ON STAGEThe newsletter of Stagecoach Group

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Your 2016 StagecoachChampions

STAGECOACH has paid tribute to employees from across the Group at its annual Champions Awards.The awards – now in their seventh year – recognise excellence over six areas including Safety, Health, Community, Customer Service, Environment and Innovation.Winners at the 2016 event represented the company’s bus and rail businesses in the UK and North America. All received a trophy, cash prize and a two night stay in London for the award ceremony.The event was also attended by TV personality Ferne McCann, who presented winners with their awards. Earlier this year, Ferne successfully obtained her bus driving licence after training with Stagecoach London as part of a recruitment project to encourage more female bus drivers.Around 150 Stagecoach employees have been recognised through the Champions Awards over the past seven years and this year there was a record

megabus.com is in the pink

UK Bus Awards page 2 | mega summer fun! page 6

MEGABUS.COM US has forged a partnership to help raise awareness and funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The company wrapped a bus in a special awareness-raising vinyl, and agreed that, for every ticket sold on October 18, megabus.com donated $1 to the Foundation.

level of entries, with more than 2,200 nominations submitted. Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Martin Griffiths said: “We have a fantastic team of almost 40,000 employees across Stagecoach and our Champions Awards are about celebrating those who have delivered above and beyond expectations over the past year. “From the UK to North America, from bus to rail, and from background teams to frontline workers, we are delighted to have honoured the exceptional people who make a real difference to our business and to our customers every day. “I would like to offer huge congratulations to all of our champions and say thanks to them for the part they play in delivering high-quality services to our passengers. I would also like to thank all those employees and customers who took the time to nominate.”

STAGECOACH has announced it will deliver contactless bus travel on all of its regional bus services across the UK by the end of 2018.The £12-million initiative will allow passengers to pay for their travel with a contactless credit or debit card, as well as Apple Pay and Android Pay. It will be the first major deployment of contactless technology on Britain’s buses outside London and will benefit customers from major urban areas to rural and island communities such as Norfolk in England, Orkney in Scotland and Brecon in Wales.Stagecoach launched the first stage of the major project with contactless now live on all of Stagecoach’s 180 buses in Oxfordshire. It covers Oxford City services, commuter routes into Oxford and Oxford Tube express services which run to and from London 24 hours a day.The facility will be rolled out to Ashford in Kent and Tyne and Wear by the end of this year with Greater Manchester following in January 2017, covering a further 1,300 buses and benefitting hundreds of thousands of bus passengers. By the end of 2018, the state-of-the-art technology

Also, for every use of the hashtag #megabusGoesPink on social media, the company donated $1 to the Foundation. The BCRF has just announced a $57 million commitment to breast cancer research going into 2017, which will aid more than 250 scientists at leading academic and medical institutions in 14 countries.

Delivering contactless bus travel across the UK

Issue 118 | November 2016

Continued on page 5

Stagecoach UK Bus Managing Director Robert Montgomery and Transport Minister Andrew Jones at the launch in Oxford.

The 2016 Stagecoach Champions

Find out more about our championson pages 3,4 and 5

megabus.com staff with the special pink vehicle.

ON STAGE

STAGECOACH Group was once again among the winners at the 2016 UK Bus Awards – the 21st annual awards ceremony, held in London. The company was recognised in categories covering safety, depot operations, overcoming adversity, unsung heroes and marketing excellence.Stagecoach East Scotland’s St Andrews depot was named Top National Bus Depot at the event. Judges said the depot’s “efficient operations are a testament to the professionalism of the staff and high levels of morale” and recognised the excellent team spirit. In the same category, the silver award went to Stagecoach East’s Fenstanton depot.Stagecoach London’s Leyton garage scooped the Top London Depot award. London driver Ray Clements won the Road Operators Safety Council (ROSCO) 2016 Safe Driving Award and was described as a model employee who has received numerous commendations, has never had any complaints against him and who displays exemplary attendance and a strong work ethic.

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Did you know? South West Trains has donated 2,500 unclaimed pairs of glasses to eyecare charity Vision Aid Overseas.

Stagecoach’s winning ways

THE ONE and only, award-winning children’s author and comedian, David Baddiel hopped onboard (literally) as Virgin Trains’ ‘Summer Author’ to help capture precious customer stories and immortalise them into a new book exclusively for the company’s BEAM entertainment system.David went up and down both the West Coast and East Coast routes this summer, chatting and listening to customers. Train managers, drivers and onboard staff also gave him some insight into the stories they unearth when interacting with customers.So after criss-crossing the country and soaking up summer excitement, David wrote ‘The Girl Who Had Never Been On A Train’ which is now available on BEAM, and it tells the story of Chrissie – a little girl who loves trains but has never actually been on a real one.

n  Virgin Trains’ page turner

Oor Wullie’s big move

There were also awards for Stagecoach East Scotland and Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire in the Overcoming Adversity category. The East Scotland team was recognised for its role in keeping passengers moving during the closure of the Forth Road Bridge last December. Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire was praised for delivering a special

service to connect the north and south Lakes following storm damage. In the Unsung Heroes category, there was a Special Commendation for Stagecoach East Customer Liaison and Revenue

Protection Officer Joe Somers, while Stagecoach South won the silver award in the Marketing Initiative of the Year category for its King’s City network relaunch.Stagecoach East Scotland won bronze in the Award for Sustained Marketing Excellence, for its Express City Connect network and the Aberdeenshire Grasshopper Multi-Operator ticketing scheme. Stagecoach Group had 12 finalists at this year’s awards.

LEICESTER City FC Manager Claudio Ranieri and player Wes Morgan teamed up with Eddie Cocker, Area Station Manager for East Midlands Trains, to launch a train named in honour of the Premier League Champions. ‘The Fearless Foxes’ now proudly sits on the side of one of East Midlands Trains’ High Speed Trains, which is used for services across the East Midlands to London.Andrew Conroy, Customer Experience Director for East Midlands Trains, said: “Our connection to the local communities we serve is very important and so we were very keen to recognise this by naming one of our trains ‘The Fearless Foxes’ after the amazing Premier League winning team, Leicester City.”

n  Fearless Foxes train named

A GROUP of Stagecoach’s emerging managers from across the company’s bus and rail divisions gathered at Gleneagles recently for a conference. Those attending also had a meal with the Stagecoach Group Board and attended the Group’s AGM the following day.

n  Gleneagles gatheringn Company scoops Top National Depot and Top London Depot awards

n London driver named ROSCO Safe Driver of the Yearn Two Stagecoach companies recognised with awards for overcoming adversity

The emerging managers at Gleneagles.

