Managing Director Message from Tom Joyner
Dear Team,
Welcome to the Winter 2024 edition of Bus Talk.
We have all been extremely busy since the last edition and I am pleased to have this opportunity to provide an update.
As most of you are aware, the business has gone through a period of exciting change to align with the principles of the new Go-Ahead Way. This has led to a reorganisation of the garage back office and, in some instances, exciting refurbishment works. Sutton, Putney and Northumberland Park garages have all been refurbished so far, leading to a brighter, more inclusive working environment.
We have held our Exec Tours at all garages which allowed many of you to connect and provided a platform for an open discussion on implementing the Go-Ahead Ways of Working. We have really enjoyed being with you at the garages and appreciated the honest and open discussion on the changes that have happened and will happen going forward.
TOM JOYNER MANAGING DIRECTOR
The next phase has been the introduction of the ‘Go-Ahead Ways of Working’, which will enhance garage operations, and our ability to connect people and communities, today and tomorrow.
Thank you also to those of you who completed the employee survey – and we will be acting on your feedback at a Go-Ahead level, also your General Managers and Engineering Managers at garages will be leading changes that will improve your time at work in 2025.
Thanks to everyone for your hard work and commitment during the year of change that has been 2024.
With Kind Regards,
Tom Joyner
EXEC TOUR GALLERY
Eric Dale Lifetime Achievement Award
Congratulations to Eric Dale, Academy Manager, for winning the Bus Centre of Excellence Lifetime Achievement award. The announcement was shared at the Quality Bus Conference held in Manchester and is truly well deserved. The ‘Bus Centre of Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award’ acknowledges an individual’s exceptional contribution to the bus sector, making a positive impact upon our communities and customers.
Eric is responsible for the Recruitment, Training and Apprenticeships at Go-Ahead London. He has been instrumental in many initiatives throughout his 40 years in the sector. He started as a bus driver at Camberwell Garage, after learning to drive at the infamous Chiswick. He cares for our people, leading the training team through many changes, such as the introduction of CPCs, BTEC and Apprenticeships. He also led the Customer Awareness courses for drivers over many years.
Eric has mentored those in the Bus Driver of the Year competitions since 2003 and supported the Pre-promotion courses since 2007.
We
Apprentice success
Congratulations to our driver and engineer apprentices that graduated back in the summer. We held a ceremony to celebrate the success of 141 drivers and four engineers, who completed Go-Ahead London’s apprenticeship programme.
Colleagues who were in attendance got presented with certificates and commended for their dedicated commitment in attaining their qualification.
We are very proud of everyone who graduated and wish them all the best for their future careers with Go-Ahead London.
Go-Ahead London understands the importance of apprenticeships and the vital role they play in upskilling our colleagues.
The Go-Ahead Group has been recognised as the top apprenticeships employer in the transport industry for a third year running, in a ranking accredited by the Department for Education. We were named as the 7th top apprenticeships provider in England overall for 2024.
Go-Ahead London are committed to employing apprentices that represent the communities we serve and to grow diversity in our teams. In the last year, we have employed 364 funded apprentices.
Social Value Fund
In the past three months, our Go-Ahead London and Bidvest Noonan Social Value Fund committee have continued to provide financial support to communities and charitable events, which are also of benefit to our colleagues.
Here is an update on those who have recently benefitted:
Teamwork makes the dreamwork
The Social Value Fund were happy to sponsor the kit for Jays Youth Football Club. The club is based in Dagenham, near our River Road Garage. The Club provides Under 18s the opportunity to keep fit, learn about teamwork and feel part of the community.
Brad Campbell, Project Manager, applied for financial support for the Under 10s team, as his son Tate is a member. After noticing that the club needed extra support and seeing
how much football meant to those taking part, Brad agreed to become a coach himself.
Brad said, “I have experience in teamwork and connecting communities, so was eager to help the club. I quickly developed a strong connection with the team and the boys, and I worked to strengthen the squad. We recently had a fantastic win, and having a winning team backed by a winning organisation is a great feeling. We are really thankful to the Social Value Fund for supporting us.”
We wish you all the best for this season.
