About Stagecoach East Midlands

Key facts May 2016 – April 2017

• 46.5  million passengers 
• 20.5 million miles operated 
• 1,274 employees 
• 478 vehicles 
• 99.4% reliability 
• 93.9% punctuality

Introduction

Stagecoach East Midlands is the region’s largest bus operator and runs local bus services in Kingston upon Hull, throughout Lincolnshire, North Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. Every day our staff work hard to provide safe, reliable, punctual, clean and comfortable services at affordable prices for our customers. 

This annual report covers the year from May 2016 to April 2017

During the last twelve months we’ve refreshed our most popular bus service brands, developed new partnerships with our local authorities and improved customer experiences. Our biggest initiative has been the launch of the new Stagecoach app, which can be used by our customers to plan journeys, buy tickets and track buses in real time to provide accurate departure information.

Last year 46.5 million people travelled with us across the region. 

Every day we post live travel updates on Twitter @StagecoachEMid and we now have over 6,500 followers with many sending us tweets about their bus journeys.  Our customers can also get in touch by email, phone, letter, and via our website. This essential feedback ensures we can keep improving their travel experience.

Click on the tabs to the left for a few of the highlights from our year.

Skegness

Our award winning Seasider Open Toppers - Rocky, Shelly, Sandy, Candy, Pierre, Salty, Milly and Rolly – hit the streets again at Easter. Once again, they are proving hugely popular with our customers. Sadly, Hattie has gone into retirement.   

The Seasider children’s story books continue to help raise money for good causes including the RNLI at Skegness, Wish upon a Star, and the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre in Nottingham. Dreams Come True was the Seasider’s chosen charity for 2016 and in 2017 it is Keep Britain Tidy. Local primary schools took part in a competition to design a bus livery promoting Keep Britain Tidy and a new 2017 Seasider storybook highlights the dangers of litter to the environment. The initiative has received national recognition from Keep Britain Tidy including the charity’s ambassador Kirstie Allsopp. 

Partnership working with Lincolnshire County Council has seen the extension of the Roman Bank bus lane and bus stop improvements, which are making services more punctual and attractive.

Grimsby

A partnership between Stagecoach East Midlands and North East Lincolnshire Council to boost economic growth has seen Service 5 extended from Grimsby and Immingham to serve the new South Humber Enterprise Park and increase the timetable frequency up to every 15 minutes at peak times. Major public realm works in Grimsby town centre have been completed, which includes the installation of new bus stops with real time passenger information on Bethlehem Street.

Lincoln

Last year saw the completion of the new East West Link Road by Lincolnshire County Council, which has provided an alternative route for buses to avoid the delays associated with the High Street railway crossing. This is helping to make bus services more punctual for our customers.

Buses relocated to a temporary bus station on Tentercroft Street in August 2016 to allow the construction of a new Transport Hub on St Mary’s Street, which is due to open at the end of 2017. We have worked with the City of Lincoln, Lincoln BIG and the local traders to support businesses during the works with the introduction of a distinctive, liveried bus promoting the Cornhill Quarter. Our buses have promoted the message that Lincoln remains open for business by carrying the message that we are ‘Keeping Lincoln Moving Whilst It’s Improving’. 

Working in partnership with Lincoln BIG we have introduced a new Park and Ride bus service from Waitrose into the city centre with 70% of the passengers being shoppers.

2017 is a big year as the city celebrates the 800th anniversary of the Battle of Lincoln and the sealing of the Charter of the Forest, which we have marked with our sponsorship of the Lincoln Knights’ Trail.  Working with Lincoln BIG we continue to run the Open Top City Tour which carried almost 7,000 people throughout 2016 season. 

Scunthorpe 

We introduced a revised town bus network at the beginning of April 2017, which has improved connections for customers into both Gallagher Retail Park and Lakeside Shopping Centre. During 2017 we will be working closely with North Lincolnshire Council to plan the expansion of bus services in the future to underpin the Lincolnshire Lakes development to the west of the town.  

Hull - UK City of Culture 

In November 2016 we introduced 15 new state-of-the-art double deckers to Hull in readiness for 2017 City of Culture. The buses are used on the popular Simplibus network, which offers simple routes and timetables with frequent journeys between the main residential areas of Hull and the city centre. With USB charging points, comfortable high-backed seats, and an eye-catching ‘I’m Not Driving’ marketing campaign, the buses are encouraging more people to use their journey time productively by catching up with emails, Facebook and friends.

The City of Culture UK status has seen a major programme of redevelopment and public realm works and is attracting visitors to discover what Hull has to offer.  We have supported the City of Culture by running enhanced bus services, park and ride and special events shuttle bus services. 

Sherwood Arrow 

In partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council the Sherwood Arrow was given a new look in 2016 with the introduction of four buses named after legendary characters, Robin Hood, The Sheriff of Nottingham, Maid Marian and Friar Tuck. The marketing campaign highlighted how easy it is to visit some of the most popular country parks in the area by bus on the Sherwood Arrow.

Stagecoach East Midlands was the transport partner for the Robin Hood Festival with families being encouraged to join in activities at the event in Sherwood Forest in exchange for travel prizes and give-away merchandise.

The Sherwood Arrow was also supported by the #YourValues campaign with three entrants being chosen to show how their time was better spent on the bus than travelling by car to try and encourage modal shift away from private cars.

The Community

Our Team

Our Partnerships

We work closely with partner authorities and businesses across the East Midlands to share information, plan and coordinate major transport projects, and deliver quality bus services for local people.  Buses continue to provide essential access to jobs, education, healthcare and retail facilities for our communities.