Results Summary 2012
Coach Operator Awards
UK Coach Operator of the Year, sponsored by Belmont International and AVIVA
Winner:
- The Kings Ferry, Gillingham, Kent
Runner Up:
- Excelisor Coaches, Bournemouth
Top Small Fleet Operator (fewer than 15 vehicles)
Winner:
- Woods Coaches, Leicester
Runner Up:
- Woods Travel Group, Bognor
Highly Commended
- Carol Peters Coach Travel, Ramsgate, Kent
- Grahams Coaches, Colchester, Essex
Top Medium Fleet Operator (16-50 vehicles), sponsored by Volvo
Winner:
- Excelsior Coaches, Bournemouth, Dorset
Runner Up:
- Golden Boy Coaches, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire
Highly Commended:
- Anthony's Travel, Runcorn, Cheshire
- Marshall's Coaches, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
- Stanley Travel, Stanley, County Durham
Top Large Fleet Operator (over 50 vehicles)
Winner:
- The Kings Ferry, Gillingham, Kent
Runner Up:
- Johnsons Coach and Bus Travel, Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire
Highly Commended:
- Johnson Brothers, Workshop, Nottinghamshire
Coach Marketing Award
This goes to the company judged to have made the best and most creative use of a range of marketing tools to grow their business and increase consumer awareness.
Winner:
- Greyhound UK, FirstGroup plc
Runner Up:
- You Know You Wanna, National Express
ROSCO Award for Innovation in Road Safety
Winner:
- Excelsior Coaches, Bournemouth, Dorset for their support of the Under 17s Car Club
Industry Support Solution of the Year
Designed to recognise and reward excellence and high standards in the delivery of essential support services to coach operators.
Winner:
- Gauntlet Risk Management, Leeds
Runner Up:
- Towergate Chapman Stevens
Coach of the Year Award
Operators were asked to nominate the best vehicles from the passenger perspective.
Winner:
- Setra 416GTHD (Evobus (UK) Limited, Coventry)
Runner Up:
- Volvo/Plaxton BR9 Elite (Plaxton Limited, Scarborough)
Highly Commended:
- Neoplan Tourliner (M.A.N. UK Limited, Swindon)
- Bova Futura (Moseley Distributors Ltd, Loughborough)
Awards for Organisations in Coach Tourism
Most Coach Friendly Local Authority
Operators were asked to nominate authorities that had made extra effort to deliver outstanding facilities for coaches and their passengers.
Winner:
- Bury Metropolitan Borough Council
Runner Up:
- Liverpool City Council
Most Coach Friendly Historic Attraction
Historic attractions that have gone 'that extra mile' to accommodate, attract, and welcome coaches, their drivers and their passengers.
Winner:
- Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Worcestershire
Runner Up:
- Eden Camp, Malton, North Yorkshire
Highly Commended:
- Beamish, Living Museum of the North
- Edinburgh Castle
- Hampton Court Palace
- Warwick Castle
Most Coach Friendly Tourist Attraction
Tourist attractions that have gone 'that extra mile' to accommodate, attract, and welcome coaches, their drivers and their passengers.
Winner:
- The Eden Project, Bodelva Par, Cornwall
Runner Up:
- West Midland Safari Park, Bewdley, Worcestershire
Highly Commended:
- Alton Towers Resort, Staffordshire
- Royal Yacht Britannia, Leith, Edinburgh
Most Coach Friendly Shopping Attraction
Shopping attractions that have gone 'that extra mile' to accommodate, attract, and welcome coaches, their drivers and their passengers.
Winner:
- Gretna Green Blacksmith's Shop, Gretna Green, Dumfries & Galloway
Runner Up:
- Oswaldtwistle Mills Shopping Village, Lancashir
Highly Commended
- Boundary Mill Stores, Colne, Lancashire
- Bury Market
- The Trafford Centre, Greater Manchester
Best Coach Industry Supplier
Providers of services such as meals, hotels, admission tickets or sea crossings that have made outstanding efforts to accommodate, attract, and welcome coaches, their drivers and their passengers.
Hotels and Catering
Winner:
- Park Inns by Radisson
Runner Up:
- Menzies Hotels
Highly Commended
- Hilton Hotels
Sea Crossing/Water Transport
Winner:
- Wightlink
Highly Commended:
- P&O Ferries
- Red Funnel
- Stena Line
Theatre & Venue Ticketing
Winner:
- Encore Tickets, London
Highly Commended:
- Group Line, London
- Leeds City Varieties
- Octagon Theatre Yeovil
- Palace Theatre Manchester
Tour Wholesaling
Winner:
- Albatross Tours, Larkfield, Kent
Runner Up:
- Norman Allen Group Travel
Highly Commended
- Greatdays Travel Group, Altrincham, Cheshire
Awards for People in the Industry
Top UK Coach Driver
Winner:
- Billy Graham, Cochranes
Runner Up:
- David Alford, Euro Cruising
Highly Commended:
Young Coach Industry Professional
Designed to recognise and reward talented youngsters under the age of 30 who are showing leadership and commitment to the future development of the industry
Winner
- Mark Pitter, Coliseum Coaches, Southampton
Runner Up:
- Jonathan Pollard, National Espress
Unsung Heroes
This award is designed to recognise and reward the hard work, loyalty and devotion to duty of one or more individuals who perform junior or middle management roles in the industry.
Two prizes were awarded for 2012:
- Michelle Demain, First Rail Support
- Ian Skeets, National Express
Services to the Industry
This prize is awarded to somebody in the world of coach tourism who has devoted a lifetime to the industry, and delivered exceptional service in the provision and/or delivery of coach services. This year, the prize goes to
- John Johnson, Johnsons Coach and Bus