JAYS YOUTH FOOTBALL TEAM PICTURED WITH BRAD CAMPBELL, PROJECT MANAGER, RIGHT
HEAR THE TIGERS ROAR
We are pleased to share that recently the Social Value Fund sponsored the kit for Under 12s football club - the Tigers Girls. The team is based in Rainham, Essex and they play in the Brentwood Youth League. The sponsorship of this team further demonstrates GoAhead London’s commitment to gender equality.
Lee Connelly, Engineering Manager at Northumberland Park Garage, is a coach for the team and applied for financial support. Robert Meader, Senior Vehicle Engineer of River Road Garage has been the Manager/Coach of the team for 3 years ever since the team started, and Lee joined the coaching team this season.
Lee said, “The girls take pride in wearing their new kit, and
we are grateful to have been sponsored by the Social Value Fund. Robert and I volunteer our time to support the team and the community. I have a feeling that this is going to be a great season for the team.”
The girls take pride in wearing their new kit...
LEE CONNELLY ENGINEERING MANAGER
THE TIGERS GIRLS FOOTBALL TEAM
THE GREAT NORTH RUN
Congratulations to Steve Orr, Delegated Driving Examiner & DMI, for taking part in the Great North Run Half Marathon this September.
The run saw a field of 60,000 runners complete the famous 13.1-mile course from Newcastle to South Shields. As a charity fundraiser entry, Steve was running to raise much needed funds for The Chartwell Cancer Trust in order to help improve the lives of cancer and leukaemia patients and oncology communities throughout London and the South East.
Steve said “At the start line the sky’s started to cloud over, but that did not dampen the atmosphere, which was electric! The first half of the race saw a torrential downpour, but I was fairly comfortable and was on target for a sub two-hour finish time. The uphill section on the second half of the run found me out though, I should have trained harder, and I struggled towards the end before eventually crossing the finish line at South Shields in a time of 02:06:50. The whole experience was fantastic,
and I have already signed up to do it again next year. If I train harder, I may even improve my time!
I would like to thank all my colleagues, family, and friends who sponsored me, and a special thank you to the Bidvest Noonan and Go-Ahead London Social Fund for their generous donation.”
STEVE ORR DRIVING EXAMINER & DMI
STEVE ORR TAKING PART IN THE GREAT NORTH RUN
Northumberland pARK
BBQ
To mark the end of the summer, the Northumberland Park team joined together to host a barbecue at the garage. It was a great opportunity to talk, eat and get to know each other a bit better. Many colleagues from across Go-Ahead London visited, enjoying a burger or two - they cooked almost 350 in total.
Daniel Cutts, General Manager, said “The barbecue saw many of us coming together and bonding as a team. A special thanks goes out to Mohammad Chaudhary, Mark O’Brien and other colleagues who helped organise & cook, we couldn’t have done it without you. We care for our people and I look forward to our next get-together”.
The barbecue saw many of us coming together and bonding as a team.
DANIEL CUTTS GENERAL MANAGER
MEMBERS OF THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP AND NORTHUMBERLAND PARK COLLEAGUES
Under the spotlight IRTE Skills Challenge Awards
The Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE) Skills Challenge Awards took place in July at the British Motor Museum in Warwick. The prestigious annual ceremony followed a competitive practical competition earlier this year, during which qualified and apprentice bus technicians from various transport companies performed a series of bodywork, electrical and mechanical challenges that were independently assessed.
We are delighted to share we won in the following two categories:
• Outstanding Apprentice Team – Diego Duran Cudaros, Myles Harding and Tiago Da Silva.
CHRIS MCKEOWN ENGINEERING DIRECTOR
• Electrical Apprentice – Diego Duran Cudaros.
After a 40-year career in the industry, it was also heartwarming to see Gerry Fleming, our Engineering Training Manager, collect the Philip Margrave Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement, not least because he worked closely with Phil for many years.
Congratulations to all who participated, but especially our winners who reflect the dedication, hard work and skills of the company’s engineering department.
CHRIS MCKEOWN ENGINEERING DIRECTOR
THE ENGINEERING TEAM RECEIVING THE ‘OUTSTANDING APPRENTICE TEAM’ AWARD
THE DRIVE TO SUCCEED
The annual National Final of Bus Driver of the Year took place in Blackpool back in September. Colleagues across the business travelled up to the seaside resort to take part in the national competition that saw them being tested on their driving skills, by undergoing a series of assessments.
