Council-owned bus company won the best operator prize and Go-Ahead Group headed the medal table at this week’s UK Bus Awards in London

The winner’s at this week’s UK Bus Awards

Blackpool Transport was named UK Bus Operator at this week’s UK Bus Awards in London.
The council-owned company was named the winner of the Gold Award in the Top SME Operator category before fending off competition from Lothian (Top City Operator), Reading Buses (Top Shire Operator) and Diamond Bus North West (Top Contracted Operator) to win the best operator prize.

More than 700 people attended the presentation ceremony, which took place at Troxy, London, on November 25. It was another rewarding afternoon for the
Go-Ahead Group and its subsidiary companies. Go-Ahead topped the medal table with five Gold winners and four silver winners. Stagecoach won more medals overall (11) but no golds on this occasion.

Our 2025 winners and finalists showcase the power of innovation, collaboration and community

Go-Ahead was the gold winner in five of the event’s 21 categories:

  • Martin Dean, managing director, UK regional bus at Go-Ahead, won the Lifetime Contribution to the Bus Industry award.
  • Route 1X (Brighton & Hove Buses) won the Marketing for Growth award
  • Brighton & Hove Buses won the Recruitment and Retention award for its Level Up initiative.
  • Poole (Morebus) won Top National Bus Depot.
  • Isobel Hedley-Jones (Fastrack) was named Young Manager of the Year.

Runner-up in the medal table was First Bus with a total of nine medals, including four Gold medals and five Bronze. The Manager of the Year award was won by Jonathon Hunt of First Bus East of England.

Receiving the Top National Bus Driver, Chris Moyes Memorial Award, was Zohra Rani of Nottingham City Transport. She was honoured for her exceptional professionalism, customer care and leadership as a role model for drivers across the UK.

Another notable winner was Portsmouth Buses Partnership retaining the Partnership for Excellence award in recognition of its achievements in improving local bus services and growing bus use.

Commenting on this year’s winners, Alan Millar, chair of the UK Bus Awards, said: “Every year, the UK Bus Awards remind us that this industry is built on people – people with skill, ability and a determination to make a difference. Our 2025 winners and finalists showcase the power of innovation, collaboration and community. Their achievements inspire the whole sector, and we’re proud to celebrate them.”

 
This article appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.

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