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News Category: People

Go-Ahead supports Catch the Bus Month by encouraging more people to adopt bus travel

01 September 2022

Go-Ahead supports Catch the Bus Month by encouraging more people to adopt bus travel

  • Go-Ahead supports Bus Users UK, Catch the Bus Month, a charity that campaigns for inclusive and accessible transport
  • Regional bus companies undertake community initiatives to mark Catch the Bus Month
  • Go-Ahead sees significant growth in passenger numbers post COVID-19

Go-Ahead is showing its support for the Bus Users UK’s, ‘Catch the Bus Month’ campaign throughout September. The campaign aims to encourage people to take the bus and promotes the benefits such as accessibility, affordability, and sustainability.

The ‘Catch the Bus Month’ campaign is in line with Go-Ahead’s targets set out in ‘The Next Billion Journey’s’ business strategy to attract more people to bus travel post Covid-19 and the Group’s commitment for more sustainable travel.

During Catch the Bus Month 2022, Go-Ahead bus companies are specifically highlighting the benefits of bus travel.

  • In East Anglia, in person events in Norwich, Sudbury, Clacton and Colchester will promote car free days with local MPs in attendance to show their support. Go East Anglia, Konectbus, will also offer free travel across Norwich on 25 September (coinciding with World Car Free Day) to encourage people to travel by bus.
  • Brighton and Hove Buses will be promoting its digital campaign ‘My bus is driving change’ to showcase all the different people who catch the bus including messaging around accessibility, zero emission benefits and targeting loneliness.
  • Meanwhile, Go South West, Plymouth City Bus and Go Cornwall, is encouraging bus travel amongst families and older people by offering them concessions.  People at the Devon Business Show will receive a free bus ticket to encourage them to try the bus.

Go-Ahead has seen a significant recovery in passenger numbers post COVID-19. Go North West is the first in The Go-Ahead Group’s UK-wide network to hit pre-pandemic levels of passenger recovery. Across the UK, bus usage is at about 85% of pre-pandemic levels.

Mark Anderson, Go-Ahead’s Customer and Commercial Director, said: “Catch the Bus Month is a great campaign to be involved in. We’ve been working hard to bring passengers back to our buses – including data analysis to understand new travel patterns and to tailor routes, schedules, and ticketing to match passenger needs, plus marketing initiatives to rebuild confidence in public transport.

“The Group is working closely with clients and local authorities to stimulate further modal shift from private cars to public transport, supporting the achievement of local and national climate change targets.”

Buses also reduce social isolation and improve health and well being. Claire Walters, Chief Executive of Bus Users UK the charity behind Catch the Bus Month said: “Buses make a huge contribution to all our lives socially, economically, and environmentally. They are also a lifeline for communities providing access to education, work, healthcare, shops, and leisure. We want to see more people get on board this September to protect these vital services for future generations.”

Go-Ahead creates pioneering toolkit to support Dyslexic bus drivers

25 August 2022

Go-Ahead creates pioneering toolkit to support Dyslexic bus drivers

  • First of its kind toolkit created by Go South West
  • Initiative is part of an inclusion strategy to support neurodiverse colleagues
  • Extra time, materials and resources available to those diagnosed with Dyslexia

A Go-Ahead operating company, Go South West, has launched a Dyslexia toolkit to support colleagues who have been officially diagnosed with the condition.

Dyslexia is recognised as a learning difficulty which can affect skills such reading, spelling, and writing, often making it difficult for bus drivers to read bus timetables and to complete paperwork at the end of the shift. The toolkit offers colleagues:

  • Coloured overlays to help those who struggle with reading text on white paper
  • An online to-do list and task management App that can be downloaded onto colleagues work phones
  • Paper To-Do lists for those who find them preferable to electronic communications
  • The ability to record meetings if colleagues struggle with notetaking
  • Additional time for paperwork at the end of shifts

About 10 per cent of the population is believed to have some form Dyslexia, although it varies from mild to severe. It usually runs in families and is a life-long condition.

Dyslexic people process information differently. They sometimes have difficulty processing and remembering information they see and hear, and the condition can affect organisational skills. However, many Dyslexic people show particular aptitude in other areas – including reasoning and in visual and creative fields.