STAGECOACH Manchester and Prevent Breast Cancer have set a Guinness World Record for the world’s biggest tutu to raise awareness of the charity’s ‘Take on the Tutu’ campaign. Stagecoach linked up with its charity of the year, Prevent Breast Cancer, to publicise the fight against the disease by dressing one of its double decker buses in a 26-metre-long tutu at Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens. The record-breaking tutu, which was designed by custom clothing manufacturer Fight Label, beat the previous best by 23 metres and caught the imagination of passers-by, with many stopping for

Former Manchester MD Christopher Bowles (second right) holds the certificate with Lester Barr, Sofia Greenacre and Gordon Burns.

THERE were “Jings”, “Crivens” and “Help ma boabs” a-plenty at head office as a surprise guest arrived on a bus!Stagecoach made the successful bid for the ‘Biscuit Break’ Oor Wullie at a recent charity auction which raised over £883,000 for the Archie Foundation Tayside Appeal for a new Children’s Theatre Suite at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. Head office staff have been given the chance to enjoy Wullie for a while before he heads out on the road again, possibly to another new home.

The story of Wullie’s journey to Perth.

The Fearless Foxes train is born.

Record breakers

photos alongside the unique dress. Former Stagecoach Manchester Managing Director Christopher Bowles said: “We decided to create something unique to capture the imagination of local people and to get them thinking about how they can help the fight against a disease which affects too many people.”

ON STAGESupporting the Poppy Appeal... Find out more on P5.

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The Stagecoach stars of 2016The 2016 Stagecoach Champions are as follows:

SAFETY CHAMPION

GOLD: Ricardo Clarke, Rail Community Officer, Clapham Junction, South West Trains

Ricardo helped British Transport Police at Ascot Station after it was inundated with people when a nearby pub held a music event.He witnessed a man assaulting a police constable and intervened, even though he was not equipped with the same protective equipment carried by PCs.He successfully managed to stop the assault but was injured in the process.Despite that, he carried on and, later that night, discovered a woman having an asthma attack. He arranged for an ambulance and remained calm and professional before paramedics took over 30 minutes later.

SILVER: Richard Veater, Fleet and Maintenance Manager, Powder River Transportation Services,

Inc, Coach USA

Richard has a strong commitment to a preventative maintenance programme and follow-up repairs. He’s ensured repainting of the workshop and its walkways to reduce employee exposure to accidents and injuries. Richard is regularly in the shop area providing advice or assistance, or on-road calls. He completes all this while still keeping up with his reporting, analysis and managerial responsibilities.

BRONZE: David Waller, Trimmer, Stagecoach London

David won the award for his role in helping ensure the safety of people involved in two separate incidents. In the first he assisted a motorcyclist who skidded on loose stones and mud, hit a road sign post as he came off the bike, and injured his shoulder and leg. In a second incident, Dave found a two-year-old boy standing in the middle of a roundabout in his pyjamas. He stopped his bus, called police and stayed with the child until police and the child’s mother arrived, reassuring the young boy and keeping him company.

Gold Safety Champion Ricardo Clarke with Stagecoach Chief Executive Martin Griffiths and TV presenter Ferne McCann.

Gold Environment Champion James Dolling.

ENVIRONMENT CHAMPION

GOLD: James Dolling, Flagship Station Manager, Clapham Junction, South West Trains

James has been praised for his “exceptional and intelligent leadership” of the South West Trains Environmental Improvement team. His passion for sustainability is infectious and has motivated his team. All members of the team have been given clear objectives and has resulted in improved staff engagement, recycling initiatives, lower costs, energy and water reduction and collaborative working with stakeholders.

SILVER: John Rentoul, Train Presentation Maintenance Band,

South West Trains

John received a number of nominations for the outstanding work he has undertaken to improve the working environment at Fratton traincare depot. Colleagues say it has been transformed from being “extremely run down” to a place that is “now a pleasure to work in”. From litter picking, painting and decorating, and making and hanging doors, to fixing pumps, cleaning mess blocks, tiling toilets and bricklaying, John is able to turn his hand to no end of tasks.

BRONZE: Steve Stockwell, Station Property Works Manager,

South West Trains

Steve has always supported environmental initiatives across South West Trains’ stations. He has been praised for “considering the environment and its protection in everything he does”. Over the past year, Steve has undertaken a significant amount of work to promote biodiversity, working closely with the RSPB. Steve has built the company’s first ‘insect hotels’ at Hinchley Wood and Effingham stations. Steve has also helped introduce new recycling bins across the South West Trains network and worked with community rail colleagues to ensure station improvements compliment the surrounding environment.

Continued on page 4

HEALTH CHAMPION

GOLD: Ruth White, Accounts Assistant, ChicagoTrolley and Double Decker Company, Coach USA

Ruth White has a real passion for promoting employee health by encouraging her colleagues to exercise and eat better. She continuously sends new, healthy recipes and healthy eating data via email and works face-to-face with colleague to promote health and exercise programmes in the workplace, as well as nutritional alternatives. Ruth cooks an extensive menu of healthy food at the company monthly barbecue days, and works hard at promoting healthy eating alternatives to all her colleagues.

SILVER: Dick Pryde, Bus Driver, Stagecoach Yorkshire

In April, Dick Pryde was on his bus at a stop when he noticed a man collapse nearby. Dick called for an ambulance and administered first aid with the help of a female passenger, ensuring that they followed the instructions from the emergency contact on the phone. Dick stayed with the man until paramedics arrived. It transpired that the man was very unwell and close to being in a diabetic coma. Dick’s quick actions prevented what could have been a far more serious situation.

