[F]ollowing an announcement in Manchester on Thursday 12th October, Stagecoach Cumbria’s Lakes Connection 555 service has been shortlisted for the Marketing Excellence Award at the 2017 UK Bus Awards.
The awards celebrate all that is best in the UK buses and are presented at a glittering ceremony in London in late November. Being shortlisted for the award marks the end of a long road to recovery following the damage caused by Storm Desmond in 2015.
Stagecoach Cumbria received a special commendation at last year’s awards for the role it played in getting the Lakes back moving again following damage to the A591, with special services using roads that were little more than forest tracks to reconnect communities.
The nomination this year demonstrates the work Stagecoach has done to promote the service in Cumbria and beyond over many years. It also reflects the development of services over the past three decades leading to big increases in the numbers of people using buses in the Lakes.
Stagecoach Cumbria MD Matthew Cranwell said: “We’re very proud of our Lakes Connection 555 service and delighted to be nominated for this prestigious award. We have developed our Lakes services over the last thirty years, with two new fleets of buses and an increase to the peak operating season in the last two years alone.
“Using feedback from our driving team and our customers we have created services that meet the needs of locals and tourists alike and look forward to developing our services even further this winter when our Lakesider 599 will go to Grasmere for the very first time.”