News
- All
- Blogs
- News
- Spotlight On/Allyship
- Women in Bus and Coach
Dec17
Photos from the Women in Bus and Coach Parliamentary Event 2024
On Monday 16th December Women in Bus and Coach held a Parliamentary reception, hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Bus and Coach. Attendees heard inspirational speeches from Lord Snape of Wednesday, Louise Cheeseman – founder and Chair of Women in Bus and Coach, Kerri Cheek – Director Women in Bus and Coach & Senior Bus Safety Development Manager for Transport for London, Elizabeth McKay – CEO for the London Transport Museum, Kathryn Pulham – Chair of the Women in Bus and Coach Coach group, Kayleigh Ingham – Chair of the Women in Bus and Coach Northern Group, Kerry Turner ...
Dec17
Spotlight on Claire Hadley-King, Office Manager
The Women in Bus and Coach “Spotlight On” initiative shines a light on the incredible contributions of women in all roles across the bus, coach, and community transport sector. From professional drivers and engineers to human resources experts and CEO’s, ‘Spotlight On’ will highlight the diverse talents and achievements of women in this dynamic industry. Today we focus on and find out about: Claire Hadley-King Office Manager Prospect Coaches Tell us a little bit about your journey I had always worked in Education, initially as Teaching Assistant supporting pupils with additional needs but I was also Office Admin, an Attendance ...
Dec16
Women in Bus and Coach Launches Ambassador Programme to Recognise Industry Champions
Women in Bus and Coach is proud to announce the launch of its Ambassador Programme, a new initiative celebrating individuals who have made exceptional contributions to advancing gender equity and inclusivity within the Bus, Coach and Community Transport industry. The inaugural Ambassador recognition was awarded to Anne Marie Purcell, Chief Transformation Officer for Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), in honour of her unwavering commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for women in the sector. The announcement was made at the Women in Bus and Coach parliamentary reception, held on Monday 16th December. The event highlighted the progress Women ...
Dec16
Women in Bus and Coach Second Annual Summit Presentations
Women in Bus and Coach held its second annual summit at the Midland Hotel in Manchester on Tuesday 8th October 2024, bringing together industry leaders, stakeholders, frontline operators and advocates to celebrate the remarkable contributions of women in all roles across the bus, coach and community transport sector. The summit was hosted by Emma Hignett. You can watch the summit presentations on the following videos: Women in Bus and Coach Summit 2024 session 1 Session 1 features presentations from: Louise Cheeseman – Founder & Chair Women in Bus and Coach Simon Lightwood MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Local Transport Andy ...
Dec13
Plaque Celebrating London’s First Woman Bus Driver, Jill Viner, Unveiled at New Cromwell Road Bus Station
Visitors to Kingston’s newly refurbished Cromwell Road bus station can now see a permanent plaque honouring Jill Viner, London’s first woman bus driver. This tribute celebrates Viner’s pioneering role in the transport industry and her contributions to breaking barriers for women in the field. Jill Viner made history in May 1974 as the first woman to drive a London bus licensed to carry passengers. She achieved ‘driver seniority’ on 25 May 1974 after formally qualifying as a driver, paving the way for women to professionally operate passenger buses. Based at the Norbiton bus garage—now no longer in existence—she regularly drove ...
Dec11
Spotlight on Maria Maca, Bus Business Development Manager
The Women in Bus and Coach “Spotlight On” initiative shines a light on the incredible contributions of women in all roles across the bus, coach, and community transport sector. From professional drivers and engineers to human resources experts and CEO’s, ‘Spotlight On’ will highlight the diverse talents and achievements of women in this dynamic industry. Today we focus on and find out about: Maria Maca Bus Business Development Manager Transport for London (TfL) What is your role? I am a Bus Business Development Manager at TfL, responsible for overseeing the refurbishment of the New Routemaster Buses within this fiscal year. ...