BRONZE: Shaun Harris, Bus Driver, Stagecoach East Midlands

Shaun was in Lincoln bus station talking to colleague Sean McGowan during a meal break when suddenly Sean collapsed and stopped breathing. Shaun Harris quickly telephoned for an ambulance and he was asked to carry out chest compressions on his colleague. Shortly afterwards, the ambulance attended. Crew used a defibrillator on Sean McGowan and managed to resuscitate him. He was then stabilised and taken to Lincoln County Hospital. Hospital staff and paramedics stated that it was Shaun and his actions that ensured his colleague had survived the incident. It was confirmed later that Sean had suffered a heart attack.

Gold Health Champion Ruth White’s award was collected by megabus.com Coach USA Chief Operating Officer Linda Burtwistle.

ON STAGE

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Did you know? Gloucester driver Darryl Hobbs was presented with gifts from regular customers recently as he moved on to a new route.

Celebrating your ChampionsContinued

A team of 10 technicians from Stagecoach bus depots across London help develop the business’s maintenance strategy. The technicians came up with the idea of developing a number of 30-second YouTube-style videos on how to repair technical faults which lead to breakdowns and posted these on the company intranet to help fellow engineers. As well as improving fault diagnosis and sharing knowledge, the initiative has helped demonstrate the power of the intranet as a communication tool.

COMMUNITY CHAMPION

GOLD: Louise Wright, Publicity Officer, Stagecoach East Midlands

Louise lost her daughter, Princess Leah, aged just six on New Year’s Day 2013 after she was diagnosed with Anaplastic Medullablastoma, a malignant primary brain tumor. Louise’s response to this terrible personal tragedy has been nothing short of inspiring. She has worked tirelessly to raise money for the University of Nottingham Children’s brain tumour research and, to date, her huge efforts have generated more than £24,000. Louise created a brand – Skegness Seasiders – which gives the local community ownership and raises money for local charities. Louise has written seven children’s books about the Seasiders and each one has raised money for different charities.

SILVER: Dave Leigh, Bus Driver, Stagecoach London

Bow night bus driver Dave Leigh hung up his running shoes after taking part in the London Marathon in April – it was his 25th full marathon, as well as numerous half marathons. Over a period of more than 20 years, through his running, Dave has raised over £125,000 for children’s charities. The final good cause to benefit from Dave’s running was Get Kids Going, a national charity which gives disabled children and young people up to 26 years old the opportunity of participating in sport.

Gold Innovation Champions Sarah Rennie, Ricky Sickelmore, Yvonne Wallin and Lindsay Reid.

INNOVATION CHAMPION

GOLD: Stagecoach bus driver recruitment project team, comprised of Sarah Rennie: Head of HR

Services; Ricky Sickelmore: Recruitment & Communications Manager; and Yvonne Wallin,

Training Supervisor, West Ham, Stagecoach London; and Lindsay Reid, Senior Group Communications

Manager, Stagecoach Group

Stagecoach London’s HR team had an idea to help boost the recruitment of women. It involved identifying a female celebrity and training them to be a bus driver. The underlining message was “If she can do it, so can I”. TV personality Ferne McCann agreed to take part in the campaign and she was paired with Yvonne Wallin, one of Stagecoach London’s six female trainers. After extensive training she passed both the theory and practical elements of the test, gaining her bus licence. The initiative was supported by a communications strategy which generated huge positive publicity in broadcast, online, print and social media and led to a rise in applications from women to Stagecoach London.

SILVER: Alessandro Finistrella, Security and Crime Prevention Manager, South West Trains

Alessandro has built on a crime hotspot data analysis tool devised by a Cambridge University academic to help identify the best locations to deploy community rail officers on the South West Trains network. This allowed officers to be deployed at these locations at the correct time, resulting in crime reduction of up to 30% in some major northern hub stations.

BRONZE: Technicians team, Stagecoach London

Gold Community Champion Louise Wright.

BRONZE: James Williams,Operations Manager,

Stagecoach West

James’ inclusive approach has fostered a real collaborative spirit and sense of community among his team and it has had a major impact on the successes of Stagecoach West during 2015. Over the last year, Stagecoach in Gloucester, Wye & Dean has won several awards for its community involvement, from drivers, helping put a stop to the bullying of a child to recognition for community regeneration and customer service. Stagecoach West has also had close involvement with Winstons Wish, the leading childhood bereavement charity in the UK.

CUSTOMER SERVICE CHAMPION

JOINT GOLD: Carlisle bus depot operations, engineering and commercial teams, Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire and Joy Iggleden,

Train Manager, East Midlands Trains

In late 2015, Cumbria was one of the areas worst hit by Storm Desmond, with significant flooding and infrastructure damage across the region. For Stagecoach, it resulted in the company’s Carlisle depot being flooded for a second time in 10 years. Many of the roads and bridges used by Stagecoach services were no longer accessible. But the planning beforehand and the efforts of staff and management during and after the crisis meant lifeline bus services remained on the road for customers in hugely challenging circumstances. There were numerous stories of personal commitment, with many staff working extra hours despite their own homes being amongst those flooded. There were also magnificent efforts to manually update ticket machines and amend services. The tireless efforts of the operations, engineering and commercial teams over many weeks ensured Stagecoach provided the best level of service and information for passengers during one of the most challenging periods for the company, earning huge praise from customers.

Continued on page 5

Gold Customer Service Champions Michael Sanderson, Mark Bell and David Barrie, representing the team at Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire.

Bronze Innovation Champions Matthew Hill and Adrian Smith, representing the Stagecoach London technicians team.

ON STAGE

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Green fingers to green gifts... Find out more on P7.

2016 Champions winners Continued

Gold Customer Service Champion Joy Iggleden.

Joy is the ultimate professional, leading by example, always ready to help – and doing all of this with a constant smile on her face. In the last year alone, she has been named winner of two internal awards. During one journey, the train she was on came to an abrupt standstill following reports of a suicidal male on the track. Concerned for the welfare of the man, Joy climbed down onto the track with the assistance of the train driver. She managed to get the man to sit on the banks and chatted with him. She then persuaded him to get back on the train with her and arranged for professionals to meet with him. Joy is said to be “one of the railway’s heroes” and a “true role model to her peers”.