Joe Savage, Bus Driver, for Go South West said: “As someone who is diagnosed as Dyslexic, and who understands the struggles it can entail, I was keen to get involved in this project. The toolkit has been designed with our Dyslexic colleagues in mind, but it is important to understand the resources are available for all our colleagues. Simple adjustments can make a big difference to our workforce.”

Richard Stevens, Go South West, Managing Director said: “I welcome the new toolkit, it’s very useful for our colleagues. Sometimes it can be easy to overlook the struggles people with Dyslexia face in their day to day. At Go-Ahead we want to ensure everyone is included and supported to do their jobs with ease. Thank you to the Go South West team for coming together and rolling out the new toolkit for colleagues.”

Steve O’Brien CEO for Dyslexia Foundation said: “It is a great idea to address the needs of staff with Dyslexia, the toolkit created is a good starting point from Go-Ahead Group and it will be interesting to see how this develops over the coming months. We encourage and support initiatives like this, Dyslexia Foundation promotes a positive attitude towards dyslexia and offers an environment in which to enable support and to talk about dyslexia.”

Diversity and Inclusion is at the forefront of Go-Ahead’s ‘The Next Billion Journey’s’ business strategy and the Group has previously been named the ’most admired company’ in the transport sector for innovation, commitment to diversity and ability to attract top talent.

Vote for Newcastle! Go-Ahead backs bid to host Britain’s railway HQ

28 July 2022

Vote for Newcastle! Go-Ahead backs bid to host Britain’s railway HQ

The Go-Ahead Group plc is backing its home town by supporting Newcastle’s bid to host the headquarters of Great British Railways (GBR).

With a skilled workforce, a rich heritage in transport and great connectivity, Newcastle is the perfect location for the new body which will oversee Britain’s 20,000 miles of railway.

Go-Ahead, which employs more than 2,000 people locally and has its registered office in Newcastle city centre, is proud to support Newcastle City Council’s initiative to bring GB Railways to the north-east.

A competition to select the location for GB Railways’ head office was announced by the Secretary of State for Transport in 2021. Out of 42 expressions of interest, Newcastle was named in June as one of six shortlisted cities to be put to a public vote.

“”
As an international transport company originating from the north-east, Go-Ahead fully backs the Newcastle’s bid to host the headquarters of Great British Railways.

Newcastle is a vibrant city packed with innovation, excitement and ingenuity. It’s a great place to live, work and do business, and it’s full of transport talent and experience. We urge everybody to vote for Newcastle in this competition – and we look forward to welcoming Great British Railways to the city

Carolyn Ferguson, Go-Ahead’s Group Company Secretary who is based out of Go-Ahead’s office in Grey Street, Newcastle

Click here to watch our “back Newcastle” campaign video

GB Railways will be a single, accountable body responsible for Britain’s railways, as set out in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail published in May 2021. The Government wants this new organisation to be based outside London.

Newcastle City Council has proposed two sites for the headquarters – the Stephenson Quarter, where Robert Stephenson’s original locomotive works were established in 1823, or Forth Good Yards – location of the original passenger station when the railways came to Newcastle in 1839.

 

“”
I would like to thank Go Ahead Group for their support with the Newcastle bid. We’re a region that knows the importance of collaboration and this is yet another great example. Our partners and stakeholders are passionate about the future of our city, its growth, and the opportunities investments like this can bring.

This investment creates a visible and meaningful commitment to Levelling Up and would provide a further boost to our regional economy, delivering new jobs and opportunities for those who live and work here. It will also be a catalyst for further investment and opportunity, creating a new chapter and legacy in our railway history. The pride and ambition from partners like Go-Ahead Group, who are so committed to ensuring our city is full of opportunity, is invaluable.

Sam Cassidy, Inward Investment Manager, Newcastle Gateshead Initiative

The Newcastle city region is home to 2.6 million people and 70,000 businesses. Nine million people pass through Newcastle central station annually, and the city is well connected, with 80 direct destinations from Newcastle airport. The average journey to work for people in Newcastle is 7.8 miles – the lowest in England.

