In a dazzling ceremony held at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, winners in 16 diverse categories were honoured at the prestigious 2023 routeone Awards. The event gained widespread acclaim, drawing esteemed professionals from the coach and bus industry who gathered to acknowledge the sector's outstanding individuals and operators.
The event was a celebration of excellence and it was co-hosted by Ardal O'Hanlon and routeone Editor Tim Deakin. A panel of esteemed judges, including Joan Aitken OBE, David Cattermole, Richard Delahoy, Nigel Eggleton, Mark Fowles, Graham Russell, and Norman Thomas, played a pivotal role in selecting the winners.
The list of winners includes remarkable achievements across categories such as Rising Star, Manager of the Year, Engineer of the Year, Best Use of Technology, Coach Tourism Programme of the Year, Environment Award, and more.
The list of Winners at the 2023 Routeone Awards is as follows:
Manager of the Year Small/Medium Operator (up to 150 vehicles): Ella Spencer, Greys
Rising Star: Carol Sim, First South and South West of England
Manager of the Year Large Operator (over 150 vehicles): Rebecca Rathore, Stagecoach Manchester
Outstanding Customer Experience: First Bus Exmoor Coaster
Engineer of the Year Small/Medium Operator (up to 150 vehicles): Neil Wilmin, Uno
Engineer of the Year Large Operator (over 150 vehicles): Matt Smith, National Express West Midlands
Coach Tourism Programme of the Year: A&P Travel (Tours) — Highly Commended: Johnsons Coaches
Best Use of Technology up to 150 vehicles: Passenger Plus
Best Use of Technology over 150 vehicles: National Express West Midlands — Highly Commended: Leicester City Council and the Leicester Bus Partnership
Environment Award: Ember
Small Coach Operator of the Year (up to 15 coaches): Heathside Travel
Medium Coach Operator of the Year (16–40 coaches): Passenger Plus — Highly Commended: Greys
Small/Medium Bus Operator of the Year (up to 150 buses): Uno
Large Coach Operator of the Year (over 40 coaches): Lakeside Coaches — Highly Commended: Johnsons Coaches
Large Bus Operator of the Year (over 150 buses): Go South Coast — Highly Commended: Lothian Buses
Special Award: John Johnson, Johnsons Coaches
The routeone Awards will return to Birmingham in November 2024, continuing its tradition of recognising excellence in the industry.
Roxana Hurjui, Bus Centre of Excellence