SILVER: Sammy Torrance,Bus Driver, Stagecoach North

Scotland

Sammy is one of the best-known faces of the company in Inverness, admired for his friendly, helpful nature and cheerful personality. His great customer service skills were demonstrated when a major fire broke out in the heart of Inverness, causing severe damage to buildings within the city centre. There was severe disruption to Stagecoach services as a result, with dozens of diversions due to road closures by the emergency services. Sammy took his customer service skills on to the streets in the city centre. He helped passengers find their right stop, advised of any disruption to their service, updated bus stop information and distributed leaflets. Sammy’s efforts did not go unnoticed in the Inverness community, with personal recognition on various Facebook pages.

BRONZE: Kim Cinavas, Customer Service Assistant, East Midlands

Trains

Kim is the epitome of excellent customer service, regularly receiving glowing commendations from her customers. At the recent East Midlands Trains Great Service Awards, Kim received nearly 100 nominations from customers, supported by a raft of nominations from her colleagues. Kim regularly goes above and beyond for her customers, earning praise

for everything from the everyday assistance around things such as luggage to the personal touch, such as reassuring a customer’s nervous stepson who was preparing to travel alone.

SPECIAL AWARD: Bethany Soards, On BoardCustomer Service Assistant, Virgin Trains East Coast

Bethany was travelling home from work on a train service operated by another company when there was a large bang under the train. The guard made announcements stating the train was on fire and that everyone had to move to the front coach. Whilst the train was delayed outside York Station, Beth sprang into action and assisted the guard by reassuring customers, handing out water and delay paperwork, assisting customers with enquiries and keeping them informed. When the train was evacuated, Beth assisted with the safe movement of customers and ensured that she and the guard were the last people off the train.

SPECIAL AWARD: Safety engagement project team, comprising Sarah Rennie, Head of HR Services; Graham Bright, Garage Operations Manager, and

David Clark, Assistant Garage Operations Manager, all Stagecoach London.

A new safety engagement initiative has been developed and trialed at Stagecoach London’s Barking garage in partnership with an external provider. The project involves a series of manager safety awareness workshops which use staged scenarios with actors and facilitated discussion to consider not only the consequences of an accident but also the perceptions of risk and behaviour that can indicate a culture where an accident is waiting to happen. This approach was rolled out to all managers and the innovative initiative has helped reinforce that safety is the responsibility of all.

Bethany Soards’ Special Award was collected by Virgin Trains East Coast Managing Director David Horne.

Special Award winners Sarah Rennie, Graham Bright and David Clark.

n  Supporting the Poppy Appeal

n  Delivering contactless bus travel across the UK

STAGECOACH’S bus and rail companies helped support the Royal British Legion’s 2016 Poppy Appeal.Earlier this month, the company helped staff and passengers honour and remember service personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Military personnel and veterans carried out collections at selected stations served by East Midlands Trains, South West Trains and Virgin Trains East Coast.Stagecoach bus companies across the UK donated a significant amount to the poppy appeal to provide poppies for all drivers who wished to wear them.South West Trains dedicated all of its stations to the Royal British Legion from 29 October until 13 November, giving the charity exclusive access to collect donations from passengers.In Sheffield, Stagecoach Supertram placed large-sized poppies on 25 trams in memory of the lives lost in action.Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Martin Griffiths said: “We are pleased, once again, to be supporting this important cause that helps thousands of people every year.”

will be live on all of Stagecoach’s 7,200 buses in England, Scotland and Wales – equivalent to nearly one in four buses outside London.Robert Montgomery, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus, said: “Bus travel is experiencing a complete transformation. Major investment by Stagecoach in new digital technology is making it easier than ever to catch the bus. From contactless technology and new apps to greener vehicles with the latest environmental performance, buses are the simpler, smarter and greener mobility solution. But to maximise the benefit of this investment, we also need bold and urgent action by transport authorities to tackle the scourge of road congestion that is holding back bus reliability.”

Continued from page 1

The Poppy Bus at Stagecoach East Midlands.

ON STAGE

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n PICTURE THISTHIS edition’s ‘Picture This’ winner was taken by Stuart Boxall. It shows the Stagecoach buses lined up ready to transport the crowds to the Radio 1 Big Weekend at Powderham Castle. Congratulations to Stuart who will shortly receive his prize of £50 in M&S vouchers.If you have any good photos for Picture This please send them to Lindsay Reid, On Stage, Stagecoach Group, 10 Dunkeld Road, Perth, PH1 5TW, or email it to lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com

n  New role for Robin

n  Calendar Girls

Championing customer service... Find out more on P8.

megabus.com summer fun

National Rail Award winners

FORMER North East Commercial Director Robin Knight has been appointed Partnerships Director – North with in a new role designed to increase and support the work that Stagecoach is doing in the Transport for the North (TfN) region.Robin, who has been on part-time secondment to TfN in recent months, will assist in ensuring that Stagecoach is at the heart of thinking and events as the government’s Northern Powerhouse unfolds. Robin will also work with Stagecoach’s companies in the north of England on matters of mutual interest and best practice such as partnerships, multi-operator ticketing schemes and new ticketing technologies. He will report to Paul Lynch, Regional Director – North.

STAGECOACH’S rail franchises and employees were among the winners at the 2016 National Rail Awards. Templecombe station in Somerset was named the best small station in the country, while Nottingham Station was awarded the accolade of best large station in the country.South West Trains Guard Andre Xavier was named winner of the Outstanding Personal Contribution Award and East Midlands Trains Customer Service Assistant Kim Cinavas was

FEMALE bus drivers at Stagecoach East have produced a limited edition ‘Womens’ Institute’-inspired calendar to help raise funds to buy life-saving equipment for Addenbrooke’s Breast Unit.Seven bus drivers, one bus mechanic and a PA at the bus company bravely stripped off to produce the light-hearted calendar which has very serious intentions.The idea was the brainchild of sightseeing bus driver Julie Raiser who, together with her bus driver colleague Michelle Berry, had personal reasons for kick-starting the eyebrow-raising project.The ladies are hoping to raise £10,000, which will go towards the purchase of a new table-top specimen x-ray cabinet (which costs £51,000) for Addenbrooke’s Breast Unit. This will provide a better and faster way of diagnosing suspected breast cancer and mean less distress for patients while they undergo a biopsy procedure.The calendars cost £10 each. Orders should be emailed to calendargirls2017@hotmail.com. There is also a justgiving page for those who just wish to make a donation at www.justgiving.com/calendargirls2017

MEGABUS.COM promoted the idea of a staycation at a special event in Birmingham recently.Mascot Sid was joined by two brand new, state-of-the-art Astromega coaches to introduce visitors to the 23 fantastic destinations that megabus.com offers direct travel to from Birmingham. While at the seaside themed event, visitors were invited to take part in a competition to win a pair of megabus.com tickets to London, including overnight accommodation and a champagne tour for two on the Coca-Cola London Eye. megabus.com’s mascot sid at the ‘seaside’.