The local competition took place in Orpington, back in July and we very pleased to announce that Raj Viswanathan of Croydon Garage, came 2nd place
in the overall competition winning the following prizes; Best Competitor from a depot in England. Highest Placed Go Ahead Driver. Highest Placed London Bus Driver. Best Placed Theory Test Competitor.
Joseph Jay, also from Croydon, came 9th overall and got 2nd best London Bus Driver.
Congratulations to all Go-Ahead London colleagues who took part in the event.
RAJ VISWANATHAN MENTOR
LEFT TO RIGHT: TERRY COOK, JOSEPH JAY, ERIC DALE, RAJ VISWANATHAN AND MICHAEL ROWLEY
Lest We Forget
We are pleased to share photos from Transport for London’s photoshoot at City Hall, to commemorate the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal this year.
Our Poppy Appeal wrapped buses can be seen with drivers Sergej Pachomov and Varinder ‘Nikki’ Rees. They are accompanied by Lorna Murphy, Director of Buses.
The wrapped buses (LT863 and Ep4) can be seen currently in service across Routes 21, 132 and 453.
We are proud to be supporting the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.
LEFT TO RIGHT: VARINDER ‘NIKKI’ REES (DRIVER), LORNA MURPHY (DIRECTOR OF BUSES) AND SERGEJ PACHOMOV (DRIVER)
Chantel Neil
What is your role?
I am a Driving Instructor at Go-Ahead London.
How did you get to where you are today?
I joined the industry in 2007 as a trainee bus driver. Over the years I have carried out a variety of roles within the garages, such as garage allocations supervisor, buddy driver and classroom trainer. In 2015 I took on the role of Driving Instructor. I am one of Go-Ahead London’s six women instructors, ensuring that there is representation of women from the beginning of a driver’s career journey.
What advice would you give to women thinking about a career in the bus and coach sector?
It is important to give yourself time to settle in and most importantly be yourself in this industry. I couldn’t see myself anywhere else, I love my job and my team who are now like my extended family. I am pleased to say that I have been involved in training members of our first Go-Ahead Women cohort, it’s an exciting time to join the team.
CHANTEL NEIL DRIVING INSTRUCTOR
What does a typical day look like?
On a typical day, I meet with my trainees at the garage. Once all vehicle safety checks have been completed, we head out onto the roads for some practical training. We will be out for most of the day, then return to brush up on other essential skills such as reversing and onbus lessons.
Anything else you would like to share?
In my own time, I volunteer as the Assistant Manager to the Hassenbrook Rockettes, an under 14s girls football team which my daughter attends. The team is sponsored by the GoAhead London and Bidvest Noonan Social Value Fund, demonstrating Go-Ahead’s commitment to gender equality and connecting with the communities we serve.
My experience is instrumental to the success of my trainees. A Driving Instructor needs to be patient, knowledgeable and able to adapt to the needs of their trainees.
HASSENBROOK ROCKETTES GIRLS FOOTBALL CLUB
Congratulations to all our drivers who have received praise from customers. Here is a selection of those received...
QAL JOSE PEREIRA
"The driver was extremely courteous and friendly and made eye contact with all passengers when they embarked and made them welcome. Lovely to see first thing in the morning."
SI
DJAMA GUELLE
"This driver recognised me and made a stop just after the bus stop to which I noticed and ran for catching the bus which saved my day. Small acts of service like this are so precious and the driver needs to be praised as this would rarely happen. And as a former bus driver myself I truly respect what he did today."
KEVIN GERALD
"He treats all customers with respect and smiles at everyone. He is full of humility and considerate towards customer’s needs. He sets the best example of humanity. I wish him more success and wish we have more people like him."
RR MALIK HUSSAIN
"Driver of this bus is very polite and helpful he was very attentive to all passengers giving courteous instructions and very aware was so nice to see this attitude it is rare!"
MICHELLE RAFFERTY
"Driver was very friendly and helpful with directions; she helped me figure out how to get to my destination and removed a lot of stress from my journey."
TERRY DAVIES
“Very kind man waited when I ran for the bus. A credit to your staff.” NP
ATEF MAHMOUD
A"Awesome drive very smooth very friendly answered our questions. Felt very safe from the bus well done Driver."