One of the largest transport companies based in the region, Go-Ahead was founded in 1987 through a buy-out of a Gateshead bus company. The Group now operates bus and rail in six countries – including Govia Thameslink Railway in the UK, which runs Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and Gatwick Express services. In the Newcastle area, Go-Ahead runs buses under the Go North East brand.

You can back the bid and vote for Newcastle to become the home of Great British Railways, voting closes on 15 August: http://www.gbrtt.co.uk/hq-competition-public-vote

The final decision will be announced later this year by the Secretary of State for Transport.

Ministerial launch for money-saving bus ticket scheme in Cornwall

26 July 2022

Ministerial launch for money-saving bus ticket scheme in Cornwall

The Go-Ahead Group was pleased to welcome Baroness Vere of Norbiton, the Minister for Buses, to launch a county-wide ‘Tap & Cap’ scheme today that will save money for bus customers in Cornwall.

The scheme implements a cap on daily and weekly fares. Passengers tap their card when they get on the bus, and tap again when they alight, and are charged the correct fare automatically. Regardless of the number of journeys taken in a day customers will not pay more than £5 and no more than £20 for a week.

Go-Ahead’s Go Cornwall Bus is the largest bus operator in the county in terms of passenger numbers. The company is working closely with other bus companies, and with Transport for Cornwall, to deliver an integrated ticketing and travel network across the county.

The ‘Tap & Cap’ scheme builds on support that is already in place for customers across Cornwall and builds on Go-Ahead’s investment in rural transport services in the county, which totals £25 million since 2020.

From April 2022, ticket prices on buses operating in Cornwall were cut by up to 40% under a Government-backed pilot scheme, “Make Big Savings By Bus”. There is also an “any ticket, any bus” programme which made tickets interchangeable between Cornwall’s bus companies.

These initiatives are consistent with goals under the Government’s National Bus Strategy to encourage partnership working between operators and local authorities, and to promote the social, economic, and environmental benefits of bus usage.

Baroness Vere, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, said: “At a time when many people are feeling the pinch, every potential saving matters. That is why we have provided more than £23 million to help look at ways to make local bus services more affordable.

“The brilliant “Tap & Cap” pilot will not only help reduce travel costs for people across Cornwall but will also help encourage greater use of more sustainable ways of transport, while helping create a truly integrated local bus network.”

Richard Stevens, Managing Director, Go South West, said: “As the county’s largest bus operator, operating over 100 routes and carrying 90,000 passengers per week – we’re proud to be part of the latest initiative to save customers money and encourage people to switch from their cars to the bus – increasing the use of public transport. Together, as part of Transport for Cornwall we must continue to invest in change to make sure customers get the service they deserve.

Trading update for the year ended 2nd July 2022

11 July 2022

Trading update for the year ended 2nd July 2022

Go-Ahead today provides a trading update for the year ended 2 July 2022 (FY22).

“”
Passenger numbers on public transport have continued to recover from the pandemic and in certain parts of the UK, such as Manchester, our buses are as busy as they were before COVID-19. We are encouraged to see so many people using buses and trains and we expect a busy summer ahead, particularly in tourist areas.

Christian Schreyer, Group Chief Executive, The Go-Ahead Group

Our markets

Regional Bus

In our Regional Bus division, we have continued to see a steady recovery in passenger demand, with commercial volumes across the business now over 85 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. In some areas, we have seen particularly encouraging volumes in recent weeks, with pre-pandemic volumes being recorded on some days. These trends give us confidence in the continuation of passenger recovery in the coming months.

The Board now expects Regional Bus to deliver operating profit before exceptional items ahead of that of the prior two years.

London & International Bus

Our London & International Bus division will benefit from performance that is ahead of plan in London and Singapore, including better than anticipated Quality Incentive Contract (QICs) payments in London In Sweden, Flexbuss, which we acquired in April 2022, is trading positively and in line with our expectations.

The Board now expects the division to deliver operating profit before exceptional items at least in line with pre-pandemic underlying profitability levels (2019: £51.2m).

UK Rail

Following the successful commencement of GTR’s new National Rail Contract on 1 April 2022, the Board expects UK Rail to deliver operating profit before exceptional items within the range set out in the Group’s interim results of £25m – £30m.

