, not only here at Sunderland but also at our other depots across the region.”

FOURTEEN new buses have been named after the some of Hampshire’s most talented athletes.

One of those to have a bus named after him is Beijing Paralympics tennis gold medallist Peter Norfolk, who joined Aldershot MP Gerald Howarth to launch the vehicles at a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Kingsmead Shopping Centre, Farnborough.

The MAN Enviro 300 single-deck buses have been introduced to Stagecoach’s newly branded Goldline 1 service which operates a high-frequency route between Aldershot and Camberley via Farnborough.

Andrew Dyer, Managing Director for Stagecoach in southern England, said the launch of the low-fl oor buses, with easy access for wheelchairs and child buggies, was thanks to a £1.75 million investment by the company.

He said: “Route 1 is already very successful and has seen passenger growth of over 20% in the last 3 years.

“We hope this further investment in the quality of service, to bring the route up to our new Goldline standard, will attract a new generation of people to the buses.

“Not only are the buses more luxurious, with leather seating, they are also bigger so there will be 15% more seating every hour.”

A VETERAN radio DJ is in top gear after fulfi lling a lifelong ambition with the help of Stagecoach Yorkshire.

Jeff Cooper, who has worked at a number of stations across South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire, swapped radio studios for steering wheels when he realised his ultimate dream of learning how to drive a bus.

Jeff, who now runs his own media company and on-line Rock station, Radio2XS, said: “One of the regular callers on my show last year was a bus driver.

“During the many chats we had I mentioned that, when I was young, driving a bus was something I always wanted to do. Eventually, he challenged me to try it.”

Stagecoach offered to put Jeff through a two-week intensive course culminating in a full bus driver’s (PCV) driving test.

Jeff said: “I’m talking to Stagecoach about learning one or two routes properly, then maybe I can do some relief bus driving.

“It is certainly a good way to get to know our listeners and where they live!”

STAGECOACH Devon has helped celebrate the county’s unsung heroes.

The company played a key role in December’s Toast of Devon Awards, which recognise ordinary locals who have made an extraordinary difference to the lives of those around them.

The awards were a joint initiative between Stagecoach Devon and Gemini FM, the county’s main commercial radio station.

During November, listeners were asked to nominate individuals across six categories: Mum of the Year, Dad of the Year, Child of the Year, Neighbour of the Year, Sportsperson of the Year and Teacher of the Year.

Nominations fl ooded in and a judging panel – including Richard Stevens, Stagecoach Devon’s Operations Director – was then faced with the diffi cult task of selecting just six winners from a total of over 200 entries.

All the winners were chosen by the judges as shining examples of courage, determination and community spirit and the ceremony itself proved to be a very emotional experience.

On the night, the judges also chose an overall winner from the six categories – someone they agreed best encapsulated the spirit of the awards.

This award went to Child of the Year Jack Craw who, in 2004 at the age of 11, was hit by meningococcal septicaemia resulting in the loss of a leg and his fi ngers.

Singer Lee Ryan presents Jack Craw with his Toast of Devon Award.

WHEN a freight train carrying fuel came off the rails in Stewarton, East Ayrshire in January, Stagecoach West Scotland played an important role in the aftermath of the accident.

During the incident, several wagons derailed and the bridge collapsed, blocking the surrounding roads.

An emergency shuttle bus service was set up, using West Scotland vehicles, to transport stranded local rail passengers into Glasgow.

Due to the scale of damage caused by the collapsed bridge, the surrounding roads were closed for around three weeks.

However, disruptions to local bus services were kept to a minimum by using a combination of country and farm roads between towns.

Staff did an excellent job of ensuring passengers were kept well informed of all the changes until the roads re-opened and services returned to normal.

COUPLES ON ROAD TO LOVE

Goldline buses for golden stars

dJ Jeff moves up a gear!

Ayrshire busesto the rescue

Stagecoach helped ease traffi c disruption after this East Ayrshire bridge collapsed.

