A midlands coach operator that was Highly Commended in this year's UK Coach Awards has expressed support and praise for the UKCA scheme in an article about the firm in Coach and Bus Week magazine.

Hardings International is a long-established firm with a history dating back over 80 years and based in Redditch, and was acquired last year by two of the management team - Malcolm Playford and Malcolm Chance - from the surviving children of the firm's founder Ernest Harding.

2010 Awards to recognise excellence and good practice In the coach industry

Plans have been confirmed for the coach tourism’s professional awards scheme to take place once again in 2010. One of the bus and coach industry’s favourite annual events, the awards were revived in 2009 after a gap of six years.

Nominations for the awards opened this week and close on 31 January 2010. The short-list will be announced on 17 March during the BOBI exhibition at Olympia, and the awards will be presented at a ceremony in Manchester on 28 April.

Awards highlight original thinking, innovation and exciting developments in coach tourism

Over 80 companies and organisations across the whole spectrum of UK coach tourism were recognised and rewarded for their excellence and good practice at the  UK Coach Awards, which took place on Friday 27 March at London's prestigious Tower Hotel.

The event was timed to take place during British Tourism Week and to coincide with this week's Best of Britain and Ireland Travel Trade Forum at ExCeL in Docklands.

Amongst the prizewinners were coach operators and coach drivers who were nominated by their customers, via the UK's leading group travel magazine, Group Travel Organiser. 

A full list of the results of the competition appears below.

Belmont International UK Coach Operator of the Year 

Winner

CoachChoice

Rnners Up

• Ruffles Coaches

Coach Operator of the Year (Small Fleets)   

Winner

• CoachChoice

Runners Up

• King's Coaches

Highly Commended   

• Nottingham City Coaches

Coach Operator of the Year (Medium Fleets)  

Winner

• Ruffles Coaches

Runners Up

• Woods Coaches

Highly Commended

• Hardings International
• Excelsior Coaches
• Banstead Coaches
• Anthony's Travel

Coach Operator of the Year (Large Fleets)  

Winner

• Bowens

Runners Up

• Johnson Brothers

Highly Commended

• Shearings
• Burtons

Coach Driver of the Year

Winner

• Cass Winston Douglas, CoachChoice

Runner Up

• Tony Mears, Ruffles Coaches

Highly Commended

• Craig Dakin, Ruffles Coaches
• Mark Warren, Countrywide Travel Services
• Nick Rollason, Hardings International
• Ray Maraschel, Banstead Coaches

Coach of the Year

Winner

• Evobus, Setra 416 GTHD

Highly Commended   

• Scania, Scania Irizar PB
• Volvo, The Volvo 9700
• Plaxton, The Plaxton Cheetah

Effective Partnering Award

Winner

• City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, CBSO Coach Connections

Runners Up

• Arriva the Shires, Green Line 757

Highly Commended

• FirstGroup plc, First Rail Support
• Tourism South East, Coach links for Excursions

Accessibility Award   

Winner

• Bugler Coaches

Runners Up

• National Express Ltd

Highly Commended

• Bond Hotels for Bonds Accessible Coaches

Coach Marketing Award

Winner   

• Excelsior Coaches

Runners Up   

• Stagecoach in Oxford, for the Oxford Tube

Highly Commended   

• Oxford Bus Company, for the airline
• Edward's Coaches
• Bakers Dolphin Coach Travel
• Silver Star Coach Holidays
• Parrys International Tours

Best Coach Touring Programme

Winner

• Edwards Coaches
• Runners Up
• Angela Holidays

Highly Commended

• Leger Holidays Ltd
• Lochs and Glens Holidays

Unsung Heroes Award

Winners

• Bob Pilbeam, Confederation of Passsenger Transport UK
• Christopher Vander    Towergate Chapman Stevens
• Maurice Duckworth    First Rail Support

Services to the Coach Industry

Winner

• Dave Fenton

Best Industry Support Solution

Winner

• Distinctive Systems

Highly Commended   

• The Freight Transport Association for the Vehicle Inspection Service
• Texa UK Limited, for Automotive Diagnostic Solutions
• RFL Commuter Village

Most Coach Friendly Local Authority

Winner

• Sefton Borough Council

Joint Runners Up

• Salisbury Borough Council
• Medway Borough Council

Highly Commended   

• Chester City Council
• Melton Borough Council
• Bury Metropolitan Borough Council

Most Coach Friendly Tourist Attraction

Winner

• Royal Yacht Britannia

Runners Up

• Hever Castle

Highly Commended   

• Chatham Dockyard
• Hampton Court Palace

Commended    

• Blenheim Palace
• Big Pit, National Coal Museum
• Legoland
• Giant's Causeway

Best Service Provider   

Winner

• Encore Tickets

Runners Up

• RoadChef

Highly Commended   

• Tourism Ireland
• Group Line
• P&O Ferries
• Eurotunnel
• Albatross Travel Group
• Hilton Hotels
• Marriott Hotels

Best Coach Operator Information Service   

Winner

• Historic Royal Palaces

Joint Runners Up   

• English Heritage
• The National Trust

Highly Commended

• Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

Most Coach Friendly Shopping Attraction

Winner

• Oswaldtwistle Mills

Runners Up

• Bury Market

Highly Commended   

• McArthur Glen
• Boundary Mill
• Princes Quay, Hull

Commended   

• The Trafford Centre