Eight bus, Dial-a-Ride and tram workers were singled out for special awards for dedication to London’s bus, Dial-a-Ride and tram passengers. They were also joined by colleagues at a reception where the Mayor thanked them for playing their part in improving London’s public transport.

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said:

“Many congratulations to everyone who has been nominated for these awards and especially to the eight overall winners. They are all outstanding ambassadors for public transport providing exceptional customer service day-in, day-out. The increase in bus ridership to six million journeys a day could not have been achieved without the massive commitment of staff to make services cleaner, safer and more reliable.’

Managing Director of Surface Transport, Peter Hendy said:

“The bus, Dial-a-Ride and tram awards highlight how important people who work in the industry are. Without the dedication of the all the London bus staff six million passenger trips a day would not be possible. Congratulations to all the winners for their exceptional work.”

London’s bus operators were asked to nominate staff they felt have gone that extra mile in providing bus services to Londoners. Operators were asked to consider staff who had either achieved excellence in training, customer service, long service or special contribution to the bus and tram industry, and those who undertook sports, social or charitable work.

Overall winner:

Vince Goane, General Manager based at Tottenham garage and responsible for 5 garages, Arriva London North
Vince is part of a family which has contributed at least 4 other Goanes who have worked on the buses including two of Vince's brothers and two of his sons
. He is currently General Manager for five of the garages in Arriva London North and has been responsible for an enormous amount of change in the company in recent years including the extension of Tottenham, the reopening of Stamford Hill, the new garage at Lee Valley and the opening of the company’s first Leaning Centre at Tottenham Garage, as well as the introduction of articulated buses on the 149 and 73. A tireless worker he has worked his way up through the grades since joining as a driver at Enfield in 1974. He will be 65 on New Year’s Eve and will retire in summer 2005.

London Bus Driver of the Year:
Malcolm Baker, Driver, Thornton Heath Garage, Arriva London South,br> Malcolm was the highest placed London Bus Driver at the annual Bus Driver of the Year event in Blackpool in September. He was placed fourth overall in this national event.

External customer care:

Winner: Emebet Altaye, Driver, Shepherds Bus Garage, London United Runners up: Sandy Cason, Gradfil Smith

Internal customer care:

Winner: Ben Gerald, Driver, Thorpe’s - Perivale
Runners up: Elaine Corrigan, Steve Matthews

Contribution to the London bus/tram industry:
Winner: Neville Giles, Driver (now retired), Wood Green garage, Arriva London North Runners up: Mark Stevens Colleen Isaacs

Training:

Winner: Errol Blanche, Engineer Trainer, Perivale, Metroline
Runners up: Debbie Van Cliff, John French

Sports, social and charitable work:

Winner: David Day, Ilford Head Office, Stagecoach
Runners up: Philip Russell, Ken Huntley

Long service:

Winner: Winston Cox, Relief Operating Manager, Camberwell Recruitment, London Central
Runners up: George Noel, Ivan Stanley, Olga Hemingway

Notes to Editors

1. The event took place at the Law Society, Chancery Lane.

2. Photographs of the winners receiving an award from Mayor of London Ken Livingstone are available from Monday by calling the TfL Press Office

3. The London bus network is one of the largest and most comprehensive urban systems in the world. Each weekday 8,000 London buses carry 6 million passengers on over 700 different routes.

Key points about expanding the London bus network:

• Bus use is up by 11 per cent over the past year (03/04) - an extra 168 million passenger trips;
• The number of passengers using buses is at its highest level since 1968;
• Patronage is rising at its fastest rate since the Second World War;
• Night bus use is up by 29 per cent over the past year; and
• London Buses is running the highest volume of service on London’s roads than at any time since 1957.