World-beating tennis gold medallist Peter Norfolk (left) joins Gerald Howarth MP (centre) and Andrew Dyer at the Goldline launch.

Jack has had to endure a series of operations but continues to enjoy both skateboarding and cycling and is currently studying for his GCSEs.

Despite his achievements, Jack thinks he is “nothing special” and it was this modest attitude that helped secure the top prize.

As Richard Stevens commented at the time: “With an attitude like that, you can succeed at anything you turn your mind to.”

The entertainment for the evening was supplied by Lee Ryan, formerly of Blue, who performed a live acoustic set then happily posed for photos with all the evening’s winners.

Michelle Hargreaves, Stagecoach Devon’s Managing Director, said: “I thought the whole event was fantastic.

“As a company we’re all about connecting communities and this was a chance to say a big ‘thank you’ to people who make a real difference in their communities.

“It really was a night to remember!”

Companies forge link

Devon toasts itsunsung heroes

TWO bus operators who share routes between Basingstoke and Newbury are working together to achieve passenger growth.

Andrew Dyer, Managing Director of Stagecoach South, and James Freeman, Chief Executive of Newbury Buses, recently launched newly branded buses now known as ‘The Link’ to promote the route linking the two towns.

The new Link livery has a purple theme which will also be carried on to bus stop fl ags, timetable leafl ets and any other marketing or advertising promotions.

Andrew Dyer said: “Both companies have seen some encouraging growth of customer traffi c on this route and we feel that with appropriate attention to the quality of the product – as well as to its marketing – we can attract even more people to try the bus instead of the car.

“Experience elsewhere has shown that this strategy can be very successful.”

Andrew Dyer and James Freeman join members of local and regional authorities and bus company personnel to launch The Link in Kingsclere.

Spring 0914

nOrTH aMeriCa / uk bus

A NeW bus for youngsters, aimed at combating youth disorder and vandalism, has taken to the roads in east renfrewshire.

The new ‘Wee G’ bus replaces the original which was fi rst introduced to the area in 2005.

The idea of was developed by Strathclyde Police, Stagecoach and East Renfrewshire Council following concerns of rising youth disorder and vandalism in local areas.

The original ‘Wee G’ bus provided a platform for police and partner agencies to interact with young people and offer them alternative activities to fi ll their free time.

After three years of constant use, and with more than 35,000 children passing through its doors, the bus was in need of updating, so Stagecoach agreed to supply and refi t a new bus.

Before going ahead with the refi t, staff from Stagecoach got in touch with local youngsters to ask what they would like to see on the bus.

As a result, the new ‘Wee G’ bus Focus on youngbus travellers

Angela achievescollege honour

A STAGECOACH South employee is set to research bus services for young people, thanks to The Chris Moyes Scholarship Trust Award.

The Trust was set up in memory of the Chief Executive of Go-Ahead Group, Chris Moyes, who died in September 2006 of a brain tumour.

Each year, the Trust makes an award of £1500 to allow the recipient to study and report on various aspects of road passenger transport to the benefi t to the travelling public.

This year’s award is going to Carole Morgan of Stagecoach South, who plans to look at the way in which the bus industry caters for the 16 to 25-year-old agegroup.

Speaking on behalf of the Trustees, Iain Macbriar said: “We are very pleased to be able to announce this award, and we congratulate Carole.

“Her proposal is very pertinent to the objectives of the Trust, and we look forward to hearing her conclusions.

”Successful recipients of this award are expected to produce a brief written report on their in-vestigations, and to present this at a meeting of one of the industry’s professional bodies.”

MEGABUS.COM, Stagecoach Group’s market-leading budget inter-city coach service, has been shortlisted for two top honours in the 2009 Travelzoo awards.

The awards, run by global internet media company Travelzoo, celebrate the companies behind the best travel deals.

megabus.com links 30 cities across North America where 150,000 passengers a month are snapping up bargain travel, with fares from just $1 available via the internet.