International Rail

In Germany, we continue to progress our improvement plans in Baden-Württemberg, although financial penalties relating to operational performance have been slightly higher than anticipated in the period. Following discussions with our client in Baden-Württemberg, we are pleased to have reached a memorandum of understanding which will result in a modest improvement to the financial performance of the contract over its life. Further negotiations remain underway.

The first of two contracts in Bavaria started on 12 December 2021 and the second will commence in December 2022. Following the successful mobilisation of the first contract, performance has been in line with our expectations.

Mobilisation of the second contract in Bavaria remains underway ahead of its commencement in December 2022. As previously indicated, there are inherent uncertainties and risks associated with the mobilisation of this contract and in estimating the impact of key success factors including driver recruitment. As part of our year end procedures, we will be carefully reviewing the projections for the second contract in Bavaria and assessing the requirement for any potential further provision.

As announced on 28 June 2022, a new agreement was reached between the Norwegian Railway Directorate and Go-Ahead Norway A/S, regarding the structure of its rail contract. Under the original contract, which began in December 2019, the revenue risk associated with changes in passenger demand rested with Go-Ahead. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Norwegian Government provided financial support to rail operators, preventing material losses.

The amended contract takes effect from 1 July 2022 and runs for the duration of the original contract, until December 2027 (plus a two-year extension option until December 2029). The contract provides a revenue support scheme until the end of the contract. The amended contract also includes an incentive scheme linked to revenue growth. As a result of these improved contractual arrangements, the Group expects to significantly reduce the £66.2m onerous contract provision relating to its rail operation in Norway in its full year results for the year ending 2 July 2022.

The Board expects International Rail to deliver an operating loss before exceptional items within the range set out in the Group’s interim results of £15m – £20m.

Balance sheet and liquidity

The Group has a strong balance sheet and maintains good liquidity. The Board continues to expect FY22 adjusted net debt/EBITDA to be at the lower end of the 1.5 to 2.5 times range, significantly below the 3.5 times bank covenant.

Overall performance

Overall, the Group expects to report a good performance for the year ended 2 July 2022.

Certain statements in this announcement constitute profit estimates for the purposes of Rule 28 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers. Further details on the basis of preparation of the profit estimates and certain confirmations from the directors of Go-Ahead in relation to the profit estimates can be found in the scheme document published by Go-Ahead dated 11 July 2022 which is available at https://www.go-ahead.com/investors/offer.

Manchester is bouncing back – buses reach pre-pandemic passenger levels

05 July 2022

Manchester is bouncing back – buses reach pre-pandemic passenger levels

  • Go North West’s buses are as busy as they were prior to COVID-19
  • Manchester operator is the first Go-Ahead company in the UK to reach pre-pandemic levels
  • Recovery boosted by high reliability, sufficient drivers and strong local economy
  • Plans in place to lay on more buses as demand grows further

Mancunians are leaving the pandemic behind and re-embracing public transport. Go North West’s buses are as busy as they were before COVID-19 – and plans are in place to boost the number of buses on the network.

The company is now operating 9 out of every 10 buses that ran pre-Covid, and over the last few months it has seen a surge in customers getting on board; with passenger levels per bus now equalling 2019 figures.

Go North West is the first in The Go-Ahead Group’s UK-wide network to hit this level of passenger recovery. Across the UK as a whole, bus usage is at about 85% of pre-pandemic levels. Across Go-Ahead’s 11 regional bus companies, patronage varies between 80% and 100%, depending on demographics, the length and type of journeys and the strength of local economies.

The recovery has been supported by Bus Recovery Grant funding from the Department for Transport. Marketing initiatives to encourage customers back have included a £1 fare promotion for passengers travelling in the evenings, and the company has stepped up efforts to recruit more bus drivers to keep up with demand.

“”
We’re delighted to see Manchester bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. The combination of a young population, a thriving local economy and a lively nightlife scene have all contributed to this recovery in customer levels. We are now looking to the future with plans to add additional resource to our network to ensure we meet the demand.

Nigel Featham, Managing Director, Go North West

A recovery in public transport usage has accelerated over recent months as the rising cost of petrol has discouraged people from using their cars. Across Britain, the proportion of people taking a bus journey at least once a week has risen from 12% to 15% since March, as the cost of a tank of petrol has reached £100 in some parts of the country.

