2012-11-22 — /travelprnews.com/ — First Bus enjoyed a successful afternoon at Tuesday’s (20 November) UK Bus Awards. The company, which transports some 2.5million passengers every day, picked up four awards at the prestigious central London ceremony.
First secured the much coveted Environmental Award for its ‘Small Changes, Big Difference’ campaign which aims to get staff throughout its bus operations involved in waste recycling and energy conservation initiatives.
Harry Raynor, a driver with First Manchester, won the Road Operator’s Safety Council Award for Safe Driving. Meanwhile the North Region’s Charity and Sponsorship Committee, which supports local good causes, collected the Bus in the Community Award. And completing a successful haul for First’s North Region was Jeff Clayton from First Manchester who finished runner up in the Young Manager of the Year category.
First also shared with other operators a special award for the ‘Planning and Execution of Bus and Coach Transport for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games,’ while Operations Manager, Mick Coombes finished Runners Up in the Olympics Heroes Award.
Finally, First Essex with its partner, Ensignbus, finished runners up in the ‘Eureka! Award for Marketing Initiatives’, for its CollegeBUS campaign.
“It was a great afternoon for us,” said Giles Fearnley, Managing Director of First Bus. “Not only did we enjoy more than our fair share of winners and runners up, but we also received 12 commendations. I’m extremely proud of our people and all our efforts generally across the business.”
He added: “I am especially pleased that the excellent work we, and other operators, did in preparation and during the London Games has been recognised.”
The UK Bus Awards was hosted by BBC News Presenter, Jane Hill, and the Keynote Address was given by Norman Baker MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport. More than 700 representatives from across the bus industry attended. Finalists were chosen from over 270 entries by panels of independent judges.
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