Non-executive director appointmentSTAGECOACH has announced the appointment of Julie Southern as a non-executive director of the Company.A chartered accountant, Julie has considerable experience in senior finance and management roles, including in the transport sector. She served as Chief Financial Officer with Virgin Atlantic from 2000 to 2010 and then as the company’s Chief Commercial Officer from 2010 to 2013. In addition, she was previously Group Finance Director at Porsche Cars Great Britain and is former Finance and Operations Director at HJ Chapman & Co.

Julie Southern.

highly commended in the same category.Andrew Conroy, Customer Experience Director for East Midlands Trains, said: “This is fantastic recognition for our staff who work at the station and on our trains helping the millions of customers travelling to and from Nottingham every year.”Andrew Fairbank, Head of On Train Service for South West Trains, said: “We are all so proud of Andre, this is a well deserved award and recognises the valuable contribution he makes.”

Commenting on Julie’s appointment, Stagecoach Group Chairman Sir Brian Souter said: “I am pleased to welcome Julie to the Board. She has a wealth of financial and senior management experience. Her insight from roles in the transport sector and serving on the boards of major companies will enable her to make a valuable contribution to Stagecoach.”

The cover of the charity calendar.

GREEN SCENEDid you know? East Midlands Trains has highlighted the need for new trains and extra carriages to drive economic growth in the region.

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n  Top car parksDOZENS of East Midlands Trains stations and car parks have been officially recognised for their safety and security by two national schemes.Fifty-eight stations, spread right across the network, are now accredited under the Secure Stations Scheme. This is administered by the Department for Transport and British Transport Police and represents a national standard for passenger safety and security on Britain’s railway stations.Sarah Potts, Crime and Security Strategy Manager, said: “The safety and security of our customers is always our top priority, whether that is on our trains or in and around our stations.“The Secure Station and Park Mark awards are a fitting recognition of our constant efforts and investment to provide safe and enjoyable journeys for our customers’ right across the network.”

In the saddle at WinchesterCYCLISTS using Winchester station are enjoying significantly improved facilities following the completion of a new Cycle Hub, as part of a £400,000 investment.The new facility provides 100 cycle spaces on two-tiered racks, free to use cycle maintenance equipment (including pump, tools and stand) fully enclosed providing shelter from the weather, 24/7 CCTV for additional security and a real time information display screen. Christian Neill, Head of Customer Experience for South West Trains, said: “We are sure this Cycle Hub will be very popular and we look forward to opening more facilities for passengers across the network.”

The opening of the new Cycle Hub.

Green-fingered volunteeringDURING a recent Stagecoach West volunteer day, a team of staff worked on the Gloucester to Sharpness Canal where they cleared debris, cut back brambles and made a safe area for both walkers and cyclists.Attendees on the day were James Williams, Gloucester Operations Manager; Mark Holden, Ecodriver and Green Champion for Gloucester and Ross; Ben Coulson, driver at Coalway out station and Louise Hetherington, Green Champion at Cheltenham.

The team of Stagecoach volunteers.

n  On your bikesA TEAM of bus drivers from Basingstoke took part in the London to Brighton cycle challenge recently.‘Team Stagecoach’ consisted of Louisa Fraser, Derek Primmer, Robin Colburn, Don McGovern, Aaron West and Steve Cannon. They were raising money for St. Michael’s Hospice which provides specialist care and support for those with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers, to attain the highest possible quality of life.Stagecoach has worked closely with the hospice since 2002, raising over £9,000 during that time.

Team Stagecoach during the event.

n  Freshers funSTAGECOACH South East parked up one of its green Unibuses, which runs on biofuel, at the University of Kent campus during Freshers Week.Staff provided customer information and sold discounted Unirider tickets to students, who were also given a goody bag full of ‘Unibus’ merchandise.

The Stagecoach promotions team at the University of Kent.

Eco gifts from Green SantaSCOUTS and guides from West Moor and Killingworth in North Tyneside have received a bundle of green gifts to help them keep warm in winter and enjoy the outdoors all summer thanks to Stagecoach North East.The groups entered the local bus operator’s Green Santa competition for community groups across Newcastle. They submitted a winning response to the question ‘What could Stagecoach Green Santa give your community group to help the environment?’ and won an eco prize of £250 to spend on ‘green’ gifts, which will benefit the adventurous youngsters.North East Bus Driver George Docherty went along to meet the scouts and guides and see what they had bought with their prize money. He said: “As part of the Stagecoach Green Santa competition, the groups put forward an impressive entry with innovative and useful eco friendly presents

to benefit the environment and the local Scout and Guide community, and their prize is well deserved.”

(Front row – l to r): George Docherty, Stagecoach, Owen Carter, Erin Mole, Rebekah Perry, Lucy Mole, Owen Dixon, Georgia Cowan and Sam Mace, Club Scout Leader.

ON STAGE

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LETTERS OF PRAISEIf you or one of your colleagues has received a letter of praise from a customer, please email a copy to lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com or post it to Lindsay Reid, Senior Group Communications Manager, Stagecoach Group, 10 Dunkeld Road, Perth, PH1 5TW. We will publish as many as possible.

Hi Citylink,Ever since I retired I have been travelling fortnightly to Inverness and sometimes more often, to visit my elderly parents; since July sadly it is just my mother who is left. Together, the Scottish Concession Card Scheme and the Gold Bus Service have been a huge help to me over these two years and will continue to be so for as long as my mother lives. On my travels I meet many other pensioners who are travelling either to support elderly parents, to help with grandchildren or to visit lonely friends. Of course some are going on holiday too!