Summer weather, open air concerts, student events and eating out promotions have added to the steadily rebuilding commuter market to attract people back to Go North West’s buses, which are based at the Queen’s Road depot in north Manchester. Furthermore, Go North West has maintained high reliability, sufficient driver numbers and near full mileage through the pandemic.

Looking forward, Go-Ahead anticipates modal shift from car to bus across the UK as the Government’s decarbonisation agenda, together with investment under the National Bus Strategy, takes effect.

The recovery has been supported by Bus Recovery Grant funding from the Department for Transport. Marketing initiatives to encourage customers back have included a £1 fare promotion for passengers travelling in the evenings, and the company has stepped up efforts to recruit more bus drivers to keep up with demand.

“”
We’re grateful to the Government for Bus Recovery Grant funding which has been essential in enabling us to keep a comprehensive service running throughout COVID-19.

The cost of living crisis has focused peoples’ minds on the price of transport – and catching a bus is a far better value way of travelling than driving a car. With passengers coming back, demand is in good shape for the introduction of Transport for Greater Manchester’s franchised model.

Nigel Featham

Go-Ahead named top apprenticeship employer in the UK transport industry

29 June 2022

Go-Ahead named top apprenticeship employer in the UK transport industry

  • Go-Ahead hires more than 1,100 apprentices annually across its bus and rail operations
  • Transport operator ranked 13th on list of the UK’s Top 100 apprentice Employers
  • Ranking puts Go-Ahead top of six transport companies in the league table

The Go-Ahead Group has been named as Britain’s top provider of transport apprenticeships in a ranking developed by the Department for Education.

The ‘Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers’ list is intended to help future apprentices, parents and careers advisers to identify apprenticeship opportunities at the country’s leading employers.

Go-Ahead ranks 13th overall on the list, and is top in the transport industry – ahead of Hays Travel, Network Rail, Stagecoach, Abellio and Southeastern.

The company takes on 1,100 apprentices annually – making it the biggest employer of apprentices in the public transport industry.

More than 700 apprentices are presently training to be London bus drivers at Go-Ahead London’s academy in Camberwell. Go-Ahead London was named Macro Employer of the Year for London in the 2021 National Apprenticeship Awards.

A further 450 apprentices are in training at Govia Thameslink Railway, the UK’s largest railway network, working across engineering, driving and customer service roles.

Go-Ahead’s apprenticeship program is highly diverse. Nearly a third of recruits are over 50 years old. Women account for 37% of rail apprentices and 17% of bus apprentices – a significantly higher proportion than can be found across the transport industry as a whole. And two thirds of Go-Ahead London’s apprentices are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

“”
Apprenticeships are a great way to begin a career in transport, whether it may be driving a bus, training to be an engineer, working in customer services or driving a train.

Our apprenticeship program is preparing a new generation of people to operate public transport across Britain and we view it as a crucial investment in the long-term success of our company. We’re very proud that Go-Ahead has been named as one of the country’s top apprenticeship employers.

Scott Maynard, Group HR Director, The Go-Ahead Group

The ‘Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers’ list is published by the Department for Education in partnership with High Fliers Research, which independently assesses and ranks the nation’s top apprenticeship employers.

Top ten journeys to see Britain by bus: Go-Ahead selects its most scenic routes

20 June 2022

Top ten journeys to see Britain by bus: Go-Ahead selects its most scenic routes

What better way to see Britain’s dales, beaches, villages, and cityscapes than by bus? The Go-Ahead Group, which operates buses from the tip of Cornwall to Northumberland, has picked out ten of the best from its nationwide route network.

The list is inspired, in part, by the Reverend Richard Coles, the broadcaster and former Church of England parish priest, who recently named Go-Ahead’s number 12 service from Brighton to Eastbourne as “the best in the world”.

Reverend Coles said: “I will always encourage people to travel by bus because it’s a great way to see the country and takes cars off the road.”

Stretching from the Isle of Wight to Hadrian’s Wall, Go-Ahead’s favourite journeys are as follows. Welcome aboard!

 

  • The Moors Explorer, East Yorkshire buses

East Yorkshire Buses’ Moors Explorer is the perfect way to travel to the North York Moors from Hessle, Hull, Cottingham and Beverley and a great opportunity to explore the area’s quaint villages. The route takes travellers to the picturesque Hutton le Hole or the Moors National Park Centre at Danby.