Dec05
Spotlight On Safiyyah Saiyed, Operations Manager
The Women in Bus and Coach “Spotlight On” initiative shines a light on the incredible contributions of women in all roles across the bus, coach, and community transport sector. From professional drivers and engineers to human resources experts and CEO’s, ‘Spotlight On’ will highlight the diverse talents and achievements of women in this dynamic industry. Today we focus on and find out about: Safiyyah Saiyed Operations Manager RATP Dev Transit London How did you get to where you are today? My journey in the industry started when I saw a female bus driver and thought wow this woman has got ...
Dec01
Women in Bus and Coach Expands Network with Launch of Northern Region Group, Strengthening Regional Support and Representation
Women in Bus and Coach is thrilled to announce the launch of its Northern Region Group. This new regional group will create a dedicated support network for women working in Northern England, fostering mentorship, professional development, and local engagement within the industry. Joining the existing London Region Group, the Northern Region Group marks the next phase in Women in Bus and Coach’s mission to build a nationwide network that addresses regional needs and provides greater access to industry resources and support. Women in Bus and Coach plans to establish additional regional groups in the future, enhancing representation and ensuring that ...
Nov26
Women in Bus and Coach Launches New Subgroup to Empower Women in the UK Coach Industry
Women in Bus and Coach is proud to announce the launch of a dedicated Coach Subgroup. This initiative aims to provide tailored support, networking opportunities, and resources for women working in the UK coach industry. The new Coach Subgroup is designed to address the unique challenges and opportunities faced by women in the coach sector. It will serve as a platform for sharing experiences, fostering professional development, and driving meaningful change in an industry traditionally underrepresented by women. Louise Cheeseman, Chair of Women in Bus and Coach, commented: “We are thrilled to introduce this new subgroup, which reflects our commitment ...
Nov20
Spotlight on Anthea King, Recruitment and Training Officer
The Women in Bus and Coach “Spotlight On” initiative shines a light on the incredible contributions of women in all roles across the bus, coach, and community transport sector. From professional drivers and engineers to human resources experts and CEO’s, ‘Spotlight On’ will highlight the diverse talents and achievements of women in this dynamic industry. Today we focus on and find out about: Anthea King Recruitment and Training Officer Go North West What is your role? I am a recruitment and training officer with Go North West. I have been in this role since January 2024, after over 20 years in ...
Nov18
Women in Bus and Coach at EuroBus Expo 2024
We were delighted to attend the Euro Bus Expo 2024 at the NEC in Birmingham from 12–14 November. The event brought together key figures from the bus and coach industry, and we were thrilled to be part of the excitement. Our stand was a hive of activity as we welcomed so many fantastic visitors. Take a look at the gallery below to see some of the incredible people we had the pleasure of meeting. Were you one of them? Spot your photo!
Nov11
Women in Bus and Coach Launch Nationwide Campaign to End Period Poverty Across the UK Bus and Coach Industry
All major UK Bus and Coach Garages, Support Offices and Manufacturers Challenged to Become Period Positive Workplaces by the end of 2025. Women in Bus and Coach, an organisation dedicated to supporting and promoting women in the Bus, Coach and Community Transport sector, has launched a powerful new campaign to tackle period poverty across the industry. The initiative challenges all major bus and coach garages, along with support offices and industry partners such as manufacturers across the UK, to become Period Positive workplaces by the end of 2025, ensuring employees have free and reliable access to menstrual products at work. ...
Nov07
Inclusive Bus Cab Design national roadshow update
The Women in Bus and Coach and Transport for London Inclusive Bus Cab Design national roadshow has to date visited 8 garages: 4 in London, 2 in Scotland and 2 in the Northwest, with more planned for the coming months. TRL researchers have now met with over 75 professional women bus drivers at these garages to gather feedback and recommendations on various cab features, to improve the comfort and functionality of cab designs, with the view to make future cab designs more inclusive. Grab a coffee and watch first-hand the views of professional bus drivers from Transport UK London Bus ...
Nov06
Spotlight on Michelle Clayson, Head of Group Marketing & Communications
The Women in Bus and Coach “Spotlight On” initiative shines a light on the incredible contributions of women in all roles across the bus, coach, and community transport sector. From professional drivers and engineers to human resources experts and CEO’s, ‘Spotlight On’ will highlight the diverse talents and achievements of women in this dynamic industry. Today we focus on and find out about: Michelle Clayson Head of Group Marketing & Communications The Coach Travel Group How did you get to where you are today? It’s a long story, but I first dipped my toes into the Marketing world working at ...