In the UK, megabus.com connects around 40 locations and carries 2 million passengers a year.

Travelzoo evaluated more than 80,000 offers to uncover the companies behind the best deals in 23 categories.

megabus.com is shortlisted in the categories of Leading Provider of Outstanding Car Rental and Bus Deals, and Outstanding Innovation in Creating WOW! Travel Deals.

Dale Moser, President and Chief Operating Offi cer of megabus.com in North America, said: “We are delighted to have independent recognition that megabus.com is offering some of the best travel deals around.

“It is great news for consumers

STAGECOACH Northampton Engineering Clerk Angela Kilby was recently presented with an outstanding achievement award from the faculty of Technology and Enterprise at Northampton College.

Angela received the award at a special celebration of achievement evening.

She said: “I haven’t studied or been to college for many years and have really enjoyed learning again.

“I have gained valuable knowledge for my job and am proud I have done so well to gain an award.”

Angela has since been asked to feature in Northampton college literature to promote the course to future students.

features state-of-the-art technology, including wi-fi laptops, an iPod system and modern gaming equipment and games.

The success of the project and the impact it has had in tackling youth disorder and antisocial

behaviour speaks for itself, with recent statistics showing up to a 50 per cent reduction in the number of youth-related incidents being reported to the police for the period from January 2008 until June 2008.

Constable Colin Laidlaw from Giffnock Police Offi ce said: “This is a really worthwhile project and, thanks to the kind contribution from Stagecoach, it is set to continue having a positive impact in the community.

“I know local young people will look forward to using the new bus. It’s a great way for them to socialise and get to know one another, often forgetting the differences that can sometimes prevent them from making friends.

“It’s also an opportunity for us to hear from young people about what they think and about what’s going on in their area.”

Councillor Mary Montague, East Renfrewshire Council’s community safety convener, said: “The bus is just the ticket to help keep our young people busy and out of trouble.

“The council is delighted to work with all the agencies concerned to help make the bus an even greater success than the fi rst one which had a major and very positive impact in our area.”

STAGECOACH staff are accelerating their skills, thanks to a new development course.

The course aims to provide operations supervisors across Stagecoach Yorkshire depots with knowledge on bus industry law and company policies, as well as customer service training.

As a mandatory part of an operations supervisor’s role, the fi rst six-month course has recently been completed by Stagecoach

KIDS’ ‘WEE G’IS A BIG HIT

The ‘Wee G’ bus is helping to curb youth disorder.

staff, both in Barnsley, Sheffi eld and a Chesterfi eld.

Sue Hayes, Operations Director at Stagecoach Yorkshire, said: “This course is a fantastic opportunity for staff to gain the knowledge to be able to function effectively and effi ciently.

“It focuses on development in the role that they are in and

enables them to maximise their full potential.

“A course of this nature is a great way to enable the supervisors to increase their motivational skills.

“This means that the course not only benefi ts the individuals who complete it, but also those who work with them on a daily basis.”

Andy Lee (47), an Operations

Supervisor from the Stagecoach Shafton depot who recently completed the course, said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for me to expand on the knowledge of the company that I already had, and to learn new areas which will be benefi cial in my role.”

Run by an external assessor, the course takes some six months to complete and staff are awarded with a certifi cate of recognition on completion.

Yorkshire staff accelerate their skills

Angela with her award for outstanding achievement.

searching out bargains to make their dollar go further in the current tough economy.”

Shirley Tafoya, President, North America, Travelzoo, said: “With such incredible deals in the market, we are thrilled to be able to honour and celebrate the top 94 travel companies who have surpassed our deal evaluation criteria.

“These fi nalists continue to inspire consumers to take their next trip and ultimately help drive demand for travel within the US and abroad.”

Megabus running for award

Out and about in NairnNURSERY kids enjoyed an extra-special outing, thanks to Stagecoach.

Children at Millbank Nursery in Nairn asked Stagecoach Inverness for a bus trip around their home town.