Liverpool FC team up with Stagecoach... Find out more on P10.

n  Happy 75th birthday

n  Ladies on the runA TEAM of around 25 ladies based at Stagecoach South raised more than £2,400 for Cancer Research UK.The Stagecoach women were one of several all-female teams who took on the charity’s ‘Race for Life’ event in Worthing. Stagecoach also recently launched a pink bus in support of the charity. The 73 seater double decker has become a popular sight on the main Coastliner 700 route between Arundel and Brighton.

The cheque handover took place after the fundraising.

WISCONSIN Coach Lines/Coach USA Milwaukee, commemorated 75 years of serving the community, with a celebration at their terminal. The company, based in Waukesha, WI provides over 550,000 rides annually on all of its services, and supports well over 100 jobs. A number of elected officials, including the Mayor, County Executive, and a representative from U.S. Senator Johnson’s office, attended the event. Additionally, the local U.S. Congressman sent a congratulatory letter, which was read to the crowd, while Governor Walker of Wisconsin sent a proclamation (pictured) honouring Wisconsin Coach Lines.

STAGECOACH Group companies across the UK helped drive forward this year’s National Customer Service Week campaign.The Group’s bus and rail divisions celebrated the national campaign with a range of activities throughout the week. National Customer Service Week is run by the Institute of Customer Service and aims to raise awareness of customer service and the vital role it plays in successful business practice and the growth of the UK economy.Employees from Stagecoach’s bus companies and from rail franchises South West Trains, East Midlands Trains and Stagecoach Supertram, took part in a series

On board for National Customer Service Week

I’m not sure whether Citylink, Megabus and the Scottish Government realise what a valuable social service you provide between you but, I for one, really appreciate it. Furthermore, the friendly driver, direct bus journey, and a cheerful host or hostess serving us a cup of tea and a muffin just makes the effort of frequent travelling even easier.With many thanks and kind regards

Name supplied

Email sent to Scottish Citylink

n  Wi-Fi deliveredFREE wi-fi is now live at five busy South West Trains stations in Hampshire and Surrey following a partnership agreement between the train operator, the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (Enterprise M3 LEP), Hampshire County Council and Surrey County Council.Passengers at Aldershot, Basingstoke, Farnborough, Guildford, and Woking train stations can use the free service throughout the concourses, platforms, waiting areas and other public areas.

of local activities aimed at highlighting the importance of continuing to deliver good customer service, day in, day out for passengers. These included holding roadshows, providing giveaways for customers, holding Meet the Manager and Tweet the Manager events and managers and directors carrying out job swaps.Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Martin Griffiths said: “National Customer Service Week is a great opportunity to showcase the commitment we have to customer service all year around. It also gives customers the chance to speak directly to us and share their thoughts about what we’re doing well and how we can do even better.”

Stagecoach South took the opportunity to promote the new UK Bus app.

South East Operations Director Neil Instrall took calls in Canterbury Travel Shop.

East Midlands Trains provided pupils from Wellingborough with a very special first class trip during which the British Transport Police spoke to them about safety on the railway.

North East Managing Director Steve Walker took on a different role during the week.

There were breakfast giveaways in for passengers in Cwmbran.

Glenrothes Operations Manager Gillian Robertson took on the role of inspector.

ON STAGE

9

If you, or one of your colleagues, have a claim to fame – perhaps a hidden talent, a meeting with a celebrity or an interesting hobby – please email details to lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com

Ronan Keating

n  Joining the debate

n  Keeping Britain moving

n  Pensioners’ lunch

Did you know? megabus.com has recently added Falmouth to its UK network.

New face-to-face ticket technology

NORTH Scotland Marketing Manager Kim Masson had a celebrity encounter recently when she bumped into singer Ronan Keating at London City Airport.Kim managed to discreetly snap the star before catching her flight!

All aboard the wedding bus

COACH providers megabus.com and Scottish Citylink plan to keep passengers connected this Christmas by running coach services throughout the festive season across the UK.megabus.com will provide around 1,500 seats on its services on Christmas Day this year, serving 27 locations across Scotland, England and Wales including London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Cardiff, Swansea, Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Coventry, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham, Derby, Newport, Bristol, Swindon, Milton Keynes, Rugby and Cwmbran.In Scotland, for the first time, Scottish Citylink will provide a special 900X service on Christmas day, with two journeys in each direction between Edinburgh and Glasgow. The coach operator, will also once again run special coach services for people travelling home from the Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations to 12 locations across Scotland – Glasgow, Kinross, Perth, Dundee, Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, St Andrews, Livingston, Grangemouth, Falkirk and Stirling.

THE Stroud annual pensioners’ meal took place recently, attended by a number of former employees, including ex-drivers, cleaners, engineers and an ex-manager. Current Stagecoach West Managing Director Rupert Cox and Operations Director Rachel Geliamassi also went along on the day.

A DRIVER from Newcastle got a surprise when a wedding party of over 30 people boarded his bus at Newcastle Civic Centre after the bride and groom were married.Norman Fullard said: “Someone put their hand out for the bus but to my amazement, they all appeared to be together and intended to get the bus. They then told me they had all attended a registry office wedding across the road at Newcastle Civic Centre and were now on their way to have a drink following the wedding.”

COMMUNITY Coach, based in Paramus, recently arranged all of the bus transport for a Presidential debate at Hofstra University. Community Coach was responsible for transporting students, media and attendees to and from the debate which was a massive undertaking which involved complex logistics, security and moving multiple VIPs.

SOUTH West Trains has opened its new video contact centre, which provides real time help and advice to passengers across the network. The centre is linked to new Video Ticket Machines, designed by technology company Parkeon, at 91 stations across the South West Trains network. It is believed to be first system of its kind in the country and allows passengers to talk directly to specially trained staff who can offer face to face advice and assistance, making it easier for passengers to get

The happy couple before boarding the bus.

The group of former employees.

help and find the best value fare for their journey.Arthur Pretorius, Customer Service Director for South West Trains, said: “We’re very proud that our Video Ticket Machines are linked to a dedicated centre with specially trained staff who can offer face to face advice 24/7 and are able to purchase tickets for passengers on their behalf. Passengers love the fact they don’t have to wait around for an answer and risk missing a train or later connection.”

Some of the security passes for the Presidential debate.