Oct23
Spotlight on Emma Bangar
The Women in Bus and Coach “Spotlight On” initiative shines a light on the incredible contributions of women in all roles across the bus, coach, and community transport sector. From professional drivers and engineers to human resources experts and CEO’s, ‘Spotlight On’ will highlight the diverse talents and achievements of women in this dynamic industry. Today we focus on and find out about: Emma Bangar Corporate Communications Manager Transport for London (TfL) How did you get to where you are today? My dad worked as a coach driver for Bakers Dolphin, a coach company based in Weston-super-Mare. They were looking ...
Oct17
Spotlight on Kimberley Ward, CEO, Lothian Community Transport Services
The Women in Bus and Coach “Spotlight On” initiative shines a light on the incredible contributions of women in all roles across the bus, coach, and community transport sector. From professional drivers and engineers to human resources experts and CEO’s, ‘Spotlight On’ will highlight the diverse talents and achievements of women in this dynamic industry. This week our friends and partners at The Community Transport Association celebrates the amazing efforts of everyone in the community transport sector with ‘Community Transport Week 2024’. Every year, in all parts of the UK, millions of people are supported by thousands of community transport ...
Oct14
Spotlight on Caroline Wilson, General Manager
The Women in Bus and Coach “Spotlight On” initiative shines a light on the incredible contributions of women in all roles across the bus, coach, and community transport sector. From professional drivers and engineers to human resources experts and CEO’s, ‘Spotlight On’ will highlight the diverse talents and achievements of women in this dynamic industry. This week our friends and partners at The Community Transport Association celebrates the amazing efforts of everyone in the community transport sector with ‘Community Transport Week 2024’ Every year, in all parts of the UK, millions of people are supported by thousands of community transport ...
Oct11
Historic Plaque Unveiled at Winchester Bus Station Honouring Trailblazer Mary Curry
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our Blue Plaque Initiative to honour pioneers who have made significant contributions to the bus, coach, and community transport sectors. This initiative celebrates the women who’ve broken barriers and paved the way for future generations. We were proud to unveil the first blue plaque in partnership with Stagecoach at Winchester Bus Station to honour Mary Curry, one of the first two women to qualify as a professional bus driver for Hants & Dorset in 1973. The plaque unveiling took place on Thursday 3rd October at Winchester Bus Station, with representatives from Stagecoach, Women in ...
Oct10
Photos from the Women in Bus and Coach Summit 2024
Take a look at some of the photos from the Women in Bus and Coach Summit 2024, held in Manchester on 8th October.
Oct09
Celebrating our Winners from the inaugural Women in Bus and Coach awards
We are delighted to announce and celebrate the winners of our first awards presented at the Women in Bus and Coach Summit 2024, which took place on Tuesday, 8th October. The awards shone a light on the achievements and leadership demonstrated by women across the bus, coach, and community transport sectors, as well as those showing outstanding allyship within our industry. We received hundreds of applications, and the judges had a tough job selecting the finalists and winners due to the quality of these applications. Women in Bus Award – sponsored by Backhouse Jones Winner Liz Eades, Stagecoach South East ...
Oct09
Women in Bus and Coach Summit 2024 Celebrates Industry Trailblazers and Launches Key Initiatives
We held our second annual summit on Tuesday 8th October in Manchester, bringing together industry leaders, stakeholders, frontline operators and advocates to celebrate the remarkable contributions of women in all roles across the bus, coach and community transport sector. The event, which saw participation from key industry figures, including Simon Lightwood MP – Minister for Local Transport, Andy Burnham – Mayor of Greater Manchester, Sarah Boyd – CEO of Lothian Buses, Anne Marie Purcell Chief Transformation Officer for Transport for Greater Manchester, and Claire Mann COO of Transport for London, marked a significant step forward in championing gender diversity and ...