The request came as the children were completing a project on transport at the nursery, and the company was pleased to take them on the journey, which allowed them to learn about the bus, driver and tickets along the way.

David McCallum, Operations Manager, Stagecoach in Inverness, said: “We were really pleased to be providing the children of Millbank Nursery with their trip around the town and hope they enjoyed their day out.

“Hopefully we have encouraged the kids to use public transport from this young age!”All aboard! Staff and children from Millbank Nursery enjoyed their day out.

megabus.com’s great-value services caught the eye of award judges.

Spring 09 15

uk bus

STAGeCoACH has launched an initiative to encourage safer driving behind its vehicles in Ab-erdeenshire.

The project is being supported by Grampian Police and is believed to be the fi rst of its kind in the UK.

A fl eet of 20 Stagecoach Bluebird vehicles operating on the Buchan Link between Fraserburgh, Peterhead and Aberdeen have been fi tted with TailGuardian™ vinyls, which encourage drivers to keep a safe distance when travelling behind the buses.

The vinyls, on the rear of the bus, display three numbers – 30, 50 and 70 – which represent the speed limits when driving on various road types.

However, drivers will only be able

to see the relevant speed limit for the road they are travelling on if they are driving too closely behind the bus.

As soon as they pull back to a safe distance, the speed limit indicator will disappear.

By advising drivers when they are breaching the safe driving zone, the scheme has the potential to reduce the risk of accidents.

Stagecoach Bluebird Operations Manager, Bob Hall, said: “Our number one priority as a public transport operator is safety – for our employees, our customers and other road users.

“Stagecoach is proud to contribute to the local communities in which we operate and I hope this project will help raise awareness of safe

driving distances among all drivers in the area, even when they are not travelling behind a Stagecoach bus.”

The safe distances advised on the buses are based on the Highway Code’s ‘two-second rule’ and assume the drivers looking at them have the legal driving sight.

Chief Inspector Forrester, Head of Roads Policing said: “The vinyls are an innovative concept that provide motorists with a simple yet effective reminder of their safe following distances.

“Increasing the following distance between you and the vehicle in front not only affords you more time to react and stop safely should the unexpected occur, but increases your view of the road ahead. This in turn provides valuable time to

ADS PROMOTESAFE DRIVING

prepare for perceived hazards. “Grampian Police are fully

supportive of this and other initiatives that make our roads safer and I welcome the shared responsibility shown by our partners in this initiative."

A survey by Highway Insurance revealed that only 9% of 250 drivers

questioned could get within 10% of naming the correct braking distances for a car travelling at 30, 50 and 70 mph. Furthermore, when tested on their ability to judge these distances, only 5% were close to the correct answer and 66% of those tested underestimated the distance involved.

AN INVERNESS bus driver is preparing to scale Himalayan heights for a great cause.Alex Mackenzie aims to trek to the base camp of Mount Everest to raise funds for the Highland Hospice in November, just months after celebrating his 50th birthday.

He has already raised over £21,000 for charity over the years, and hopes the latest

FIFE’S Cowdenbeath depot has said a fond farewell to one of its longest-serving drivers.

Archie Lowe, who retired recently, was a popular driver and offi cial in the local trade union.

He drove Stagecoach buses for 40 years and will be missed by colleagues and passengers alike, particularly the children

IT’S ‘all aboard’ for Alison Howard as she joins Stagecoach Yorkshire as Marketing Manager.

Alison will be responsible for leading the marketing team, working with Stagecoach’s commercial department to implement and communicate new promotions, developments and community activity.

Alison, who studied marketing at Dearne Valley Business School, joins from Halifax-based Marshalls PLC, having previously worked in marketing for an industrial consumables business and a well-known Yorkshire-based civil engineering company.

“I am delighted to have joined Stagecoach at a time when passenger fi gures continue to grow across the region,” said Alison (27), who lives in Leeds.

