South West Falcon shortlisted for UK Bus Award
Bus operator Stagecoach South West has announced that it has been shortlisted to win a prestigious UK Bus Award for its successful South West Falcon service.
The Peter Huntley Memorial Award, for making buses a better choice, recognises and rewards initiatives, projects or innovations that add value to or otherwise improve the attractiveness of bus and coach services to both users and non-users.
Launched in February 2016, at a cost of £2.5m, the South West Falcon is the first dedicated 24/7 coach service to connect major locations across the South West. Operating 19 journeys a day for 7 days a week, between Plymouth, Exeter, Taunton, Bristol Airport and Bristol City Centre, the service allows passengers to travel to their chosen destinations both day and night.
Since its launch, the Falcon has proven extremely popular with commuters, students, day-trippers and holidaymakers. As a result, the service has already established itself as a reliable, affordable and premium connection for the M5 and A38 corridor.
All eight coaches feature a distinctive, stylish livery and have free Wi-Fi, power charging, air conditioning and leather seats. The timetable runs hourly from early morning until late evening, moving to two-hourly overnight.
Bob Dennison, Managing Director of Stagecoach South West, comments: “The Falcon is a bold new step for public transport in the South West, opening up a new commercial corridor, improving regional connectivity and offering a robust alternative to rail and the car.”
Bob continues: “The Falcon has proven to be very popular with our customers and I am delighted it has already been shortlisted for such an important award – less than a year since it launched. I am extremely grateful to our team of dedicated drivers and depot staff for their hard work in making the Falcon such a success. Without them we would not have received this nomination.”
The winners will be announced at a London awards ceremony to be held in November. More details of the Falcon service, including fares information and the full timetable, is available online at www.swfalcon.com.