RA CAUDWELL STEPHEN
"Driver of this bus is very polite and helpful, he was very attentive to all passengers giving courteous instructions. It was so nice to see this attitude it’s rear!"
VALERIE SHAW
"Female bus driver is very polite, friendly, helpful, she is a credit to the company, very considerate person, every passenger in the bus was pleased with her."
BX
STEPHEN PALMER
"I’m a coach driver not from area asked if we go into Eltham high street. The driver was really nice and friendly and such a smooth good driver."
TONIANN BARRETT
"He really made a difference, and I just hoped that could be passed on to the relevant people about how refreshing and kind his service was so it could be recognised. Thank you!"
MB DOMINIC RADFORD
“The driver was very polite and pleasant. They helped an elderly lady when she asked for directions.”
KEIR O’REILLY
C"I wanted to say how lovely this driver was. He greeted me with a smile as I got on the bus and asked me how I was. He was an excellent driver. He was quick to help customers and kept us all smiling. He must be the happiest bus driver
I’ve ever met. "
DS LAILA HOMAIRA
"I would like to commend the wonderful customer service provided by the bus driver on Route 115. She is and exemplifies what it means to be a friendly and caring driver. Her warm demeanour and genuine willingness to help passengers creates a positive and uplifting environment on the bus."
JASON CHAPMAN
"The driver gave me and my brother some top-notch motivation after receiving our GCSE results, and it really meant a lot. I just wanted to thank the driver.”
SW
KAYAN DAWKINS
"I would like to express my gratitude to Kayan, a driver at Stockwell. I was feeling very unwell on her bus and had contacted my neighbour, as I was close by to where I was getting off. In doing so, I alerted Kayan, and she secured the bus and helped with assisting me into my home. I can’t express my thanks enough - she was so kind.”
Wear it
Thank you to all colleagues who participated in our ‘Wear it Pink’ day on Friday 18 October.
Designed to raise awareness of breast cancer, colleagues from across the company supported this worthy initiative by wearing a variety of pinkcoloured items of clothing.
Donations were collected to raise funds for Team Verrico. The joint Go-Ahead London and Bidvest Noonan Social Value Fund also contributed £750. The charity supports
those who are going through treatment for cancer. They also fund research into treatment and diagnosis, especially for breast cancer. To find out more, please visit www.teamverrico.org.
If you or your family have been affected by cancer, and you would like to receive free and confidential information, advice or support, then the Employee Assistance Programme is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. More information can be found on The Hub.
TOM JOYNER MANAGING DIRECTOR
SUPPORT TEAM VERRICO BY DONATING HERE
HEAD OFFICE COLLEAGUES ‘WEARING IT PINK’ FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
summit
At the of success
Go-Ahead London were pleased to be part of the annual Women in Bus and Coach (WiBC) summit in Manchester. WiBC is a national network created to encourage, represent, support, and retain women in the bus and coach profession. The summit proved to be a celebration of positivity within the industry and there was much discussion on the theme of ‘breaking down barriers’. There was a session held regarding
the importance of cab design being more inclusive. Researchers from Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), working with Transport for London (TfL) and Women in Bus and Coach, have been visiting bus garages across the country.
One recent visit was at Go-Ahead London’s
Camberwell Garage, where researchers received feedback and recommendations on features such as mirror placement, seat controls, fabrics, pedal placement and cleanliness. Go-Ahead London look forward to continuing to support this research and the WiBC.
COLLEAGUES FROM GO-AHEAD LONDON ATTENDING THE WOMEN IN BUS AND COACH (WIBC) SUMMIT
Catch the bus month
Go-Ahead London were once again proud to support September’s Catch the Bus Month, run by Bus Users UK.
To celebrate Catch the Bus Month, many of our Operating Companies took to the streets to engage with communities and discuss the benefits of using buses. The infamous red foam hands were visible in many social media posts and local activities, as shown here by our Managing Director Tom Joyner.
Lydia Horbury, Bus Users Director for England said: “We are delighted that GoAhead London is supporting this year’s Catch the Bus Month. Buses are accessible, sustainable and affordable, and getting more people on board reduces congestion leading to faster, more reliable bus services. Win-win!”
Go-Ahead Women second cohort
Go-Ahead London are pleased to introduce you to our second cohort of Go-Ahead Women. They joined the team earlier this month, as part of our ongoing campaign for gender equality and inclusivity.