“One of my key priorities will be looking for innovative new ways to promote our extensive network of bus services centred

TO beat the doom and gloom of today’s fi nancial climate, Stagecoach Strathtay ran a Crunchbusters campaign to raise awareness of the great money-saving ticket options available to customers.

The company also wanted to hear what passengers really thought of the bus routes and the service they received.

People who lived on the routes of services 39 and 73 were also invited to ‘Take The Test’ and try the bus for a week, getting their entry form stamped on each leg of their journey.

All entries were then entered into a prize draw, with the chance of winning a 42“ plasma screen TV or a cash prize.

Mr Colin Watson from Arbroath won the TV while Mrs A. Craigie from Carnoustie and Mrs E. Harra from Dundee each won a £50 cash prize.

trip will continue this success story.Alex, who carries a collection tin on his bus

duties, says he owes much to his passengers. “People I know from years back will

sometimes put in a £10 note, or even £20. There are a lot of extremely generous people in the Highlands,” he said.

Alex also thanked Stagecoach and the Gloag Foundation Trust for their continued support throughout the years, adding: “I also want to thank my colleagues in the depot who support me through the likes of raffl es and car boots sales.”

Alex takes the highroad to Himalayas

long-serving driverbids a fond farewell

he drove to school each morning in his latter years with the company.

Archie’s co-workers arranged a farewell retiral party for him at Crossgates British Legion, which was attended by friends, family and colleagues.

Sandy Scott, Operations Manager at Cowdenbeath, said “The staff will certainly miss such a familiar face.

“On behalf of the depot team, I would like to congratulate Archie on his well-deserved retirement and wish him happiness in the years ahead.”

around Barnsley, the Dearne Valley, Sheffi eld and Chesterfi eld, particularly at a time when the economic climate means that more and more people are considering public transport as a reliable, cost-effective and fl exible travel option.”

The appointment follows a major review of services which has transformed Stagecoach

Yorkshire’s networks, supported by an investment of almost £14 million in new buses during the past three years.

Rupert Cox, Commercial Director for Stagecoach Yorkshire, said: “Alison has a wealth of marketing experience and we are confi dent she can bring fresh ideas that will enable us to continue providing the best possible service for our customers.

“This is a key appointment for the company, and I am confi dent that Alison will greatly assist with our aim to continue to increase the number of bus passengers.

“We pride ourselves on our community role and Alison’s appointment will enable us to further develop services that will help people access work, education, health, shopping and leisure facilities across the region.”

New face at Stagecoach Yorkshire

Cheque is just the ticketSTAGECOACH West has presented the Leukaemia and Intensive Chemotherapy Fund with a cheque for a fantastic £1,300.

To raise the generous donation, Ian Manning, Managing Director of Stagecoach West, agreed to provide a bus to take people on day trips during the summer months. All they had to do in return was buy a £1 strip of raffl e tickets.

Shown with the donation are (from left): Clifford Lewis, David Thomas, Gill Rouse, Roy Grey, Ian Manning and Michael Long.

Alison Howard, Stagecoach Yorkshire’s new Marketing Manager.

in turn provides valuable time to revealed that only 9% of 250 drivers involved.

Pictured at Strathtay’s Crunchbuster prizegiving are (from left): Mrs Craigie, Mr Watson, Marketing Manager Sarah Anderson, Mrs Harra and Martin Hall, Operations Manager, Stagecoach Strathtay.

Crunchbusters beatthe economic gloom

Tailguardian inventor Kenny McMillan.

Spring 0916

uk bus

Editor: Lindsay Reid, On Stage, Stagecoach Group, 10 Dunkeld Road, Perth PH1 5TW.Tel: +44 (0)1738 442111, Fax: +44 (0)1738 443076www.STAGECOACHGROuP.COMIf you have a story for On Stage, please get in touch with your local contact below:

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On Stage is published four times a year. Advertising connected directly or indirectly with Stagecoach is accepted. Charitable adverts will be included without charge, otherwise rates on request.On Stage is distributed free to Stagecoach staff. Public subscriptions are available at £12 for one year or £20 for two years. Cheque payable to Stagecoach Group plc at the editorial address. The Editor is unable to enter into individual correspondence concerning the affairs of The Stagecoach Group.

