News from Peterborough City Council

Peterborough City Council provides the best public transport in the UK, according to the judges of national industry awards.

 

Despite tough competition, the city council was named Transport Authority of the Year at the UK Bus Awards 2008 during a ceremony at the Battersea Evolution events arena, in London.

 

Judges said Peterborough City Council is "an excellent unitary authority with a superb record in respect of public transport and has good apsirational objectives for the future". They also praised the council's close working relationship with bus company Stagecoach.

 

The council's ongoing efforts to encourage public transport use and investment in infrastructure have seen a significant increase in the number of people using the city's bus network.

 

As well as winning the transport authority award, the city council was also named runner-up in the Infrastructure Award category.

 

Cabinet member for the environment Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald said: "Peterborough's success in these prestigious industry awards is well deserved. A lot of hard work and investment has gone in to improving bus services in the city and encouraging people to leave their cars at home.

 

"To receive national recognition, and to fight off competition from councils across the country, is great and a real boost for the city."

 

Recent improvements to Peterborough's bus services have included the introduction of a hi-tech real-time passenger information system, new and improved bus stops and, following investment by Stagecoach, a new fleet of low-floor easy access buses.

 

Teresa Wood, Peterborough City Council's accessibility and travel group manager, said: "This award shows that, together with our commercial partners, Peterborough City Council operates one of the best public transport networks in the country.

 

"Following significant investment in services, and the success of the city's Travelchoice initiative, more and more people are using the bus. We are delighted that our efforts have received praise from UK Bus Awards judges and have plans to further build on our successes in the future."

 

 

For more information on the UK Bus Awards 2008, visit www.ukbusawards.org.uk