Our bus driver trainees are working towards gaining their driver qualification, as well as their functional skills exams. The ‘Go-Ahead Women’ initiative, which launched in March this year, includes an investment of £8 million to create inclusive environments and training opportunities for all colleagues.
The Go-Ahead Group has set a target to recruit 1,500 women bus drivers, aiming for 50% gender equality by 2035. To find out more, please visit: www. go-ahead.com/our-people/Go-Ahead-Women.
TOM JOYNER MANAGING DIRECTOR
PG5: THE SECOND COHORT OF GO-AHEAD WOMEN, WHO STARTED BACK IN OCTOBER
Imberbus2024
The annual Imberbus event took place back in August. RML2318 took happy passengers to and from the abandoned Wiltshire village of Imber, in the process raising funds for local good causes.
Go-Ahead London has a long association with this interesting gathering, which sees a timetabled procession of mostly heritage buses visit the abandoned village of Imber in Wiltshire.
Well done to all involved, especially GoAhead London colleagues Dave Warran and Micky Webber, who’ve once again represented the company magnificently.
NOTTING HILL Out and about at
On Carnival weekend back in August, the sun was shining and we were happy to take part in the threemile main parade route around West London.
Notting Hill Carnival is a fantastic expression of London’s diversity and we’re proud to again have attended it with a zero-emission icon of our city.
LEFT TO RIGHT:
RML2318 PICTURED AT THE IMBERBUS EVENT
Welcome
At Transport for London’s request, we started operating Route 299 (Cockfosters to Muswell Hill) from our Northumberland Park Garage on Saturday 3 August.
Andrew Edwards, Operations Director said: “A big thank you to so many colleagues for going above and beyond to ensure continuity of service. We are initially running around 70 per cent of the timetable and intend to increase that to 100 per cent over the coming days, as more drivers and buses become available. In the meantime, we ask passengers to please work with us.”
Chris McKeown, Engineering Director, added: “We strive to deliver high quality public transport for our communities and thank TfL for asking us to run the 299’s. This has been a big logistical challenge and one that has been achieved thanks to a dedicated team effort. Well done to all involved.”
Colleagues from Northumberland Park Garage gathered for a commemorative photo on the day as we commence operations on Route 299.
Route 299
Diwali is one of India's most important and widely celebrated festivals of the year. It is celebrated across many different faiths including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists.
Many colleagues celebrated by going to see fireworks displays and having lights around their homes.
Happy Diwali to all colleagues, families and friends who celebrated the festival.
FESTIVAL OF LIGHT
NORTHUMBERLAND PARK TEAM
PICTURED WITH THE NEW ROUTE 299
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
What is Black History Month?
Black History Month is an annual observance that commemorates the history and achievements of members of the black community, and takes place every year in the UK in October.
Black History Month was first celebrated in the UK in 1987, an event that was organised by Ghanaian-born Akyaaba Addai-Sebo.
Here at Go-Ahead London, we are proud of having a diverse team.
October marks Black History Month in the UK. The contribution of the black community to the public transport industry dates back to 1948, when the Empire Windrush saw almost 5000 Caribbeans arrive in Britian to seek work and a better life. Eight years later, in 1956, a direct line of employment was introduced between London Transport and the Barbadian Government and TfL became the first organisation to operate a scheme recruiting staff from the Caribbean.
At Peckham Garage, the team commemorated the Windrush Era by hosting an event, with a Windrush themed menu and music and they welcomed both current and retired colleagues to the event.
PUTNEY TEAM COMMEMORATING THE WINDRUSH ERA BY HOSTING AN EVENT
Colin Farrant In memory of
Colin Farrant, Go-Ahead London’s former Commercial Manager, sadly passed away on Friday 20 September.
Colin retired from Go-Ahead London in summer last year, after a long and distinguished career. Colin’s professionalism attracted a host of new customers to GoAhead, several of whom were high profile and prestigious. He ensured the company’s reach extended well beyond its traditional operating areas and set up the foundations of our current successful Commercial Department.
Colin is affectionately remembered by everyone who worked with him over the years. Many colleagues attended his funeral on 11 October.
We are thinking of his friends and family at this sad time. Go-Ahead London have donated to the Royal Marsden in celebration and in memory of Colin’s life, as requested by his family.