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CONTACTS

STAGeCoACH in east Kent and east Sussex has had its own ‘ministerial re-shuffle,’ with changes to the team managing the area’s seven depots.

Phil Medlicott, who was appointed regional Managing Director for Stagecoach in November, said the changes were mainly prompted by the retirement of Michael Denne as Operations Manager for Thanet.

Paul Clark has been transferred from his role as Operations Manager for Dover to manage the Thanet depot.

Ian Day has replaced Paul Clark in Dover by moving from Ashford, while Ian Waterfield is promoted from Assistant Operations Manager at Thanet to become

Operations Manager in Ashford.Tom Bridge, Mark Spratt and

Paul Harding remain as Operations Managers for Canterbury, Folkestone and Hastings respectively, and the team also welcomes Lindsay Parris as Operations Manager of the Eastbourne depot following the recent acquisition.

“I’m delighted to welcome Lindsay Parris and Ian Waterfield to the team of Operations Managers,” said Phil Medlicott.

“Our operation now consists of seven depots that serve the network using a fleet of 385 double and single-deck buses and over 800 drivers.

“Our aim is to continue to improve the standards and enhance the network.”

East Kent and East Sussex managers (from left): Tom Bridge, OM Canterbury and Herne Bay; Dutch Docherty, Assistant OM Canterbury and Herne Bay; Paul Clark, OM Thanet; Ian Waterfield, OM Ashford; Managing Director Phil Medlicott; Lindsay Parris, OM Eastbourne; Mark Spratt, OM Folkestone; Ian Day, OM Dover and Paul Harding, OM Hastings.

If you’d like to contribute to On Stage, please take note of these important deadlines: EDITION COPY TO BE SUBMITTED BY ON STAGE PUBLISHED Summer 09 First week, June 09 First week, July 09Autumn 09 First week, September 09 First week, October 09Winter 09/10 First week, December 09 First week, January 10Spring 10 First week, March 10 First week, April 10

THIS edition’s winning Picture of the Season was taken by Jason Rayner, Rail Replacement Manager at South West Trains.

It shows one of Stagecoach South’s rail replacement buses heading out into service on a winter’s night.

Congratulations to Jason who will shortly receive his prize of £50 of M&S vouchers.

If you think you have a picture that captures one of the four seasons, please send your image to the editor at the address below.

Picture of the season

BUS BOSSSHAKE-UP

TONY Mears has taken a step up the career ladder at Stagecoach in Cambridgeshire.

Formerly Assistant Operations Manager at Cambridge, he has now been appointed Operations Manager of the same depot.

Tony, who takes charge of a multi-award-winning depot with over 330 drivers, has been with Stagecoach for ten years and is excited by this challenging position.

The company has achieved a staggering 100% passenger growth in seven years on its Cambridge citi network and also runs the ever-popular

Cambridge park & ride services.This year, the company will begin operating

on the world’s longest, greenest Guideway – so Tony will certainly have his work cut out.

Andy Campbell , Managing Director for Stagecoach Cambridgeshire, said: “It is always encouraging to see managers progressing within the company.

“Tony’s hard work and commitment – both in Cambridge and in helping to integrate Stagecoach in the Fens – have been rewarded, and I wish him every success with the challenges ahead.”

MARK Turner has been appointed Commercial Director for Stagecoach South following Edward Hodgson’s promotion to Coach USA.

Mark is currently Commercial Director at First Hampshire and Dorset and many people in Stagecoach South will already know him as he was Divisional Manager of Coastline for Stagecoach some years ago.

Turner takes onnew appointment

Tony Mears, Operations Manager at Stagecoach

Cambridge.

Tony’s stepping up at Cambridge