Standing Up to CancerEAST Scotland staff in Arbroath recently swapped their uniforms for fancy dress in aid of Stand Up to Cancer. Several drivers, conductors and travel shop staff successfully raised over £650 which was rounded up to £1,000 by Stagecoach East Scotland. Great effort for a great cause!

Staff dressed up for their fundraising in Arbroath.

ON STAGE

Liverpool players Daniel Sturridge andDivock Origi helped launch the new service.

10

Footballers in the driving seat

Snowdog on display

Stepping together to aid volunteering... Find out more on P11.

n  Getting pretty muddy

LIVERPOOL FC teamed up with Stagecoach Bus to offer supporters a more efficient way of getting to and from Anfield. Fans can access the 917 express bus service, which runs direct from Liverpool City Centre to Anfield, up to every 10 minutes on matchdays. To celebrate the launch of the new service, Reds duo Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi joined forces to take part in the ultimate challenge which saw the strikers try their hand at driving a double decker bus. Andrew Parkinson, Operations Director, Liverpool FC, said: “The 917 is a great initiative for fans which will provide safe and efficient transport to and from Anfield Stadium.” Elisabeth Tasker, Managing Director of Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire, said: “Match

POPULAR picture book writer and illustrator Helen Stephens has teamed up with Stagecoach North East to create a ‘snowdog’ as part of a regional public art event to help raise funds for a local hospice.The Stagecoach Snowdog ‘Hiding Lions’, is located at the iconic Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens. Inspired by the animated short film, The Snowman™ and The Snowdog, the large-scale public art event will feature over 60 large Snowdogs and 105 smaller dog characters across the Tyne and Wear, and aims to capture the hearts and minds of the region and beyond in the run up to Christmas 2016.‘How to Hide a Lion’ will be on stage at the Polka Theatre in London from October 2016 until February 2017.STAGECOACH South West supplied a free shuttle

service staffed by volunteer drivers for Plymouth’s Pretty Muddy event recently to raise money for Cancer Research UK. The company helped transport many of the 3,504 participants who, between them, raised a total of £120,000.

SOUTH Wales employee Teresa Phillips would like to say a big “thank you!” to everyone who sponsored her for the Slimming World: Race for Life, which helped raise £800 for Cancer Research UK.Teresa raised £400 from donations which was matched by Stagecoach to give a grand total of £800.

n  Teresa’s big race

days attract LFC fans from all over the world, so it’s great to be able to offer home and away fans an affordable and sustainable transport option that allows them to get into the spirit of the game as soon as they board the bus.“

STAGECOACH East Midlands has partnered up with the children’s charity Whizz-Kidz to promote the wheelchair accessibility of its buses. Stagecoach reunited with Whizz-Kidz after the success of their ‘day on the buses’ event in Nottingham earlier this year. Most recently, Stagecoach continued this partnership by putting on an event at St Francis School in Lincoln, which is a school for children and young adults with special needs between the ages of 2-19. Stagecoach brought a single decker bus and the day consisted of a range of activities aimed at making the pupils feel more comfortable using their local bus services. Whizz-Kidz trainer Fiona McNaught said: “We know that many young people experience difficulties when using public transport, so Whizz-Kidz is delighted to be working in partnership with St Francis School and Stagecoach East Midlands to help give them the skills they need make this easier and build their confidence.”

Teaming up with Whizz-Kidz

North East staff with the Stagecoach snowdog.

Youngsters take part in one of the activities during the day.

n  South East welcomes Matthew

MATTHEW Arnold has been appointed as Stagecoach Commercial Director of its Kent and East Sussex operations.Matthew started his career in the transport industry as a scheduler with London Country Bus Services in 1984. Previously Commercial Manager at Arriva Southern Counties he joined Stagecoach as Business Development Manager in early 2016.

Teresa (right) after the race.

ON STAGE

SOUTH Wales Commercial Manager Stephen Wren has retired after 50 years’ service.Stephen started his career in the bus industry as a Junior Clerk at Western National in Exeter in 1966. He has been with Stagecoach for the past 19 years. He said: “Buses are a people business, and I have worked with some fantastic teams in the 50 years I have been in the bus industry. I now have three grandchildren and hope to spend some more quality time with them.”Meanwhile, Stagecoach South Wales has appointed Jason Thomas as Marketing Assistant. He said: “I am

n  Transforming lives through volunteering

n  Brian’s a top driver

Fundraising success for daffodil bus

THERE are many young people who have found themselves on the street following family difficulties, with a seemingly impossible task to get their lives on track. Over the past year, Stagecoach Group has been providing essential travel support to Step Together Volunteering, a national charity helping people like these to find a more positive future through volunteering. Like Stagecoach, Step Together Volunteering are experts at connecting people and communities. Through a team of outreach workers Step Together provide clients with intensive one-to-one support to find tailored volunteering placements that match their needs and interests, and help them develop the personal and practical skills required to build a more positive future. Mike Silvey, Director at Step Together Volunteering, said: “We are most grateful to Stagecoach for their support which has enabled our outreach team to come together to share key learning; as a result we have successfully implemented a new monitoring framework that will help us demonstrate the impact of our work to prospective funders.”If you would like to know more about the work of Step Together, please visit www.step-together.org.uk

DUNFERMLINE driver, Brian Mackie represented Stagecoach East Scotland at the 50th annual Bus Driver of the Year national finals in Blackpool. Brian completed the competition in 10th place overall and was the highest placed Stagecoach driver in the competition. Brian was awarded ‘Driver of the Year’ at this year’s Bus Driver of the Year competition within East Scotland for the third consecutive year and also won in 2008, showing his consistently high standard of work since joining the company 14 years ago.

STAGECOACH East Midlands today presented a cheque for £2,050 to Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal.Those whose lives have been affected by cancer also attended the presentation, that took place at Lincoln cathedral, and have their own personal touching messages displayed on the side of the daffodil bus. People came from across the country to see their tributes on the side of the bus. The money was raised by encouraging people to submit messages to be printed on the double decker ‘daffodil bus’, which visited towns and cities including Lincoln, Grimsby, Hull, Scunthorpe, Gainsborough, Skegness, Worksop and Mansfield. Michelle Hargreaves, Managing Director for Stagecoach East Midlands, said: “We are delighted to be able to present this cheque to Marie Curie, double the amount that we had initially set out to raise.”

