Coach operators and their staff in Scotland are celebrating after being named as winners in the 2017 UK Coach Awards. The ninth annual awards were presented before an audience of 250 industry movers and shakers in a glittering ceremony at Manchester's Mercure Piccadilly Hotel on the evening of Thursday 4 May. Operators from the region scooped three Gold and one Silver Award in the nationwide contest.

Transport giant Stagecoach took the Gold Award for Top Express Coach Operation for its Express City Connect network, and also won Silver in the Coach Marketing category for its work in promoting the growing network.

Meanwhile, family firm Maynes Coaches from Buckie in Moray was named UK Coach Operator of the Year, having already taken the Gold Award for Top Medium Fleet operator, won for the second year in a row. Maynes are celebrating their 70th anniversary this year.

The awards were hosted and presented by Carol Kirkwood from BBC Breakfast, a great favourite with the coach industry.

Congratulating all the winners, UK Coach Awards chairman John Gilbert said, "Our awards are recognise and reward excellence and good practice at all levels in the industry, amongst all operators, large or small, and in all types of work from express through contracting to coach touring."Awards were presented for high quality operation, and for a range of professional disciplines such marketing, travel programmes and passenger facilities.

The biggest cheers of the night were reserved for the people awards, which provide recognition to a range of different staff categories, including both customer-facing and back office personnel. Some 200 nominations were received for this year's awards from all over the country, including coach customers, operators and attractions.

“Coaching is above all a people business,” explained John Gilbert. “Our customers demand improved quality both in terms of vehicles and staff. We cannot meet these demands without good business organisation and excellent staff, and to retain good staff, we need to recognise and reward them, and this is why I believe this event has a major part to play in recognising leading operators, business innovation, excellent managers, staff and operating crews .”

ENDS