19/05/2008

• Transport group in running for three prestigious UK awards
• Two Stagecoach companies up for Public Transport Operator of the Year
• Sophisticated telemarketing campaign highlighted by judges
• Taxi smartcard system shortlisted for Most Innovative Transport Project

Stagecoach has been shortlisted for three top honours at the 2008 National Transport Awards.

Two of Stagecoach’s Scottish bus companies – Fife and Inverness - are in the running for the Chris Moyes Award for Public Transport Operator of the Year.

Stagecoach’s award-winning “Where you want to be” telemarketing campaign has been shortlisted by the judges in the Travel Information and Marketing category.

And a hi-tech taxi smartcard system, developed by Stagecoach Group subsidiary Concessionary Solutions Ltd and deployed in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Council, is up for Most Innovative Transport Project.

Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Brian Souter said: “We are continuing to lead the way in delivering greener smarter travel and I am delighted that our companies and our people have been recognised for their innovation and service.

“Our success is also down to our strong partnerships with our stakeholders. We will continue to work hard to make our services even better in the future to get more people in Britain back on board public transport.”

Stagecoach in Fife carries more than 30 million passengers a year and has undertaken a number of successful initiatives that have attracted new customers to public transport, including the Ferrytoll park and ride operation, and the trial of a cross-Forth hovercraft. It has also been involved in bus partnership schemes with local authorities and made a multi-million-pound investment in new coaches for its express network.

Passengers using Stagecoach services in Inverness travel on some of the most modern buses in Scotland and 95% of the fleet is wheelchair accessible. Stagecoach has significantly increased passenger volumes through a number of Bus Route Development Grant schemes in partnership with Highland Council and the Scottish Government. Customer satisfaction rates are as high as 95% and the company has also cut its carbon emissions by the installation of a hi-tech energy management system.

Stagecoach’s innovative “Where You want to be” campaign, which uses industry-leading telemarketing techniques, has attracted millions of new bus passengers across the UK and won the Department for Transport “Winning New Customers” category at the 2007 UK Bus Awards.

The taxi smartcard system was developed by Stagecoach for over-60s who qualify for concessionary travel.  First used by Dumfries and Galloway Council, it incorporates on-board electronic taxi terminals that read personalised travel cards issued to eligible users on behalf of the council. 

Smartcards are issued with an agreed concessionary value and electronic information from the terminals is downloaded for reimbursement to taxi operators and paid directly into their bank accounts. The system saves local authorities thousands of pounds a year in administration costs and unspent money is returned to the council at the end of the financial year.

The 2008 National Transport Awards, organised in association with Transport Times, will be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on 15 July. The awards recognise transport professionals and providers who have made a real difference to the UK transport system.

A total of 19 awards will be presented across a range of categories, recognising excellence in transport delivery, travel information and marketing, innovation, walking and cycling, sustainable transport, bus and rail services, accessibility and customer service.

Stagecoach Group has won a clutch of awards in the past year. The company’s UK Bus division won four top honours at the 2007 UK Bus Awards for its excellence in marketing, integration, operations and winning new customers – more firsts than any other operator.

South West Trains, one of the Group’s major train companies, received special recognition earlier this year for winning more honours than any other organisation over the past 10 years of the HSBC Rail Business Awards.

Stagecoach Group is also Britain’s biggest tram operator and its Supertram operation in Sheffield won the Best Customer Initiative award at the inaugural Light Rail Awards in 2007.

ENDS

For further information, contact:
Steve Stewart, Director of Corporate Communications
Tel: 01738 442111
Mobile: 07764 774680
Email: steven.stewart@stagecoachgroup.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

Stagecoach Group is a leading international public transport group, with extensive operations in the UK, United States and Canada. The company employs 30,000 people, and operates bus, coach, rail, and tram services.