Did you know? The Loop intranet has now been launched at Group HQ in Perth.

11

Changes in South Wales

Managing Director of Stagecoach East Midlands Michelle Hargreaves hands over a cheque to Gary Burr from Marie Curie.

Dunfermline driver Brian Mackie.

Joe’s decade of memoriesENGINEERING Director Joe Gilchrist has retired from Stagecoach Yorkshire with a decade’s worth of professional and personal memories.Glasgow-born Joe’s career has seen him work in engineering roles for various companies and all over the UK including Motherwell, Aberdeen, Leeds, London, Leicester, Northampton and South Yorkshire.Joe said: “I have really enjoyed my time at Stagecoach. It has a good culture of being supportive of employees while also giving you the freedom to get on and deliver your duties independently.” Paul Lynch, Stagecoach Yorkshire Regional Director North, said: “We will be very sad to say goodbye to Joe – he has been a very popular, hard-working and diligent member of our team. We wish him a long and happy retirement.”

Joe Gilchrist (left) with South Yorkshire Managing Director Matt Davies.

passionate about design, with it being my personal hobby along with my professional work, and I am looking forward to seeing some of my work out in the public eye. I have already been working on new corridor marketing for the Newport and Cardiff areas and I am excited about growing the business in the future”.

Stephen Wren who recently retired.

ANDREW Jarvis, Managing Director of Stagecoach East Scotland, has left the company after 10 years with the business.Andrew said: “I have thoroughly enjoying working with a great team of people in my time at Stagecoach and I am proud of what we have achieved over the years. I would like to wish my colleagues across the business all the best for the future as I look forward to new challenges.”

Stagecoach has started a recruitment process for a new Managing Director of the East Scotland regional company. In the interim, the business will be overseen by Robert Andrew, Stagecoach Regional Director for Scotland. Jon Oakey, the company’s Scottish Regional Finance Partner, has been appointed Acting General Manager and will manage the day-to-day operations, reporting to Robert Andrew.

East of Scotland Managing Director moves on

ON STAGE

 n Who are you? Howard Pritchard – as the Group Head of Information Security, I provide Strategy and direction with regards the latest Cyber Security threats ad vulnerabilities, provision of Group Security awareness modules, but just as important, look after all aspects of the protection of data from and information security perspective throughout the whole of the Group.

 n What do you like most about your job? Being part of Information Security for over 35 years, I enjoy all aspects, from the day-to-day challenges through to the awareness and investigations undertaken.

 n What do you like least about your job? Nothing – every day is a challenge.

 n Favourite food? Anything that is hot.

 n Least favourite food? Salad – too healthy.

Editor: Lindsay Reid, On Stage, Stagecoach Group, 10 Dunkeld Road, Perth, PH1 5TWEmail: lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com

If you have a story for On Stage, please contact Lindsay Reid as above. The copy deadline for the next edition of On Stage will be Monday 16 January 2017.

Howard Pritchard, Group Head of Information Security

‘Getting To Know You’ features in every edition of On Stage and we want to hear from as many staff as possible. To suggest the next participant, email lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com

THE PEOPLE PAGE

12

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

n  Contacts

n  Tony hangs up his keys

 n What are you most proud of? Being part of life on a daily basis.

 n Favourite holiday destination? Muscat, Oman.

 n Most embarrassing moment? Whilst in a board meeting continually calling the CEO by the wrong name – oops.

 n Favourite music? All music, but especially ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s.

 n Person you would most like to have dinner with? Chuck Yeager – aviation test pilot.

 n First thing you would buy if you won $1 million? Not sure as it is a large amount of money.

JASON Astley has been appointed as the new Operations Manager for Hartlepool depot.Jason will now oversee the everyday running of the depot, after former manager Janine Fowley joined the South Shields team as its new Operations Manager. He joined Stagecoach North East in 1998 as a minibus driver. Jason said: “This is a great opportunity for me, stepping up to the role of Operations Manager and running a depot for the first time. I am also working with a new team and in a new area but I am very much looking forward to the challenge, and to building on the success former Operations Manager, Janine Fowley, has achieved.”

NEWCASTLE bus driver Tony Youmans has retired after 31 years service at Stagecoach North East’s Walkergate depot in Newcastle.The long serving driver and elected shop steward began his career at Stagecoach in February 1985 as a trade union representative, and has worked at both the Walkergate and Byker depots during his career.Tony was also part of a team recognised for their efforts in improving the wellbeing of staff when they won the Gold Award in the Health Champion category of the Stagecoach Group Champions for achievements in promoting employee health. He said: “I am very much looking forward to retirement. My wife also retired on the same day, so it is a double celebration!”

BUS operator Stagecoach South has appointed new Assistant Operations managers for its Portsmouth & Worthing depots.Mike Armitage will be based at the Portsmouth depot, whilst Martin McDougall will take up his new role in Worthing.Mike, a Yorkshire man with Scottish roots, joined Stagecoach in 2005 as a driver at Stagecoach West in Cheltenham, while Martin, originally from Dunfermline, started working for Stagecoach in 2013. Gordon Frost, Operations Director, said: “I am delighted to welcome both Mike and Martin to the management team. Our Operations Managers are at the heart of our business and critical to the success of the company. We’re committed to ensuring that we provide real opportunities for staff development and we’re delighted that Mike and Martin are growing with the business and continuing to further their careers and develop with us further.”

Jason steps up

New faces in the south

Tony Youmans who recently retired.

New Assistant Operations Managers Mike Armitage and Martin McDougall.

n  Long serviceSTAGECOACH South East recently held its annual Long Service Awards in Folkestone.After the awards ceremony all guests were treated to a three course meal and a string quartet played music.

The South East long service award winners.

n  Dave gets on boardSTAGECOACH Midlands has appointed Dave Morgan as Engineering Director. Dave has been with the company for the past 22 years and has been Engineering Manager at Rugby depot for the past 16 years. He has taken over from current Engineering Director, Dave Heptinstall who has transferred to Stagecoach Yorkshire.

(L to r) Dave Morgan with Dave Heptinstall.

New Operations Manager Jason Astley.