15/10/2007

Stagecoach has won three top honours at one of the bus and coach industry’s premier awards events.

George Connell, Traffic Manager at Stagecoach West Scotland, was named Bus Manager of the Year at the 2007 Route One Operator Excellence awards.

Colleague Alex McSorland, Operations Manager at Stagecoach West Scotland, was given the Special Award following nearly 50 years’ service to the bus industry.

Stagecoach Group Technical Engineer Adrian Havlin was named Bus Engineer of the Year at the event held at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham.

Between them, the three Stagecoach managers have nearly 120 years’ experience in their respective fields.

Les Warneford, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus, said: “We are extremely proud of the commitment and expertise of our employees who ensure we delivery a first-class bus service and I would like to congratulate George, Alex and Adrian on their well deserved recognition.”

George Connell

George Connell began working life for Western SMT 38 years ago. Since then, he has worked his way up through the ranks from the position of driver, and has seen the company undergo a number of changes, including the takeover by Stagecoach in 1994. There are few operational jobs that he has not turned his hand to, leading him to the current position of Traffic Manager for West Scotland. He has a number of commercial responsibilities - including the tendering process, network performance and customer services – and many of his ideas and initiatives have helped attract more people to bus travel.

The judges said George was “a remarkable servant to the bus industry in general and Stagecoach West Scotland in particular”. They added that “his continued and unrelenting loyalty to the business coupled with a genuine dedication to providing the very best customer service means that he has achieved significant results for the company and its passengers”.

Alex McSorland

Alex McSorland started his career in the bus industry in 1959 after completing his National Service with the Military Police. He was inspired by his father to take up a bus career as an alternative to working in coal mining. Alex joined Western SMT as a driver at its Cumnock depot, leaving after six years for a spell in the haulage industry before returning in 1970. He had a number of promotions and was Depot Manager at eight different locations before settling in Ayr, where he remains Operations Manager despite having passed the official retirement age four years ago.

The judges said Alex’s commitment and enthusiasm were “truly awe inspiring” and his dedication was “matched only by the relish with which he meets the daily challenges that running the depot presents”.

Adrian Havlin

Adrian Havlin has 33 years’ engineering management experience, building up an in-depth knowledge of design, development, and manufacturing, supplemented by an excellent understanding of the constraints faced by vehicle operators. He was appointed to his present post in 1999 and is responsible for the purchase and supply of all new buses and coaches for Stagecoach UK Bus. Stagecoach invests around £60 million in some 600 new vehicles every year and Adrian liaises with chassis and body suppliers. He also provides technical guidance to all Stagecoach companies and manages the introduction of company-wide engineering initiatives.

The judges said Adrian’s qualities shone through, “giving him an ability to deal with complex and difficult issues”, and he had “an excellent understanding of vehicle design and manufacturing process”.

A total of 15 awards were presented by routeone Editor Mike Morgan, BBC football analyst Mark Lawrenson and individual sponsors at the third annual routeone event to recognise excellence within bus and coach industry.

It is the latest set of awards for Stagecoach, which has been named Bus Operator of the Year for its West Scotland operation in 2005 and 2006 – and is also in the running to win the honour for a third year in a row. The Perth-based transport group has 13 shortlisted entries across 18 categories at next month’s UK Bus Awards – more than any other bus operator in the country.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Steve Stewart, Director of Corporate Communications, Stagecoach Group
Tel: 01738 442111 or mobile 07764 774680
E-mail: steven.stewart@stagecoachgroup.com

Notes to Editors

Stagecoach
Stagecoach is one of the UK’s biggest bus operators, running around 7,000 buses in nearly 100 towns and cities across the country, from the Highlands of Scotland to south-west England.