routeone Awards 2017: winners announced

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routeone Awards 2017: winners announced

The UK’s best bus, coach, and minibus operators were revealed last night (4 October) at the prestigious routeone Awards 2017, which took place at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham; following the first day of Coach & Bus UK.

Stagecoach, Arriva UK Bus, Go North East, Go South Coast, Go-Ahead London, Homeward Bound Travel, Horseman Coaches, Plymouth Citybus, Golden Boy Coaches, Pulham & Sons (Coaches), The Kings Ferry, Ensignbus, and Easton’s Holidays, were among the operators to take home awards.

While Stephen Barber, former MD of Wallace Arnold and retired CPT director of coaching, was this year’s recipient of the Special Award for outstanding contribution to the industry.

The 2017 winners were presented their awards by co-hosts routeone editor Mel Holley and popular TV presenter and newscaster Katie Derham.  Nearly 800 industry professionals were in attendance, including senior representatives from all the major bus and coach operators.

“The routeone Awards are the most important annual celebration of the very best in the business,” says Helen Conway, group director Diversified Communications UK, organiser of the awards.

“Once again the sheer quality of this year’s awards entries has been outstanding.  From the big names to the smaller operators, the UK’s bus and coach industry is demonstrating its continuing commitment to driving innovation and delivering an incredible passenger transport experience.  Congratulations again to each of our fantastic winners,” she says.

“To win a routeone Award is an outstanding achievement because the finalists go through a three-part judging process that follows nomination by their peers in the industry.  Congratulations to all this year’s winners,” says chair of judges, and former routeone editor, Mike Morgan.

routeone Awards 2017 winners

  • Operator Training Award: Go North East
  • Manager of the Year – small/medium operator (up to 200 vehicles): Martijn Gilbert from Reading Buses
  • Manager of the Year – large operator (over 200 vehicles): Andrew Wickham from Go South Coast
  • Engineer of the Year – small/medium operator (up to 200 vehicles): Paul Murdoch from Golden Boy Coaches
  • Engineer of the Year – large operator (over 200 vehicles): Peter Sumner from Stagecoach Manchester
  • Best Use of Technology (up to 200 vehicles): The Kings Ferry, London for CRM & Marketing platform
  • Best Use of Technology (over 200 vehicles): Arriva UK Bus for ArrivaClick
  • Environment Award: Go-Ahead London for all-electric fleet
  • Excellence in Minibus Operation: Homeward Bound Travel, Wimborne
  • Small Coach Operator of the Year (1-15 vehicles): Easton’s Holidays, Stratton Strawless
  • Small Bus Operator of the Year (1-100 vehicles): Ensignbus, Essex
  • Medium Coach Operator of the Year (16-50 vehicles): Pulham & Sons (Coaches), Bourton-on-the-Water
  • Medium Bus Operator of the Year (100-200 vehicles): Plymouth Citybus
  • Large Coach Operator of the Year (over 50 vehicles): Horseman Coaches, Reading
  • Large Bus Operator of the Year (over 200 vehicles): Go South Coast
  • Special Award: Stephen Barber

This year’s judging panel included former Volvo MD Steve Dewhurst, former traffic commissioner Chris Heaps, former Proudmutual Transport Group director Tony Kennan, former Stagecoach commercial director Peter Nash, and former Plaxton sales director Kevin Wood.  It was chaired by former routeone editor Mike Morgan.

For further information, please visit www.routeoneawards.com.

The second day of Coach & Bus UK is open from 9.30am to 4pm today in halls 17-19 at the NEC Birmingham.  For more information, please visit www.coachandbusuk.co.uk.

 

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Media enquiries:
Emma-Louise Jones, Head of PR
t: +44 (0)1273 645134
e: [email protected]
Website: www.divcom.co.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DiversifiedUK 

Awards enquiries to:
Christina Glenister, Group Marketing Manager
t: +44 (0) 1733 889690
e: [email protected]
Website: www.routeoneawards.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/routeoneteam 

Event Director:
Helen Conway
e: [email protected]

Notes:

High resolution images of the winners are available upon request:

Winners – group shot: www.coachandbusuk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ROA-2017-Winners.jpg
Winners – group shot: www.coachandbusuk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ROA-2017-Winners-2-768×438.jpg

Diversified Communications UK Ltd (Diversified UK) is a fast growing trade event organiser and publisher based in Brighton, Peterborough, and Nailsworth, Glos.  Diversified UK’s portfolio includes Coach & Bus UK; Euro Bus Expo; routeone magazine; routeone Awards; miniplus; CDC News; CDC Tourism Yearbook; Group Tourism & Travel Magazine (GT&T); British Tourism & Travel Show; and British Coach Tourism Awards.  For more information, visit: www.divcom.co.uk.

Diversified UK is part of Diversified Communications, a leading international media company providing market access, education and information through global, national and regional face-to-face events, digital and print publications and television stations.  Diversified serves a number of industries including: seafood, food service, natural and organic, healthcare, commercial marine, and business management.  Based in Portland, Maine, USA, Diversified employs over 850 staff, across eight divisions in seven countries.  For more information, visit: www.divcom.com.

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