Bus

Moors Explorer returns for summer 2022 – East Yorkshire (eastyorkshirebuses.co.uk)#

 

  • Needles Breezer, Southern Vectis

The Needle Breezer route goes from Yarmouth to Needles Battery and back via Freshwater Bay, Alum Bay, Totland. It is one of the most spectacular bus rides in all of England, an open-top ride with views that will simply take your breath away.

Enjoy a cliff-hugging, dizzy climb from Alum Bay right up to the Needles Battery, high up where the vistas out to sea are intoxicating. The route also links Yarmouth to Freshwater Bay, Dimbola Museum and Galleries, Farringford Estate, Fort Victoria Country Park, as well as historic places of interest and areas of outstanding beauty.

Open top bus

https://www.islandbuses.info/services/SVCT/TNB?date=2022-05-11&direction=outbound

 

  • Hadrian’s Wall Country Bus, Go North East

Hadrian’s Wall Country Bus makes it easy to explore our Roman heritage and to visit some of the country’s most spectacular landscapes – along the defensive foundation that once protected the northern reaches of the Roman empire. The journey will immerse passengers in time travel and provide glimpses of what life was like in Roman times.

Hadrians wall

AD122 Hadrian’s Wall Country Bus – Go North East

 

  • Ocean City Sights, Go South West

Plymouth CityBus’s number 25, known as Ocean City Sights, is a circular route from Plymouth City Centre around the historic Barbican and onto Plymouth Hoe and Plymouth Sound. The route is often served by an open top bus so locals and tourists can see the city from the best vantage point.

Bus

25 – City Centre to Plymouth Hoe, via Barbican and West Hoe (Open Top) | Plymouth Bus

 

  • Breeze, Brighton and Hove and Metrobus

The Breeze bus routes wind their way through the South Downs National Park. With ‘Breeze Up To The Downs’ you can swiftly speed out of the busy city and be surrounded by quiet, picturesque natural vistas in under an hour. The bus services take passengers to the Sussex Downs beauty spots of Devil’s Dyke, Stanmer Park and Ditchling Beacon.

Bus

Breeze up to the downs – Brighton & Hove Buses

 

  • River Rapids, Oxford Bus Company

The River Rapids buses from Oxford to Reading or Henley-on-Thames make for fabulous car-free days out. With the River Rapids buses, you can explore the delights that South Oxfordshire has to offer. On this journey you can enjoy flowering gardens or ruined abbeys, award-winning museums, and riverside pubs.

River

River Rapids – Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel

 

  • No 100 Salford Reds, Go North West

Route number 100 on Go North West’s network starts in Manchester and winds its way out of the city to Warrington, via Salford Shopping Centre. On the way, it passes landmarks such as the AJ Bell Stadium, Barton Aerodrome (City Airport) and some refreshing green fields as the urban sprawl comes to an end.

100 Salford’s Reds – Manchester to Warrington | Go North West

 

  • Purbeck Breezer, No. 50, Morebus

Take a day out to the beach on the Purbeck Breezer – the number 50 from Bournemouth to Swanage, via Sandbanks and Studland. Sandbanks is known for its golden sands and clear waters. At Shell Bay & Studland you can take in the sea breeze, explore the dunes and nature reserve.

Open top bus

https://www.morebus.co.uk/services/WDBC/50

 

  • Clacton Breeze, Hedingham and Chambers

Go East Anglia’s Route 97/98 from Walton on the Naze to Clacton on Sea along the Essex Sunshine Coast is not to be missed. The open top bus offers a glimpse of traditional English seaside scenes, passing scenic beaches, promenades, beach huts and cafes. Step aboard and admire the surf breaking on the shore.

97 – Clacton to Walton on the Naze | Hedingham and Chambers

  • The No 12 Coaster, Brighton and Hove Bus

Finally, Brighton and Hove Buses, the No12 Coaster goes from the city of Brighton with breath-taking views of coastal scenery through to the picturesque town of Eastbourne. Enjoy the journey from the top deck, taking you via the Sea Life Centre, Rottingdean, Peacehaven, Seaford, Seven Sisters and East Dean.

