Women in Bus and Coach held its third annual summit at lead sponsor BT’s state of the art event facility in Snowhill Birmingham yesterday (30th September), 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
Expertly compered by renowned transport announcement voiceover artist Emma Hignett, whose distinctive work can be heard across Transport for London, the Elizabeth Line, Go North East and many others, the summit was delivered with warmth and professionalism, ensuring a seamless and engaging experience for all attendees.
The event featured a powerful programme of keynote speeches from some of the most influential voices in transport today. Loveday Ryder, Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, spoke alongside Anne Shaw OBE, Executive Director for Transport for West Midlands, and Marie Daly, Chief Operating Officer for Transport for Wales and Chair of Women in Rail. Each highlighted the importance of building opportunities for women, nurturing the next generation of leaders and driving innovation through diversity.
A highlight of the day was the recognition of Loveday Ryder as the newest Women in Bus and Coach Ambassador. This honour reflects her outstanding leadership and commitment to shaping a more inclusive transport sector. The summit also marked the announcement of Nalisha Fernandes, Finance Business Partner for Bids and Tenders at Metroline, as the next Women in Bus and Coach Mentee Director, further demonstrating the organisation’s dedication to championing future female leaders.
The celebrations continued with the second Women in Bus and Coach Awards, which once again shone a spotlight on the achievements of women making a difference across bus, coach and community transport. The awards underscored the importance of recognising role models and sharing stories that inspire others to pursue careers in the sector.
In addition to celebrating success, the summit provided important updates on the growing regional networks. Progress was shared from the Northern Region, London Region and the dedicated Coach Group, each of which is helping to build stronger connections, expand reach and ensure the voices of women across the industry are heard.
Delegates also heard about the significant strides made in tackling period poverty within the transport industry. Women in Bus and Coach has played a key role in raising awareness of this issue, supporting initiatives across operators and organisations, and has now launched a practical advice guide to help employers and employees alike. The guide is available on the Women in Bus and Coach website and provides accessible, practical solutions to support women in the workplace.
This year’s summit highlighted not only how far the organisation has come in two years, but also the momentum building across the wider industry to embrace equality, inclusion and opportunity. Women in Bus and Coach continues to act as a catalyst for positive change, ensuring the sector is not only stronger, but better for everyone.
Celebrating Excellence: Women in Bus and Coach Awards 2025
In a highlight of the summit, the winners of the second Women in Bus and Coach Awards were announced, celebrating outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to the industry. The winners are:
Best Woman in Bus Award – Sponsored by City Swift
Michele Elliot
Bus Driver
First Bus
Best Woman in Coach Award – sponsored by Dawsongroup Bus and Coach
Simone Walsh
Managing Director at megabus and Scottish Citylink Coaches
Scottish Citylink
Best Woman in Community Transport Award – Sponsored by IntSol Recruitment
Christina Christie
Community Transport Development Officer
Swansea Council for Voluntary Service
The Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill Allyship Award – Sponsored by The Go-Ahead Group
Tony McEwan
Bus Driver
First Bus
Rising Star award – sponsored by C9 Recruitment
Community Transport Rising Star
Una D’Arcy
Business Development Specialist
Easilink Community Transport
Bus Rising Star
Kymeisha Joesph-Worrell
PSV Shift Engineer
First Bus London
Coach Rising Star
Lynsey Milligan
Transport Manager, Driver and Apprentice Mechanic
Milligan’s Coach Travel
Woman of the Year Award (selected from the four category winners by an independent panel) – Sponsored by MCV Group
Michele Elliot
Bus Driver
First Bus
As part of her prize, Michele wins an expense’s paid trip to Egypt courtesy of MCV.
Louise Cheeseman, Chair of Women in Bus and Coach, praised the industry’s collective efforts in promoting gender equality and highlighted the success of this year’s summit:
“This summit is a testament to the incredible women who are transforming the Bus, Coach and Community Transport sector every day. With the launch of new initiatives and regional branches, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive future. We’re not just recognising the trailblazers; we’re creating a platform for the next generation of women leaders to thrive in this industry.
I would especially like to thank our sponsors for their continued support, and in particular BT for so generously hosting us at their Snowhill building in Birmingham. Their commitment helps us to showcase the importance of this work and to continue building momentum.
This year, we are also delighted to welcome Nalisha Fernandes as our new Mentee Director, further strengthening our mission to empower emerging female leaders. On behalf of all the team at Women in Bus and Coach, I would like to extend my congratulations to not only the award winners and shortlisted candidates, but everyone who was nominated. There are amazing women across bus, coach and community transport, and we will continue to work to break down barriers, share knowledge, celebrate success and inspire the next generation of female transport leaders, together we are better.”
