FirstGroup has been shortlisted for seven prizes at this year’s UK National Transport Awards, the transport industry’s key awards event.
FirstGroup’s entries were nominated in five categories that reflect the company’s commitment to its customers, and to delivering the highest standards and levels of performance:
- Bus Operator of Year – First Aberdeen – Throughout 2015 First Aberdeen was a pillar of the community, delivering first-class public transport for its customers and communities. As a result of investment in its people, new vehicles, new technology, and combined with strong engagement with customers and stakeholders, 2015 was a year where the company really raised the bar for local transport in the city.
- Rail Operator of the Year – Hull Trains – Hull Trains are the UK’s leading rail operator for passenger satisfaction, achieving first place in the National Rail Passenger Survey for the last three years. They have also been amongst the top of the Which? passenger league for reliability, availability of seating and cleanliness for two successive years. They have also introduced a number industry-leading firsts, including mobile ticketing, free 4G Wi-Fi, USB charging ports and real-time passenger information screens.
- Contribution to Sustainable Transport – FirstGroup plc - FirstGroup’s contribution to the 2015 Bristol Green Capital year demonstrated the value of partnership between local authorities and transport providers to deliver sustainable transport solutions. As the main bus and train operator in Bristol, FirstGroup used the partnership with Green Capital, Bristol City Council, and the Mayor to introduce innovations such as the bio-methane “poobus”, helping move the city towards a more sustainable transport model for the future.
- Contribution to Sustainable Transport – Great Western Railway - Great Western Railway is reducing energy consumption across its operations by installing an innovative building management system called Shield. Shield has given GWR the ability to monitor and control the operation of every technological aspect of its stations via a cloud platform, resulting in 15% savings in carbon dioxide emissions at stations where it is installed.
- Improvements to Bus Services – First Scotland East - The 38 “Royal Route” is the pride of First Scotland East, travelling through some of the most beautiful, historic parts of Scotland between Edinburgh and Stirling. Major vehicle investment and an enhanced frequency has delivered a 20% growth in patronage, driven by the improved reliability that has made this service among the best performing of the company’s operations.
- Improvements to Bus Services – First Glasgow - First Glasgow went the extra mile to deliver exceptional transport for the 10,000 staff and hundreds of thousands of patients and visitors expected to travel to and from Glasgow’s new Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Hospital Connect Service 77 is fast – 25 minutes from city centre to hospital, convenient - serving Arrivals Square in the hospital grounds, and frequent - operating up to every 10 minutes, with a timetable designed with shift patterns and visiting hours in mind. The service features modern low emission vehicles with leather seats and Wi-Fi.
- Travel Information & Marketing – First West of England - First West of England delivered a fully integrated, high profile marketing campaign for its Bath Unibus service that has seen passenger numbers rocketing up by 31% in two years. The service now carries over 100,000 more passengers per quarter than prior to the start of the campaign and satisfaction among core student users aged 16 – 34 has risen by 5%.
Tim O’Toole, chief executive of FirstGroup, said, "I am very pleased that we have been shortlisted for awards across such a wide range of categories. We are working hard to make improvements for our customers and stimulate new passenger growth, and to be recognised for excellence in our key priority areas - continuous service improvement, operational delivery and sustainability is fantastic. It really does reflect the hard work and commitment of our colleagues across every part of the business to improve services for customers and encourage more people to use buses and trains.”
The winners of the 16th Annual National Transport Awards will be announced at a ceremony in London on 13th October 2016.