Bus
Brighton and Hove Buses, Coastliner, 2015,

12 – Eastbourne-Brighton | Brighton & Hove Buses

Go-Ahead announces management changes at Go North East

07 June 2022

Go-Ahead announces management changes at Go North East

  • Nigel Featham appointed Managing Director of Go North East in addition to Go North West
  • Ben Gilligan becomes Managing Director of East Yorkshire Buses

The Go-Ahead Group today announces that Nigel Featham is to be appointed Managing Director of Go North East, in addition to his existing role as MD of Go North West.

Nigel will take up the position at the end of August, replacing Martijn Gilbert who has decided to move on after four years at Go-Ahead for an opportunity elsewhere in the transport industry.

Long established in the area, Go North East employs over 2,000 people, facilitating 175,000 journeys every day on a fleet of nearly 600 buses and coaches across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and into the Tees Valley.

Presently head of Go-Ahead’s Manchester bus operation which employs 600 people, Nigel Featham has many years’ experience in the industry across the north of England. Between 2011 and 2019, he was Arriva’s regional managing director for Yorkshire and the north-east.

As part of a restructuring, Go-Ahead is to recruit an Area Director for the north-east, reporting to Nigel.

Additionally, East Yorkshire Buses, which presently reports into Go North East, will become accountable directly to Go-Ahead Group with its present Area Director, Ben Gilligan, promoted to Managing Director. East Yorkshire runs services in and around Hull, East Yorkshire, the Yorkshire coast and the North Yorkshire moors.

“”
Congratulations to both Nigel Featham and Ben Gilligan on taking on enhanced roles within Go-Ahead. Nigel is doing a fantastic job at Go North West, turning around the performance of the Queen’s Road depot and leading our participation in Manchester’s bus franchising process. He has many years’ experience in the north-east and is the ideal person to lead our business in the region. And Ben Gilligan has successfully integrated East Yorkshire Buses since we acquired the company in 2018.

Go North East is a special company within the Go-Ahead Group – it’s where our business originates, and I’d like to extend my thanks to Martijn Gilbert for his leadership over the last four years. Achievements under Martijn’s management include introducing the north-east’s first fleet of zero-emission buses, working with local authorities on successful funding bids and delivering an outstanding daily service to passengers.

Martin Dean, Go-Ahead’s Managing Director, UK Regional Bus

New Managing Director appointed for Go East Anglia

06 June 2022

New Managing Director appointed for Go East Anglia

The Go-Ahead Group has appointed Gavin Smith to become Managing Director of Go East Anglia, replacing Jeremy Cooper on his retirement from operational management.

With more than two decades’ experience in the industry, Gavin has held senior roles at bus companies in the United Kingdom and Singapore. He has a track record of delivering operational success, introducing new services and managing high performing teams.

Presently a Project Director in Go-Ahead’s Business Development team, Gavin was Operations Director of Go-Ahead Singapore between 2017 and 2021, with responsibility for a network comprising 400 vehicles and 800 bus drivers.

Prior to that, he held a series of roles at Go-Ahead London including overseeing the opening of the new River Road depot in Barking. He worked for Tower Transit and FirstGroup before joining Go-Ahead in 2014.

Based in Norwich, Go East Anglia comprises three local bus companies – Konectbus, Hedingham Omnibuses and Chambers Coaches – employing nearly 300 people in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex and facilitating seven million passenger journeys annually.

Go East Anglia’s previous Managing Director, Jeremy Cooper, stood down in May after over 30 years in the industry. He is taking on a strategic role within Go-Ahead.

“”
Gavin brings a wealth of operational and strategic experience, and I’m delighted he’ll be taking on the role. Go-East Anglia is an important company within Go-Ahead and our strategy, The Next Billion Journeys, has set out an ambitious path for growth in the UK regional bus market.

Martin Dean, Go-Ahead’s Managing Director, UK Regional Bus

“”
I’m looking forward to working with the team at Go-East Anglia, as we encourage people back onto buses following the pandemic. I’m keen to build on Jeremy and the team’s success at Konectbus, Hedingham and Chambers, which provide vital public transport links to communities across the region.

Gavin Smith