Greater Manchester’s biggest bus operator, Stagecoach Manchester, is pleased to announce a number of promotions, across its Greater Manchester depots.
Three of the four promoted employees came to Stagecoach through its Graduate Scheme, which aims to provide an entry into the bus industry, for university graduates.
Zachary McAskill (24) has been promoted into the role of Operations Manager at Hyde Road depot, the largest Stagecoach depot in the UK with 600 staff and 220 buses covering 15 major routes covering 6.5 million miles a year. Having previously served as the Operations Manager at the Ashton Depot, Zachary is now Hyde Road’s youngest Operations Manager on record.
Zachary started his career with Stagecoach in Yorkshire at the Ecclesfield Depot as a management trainee after graduating from his law degree. From there, he was ready to start working his way up the occupational ladder. After completing his training, he became Assistant Operations Manager at Middleton, quickly progressing to Operations Manager after only a 5-month period. After showcasing a sense of ambition and determination, it wasn’t long before Zachary excelled again, and was assigned the role of Operations Manager at the larger Ashton depot, eventually moving on to his new role, as Operations Manager at Hyde Road.
Commenting on his new role, Zachary said: ‘I'm absolutely delighted to have been appointed Operations Manager of Hyde Road, the role is one that I have aspired towards since I joined the graduate scheme in 2018. I'm thrilled to be working with such an experienced team, whilst tackling the challenges of the largest depot in Stagecoach.’
Lee Wasnidge, Managing Director at Stagecoach furthered these sentiments, adding: ‘We are so lucky to have such talented people who have progressed through our business. They have all shown real resilience through the uncertainty of recent years and have a range of experience to share, a real passion for the industry and a string commitment to customer service making them a huge asset to our team as we move forward.’
In addition to Zachary’s appointment, Gary Banks (29) has now been chosen for the position of Operations Manager, at the Ashton depot.
Gary graduated from the University of Liverpool with a Masters in Chemistry in the Summer of 2016 and joined Stagecoach shortly after, enrolling on to the Stagecoach Graduate Scheme.
Gary has held several previous positions at Stagecoach at a number of different depots ranging from Aberhill in East Scotland to Stockport and Wigan. Gary has gained a well-rounded experience with natural progression, holding job titles such as Customer Services Manager in the Manchester Head Office, Assistant Operations Manager and Acting Operations Manager at Stockport.
Gary said: “I am really looking forward to starting the next stage of my career as the Operations Manager at Ashton Depot and working with the great team that we have there, as well as continuing to work as part of the wider team we have in Stagecoach Manchester. I hope to bring the experiences and knowledge that I have gained having worked in various Stagecoach operations around the UK to the team at Ashton to continue to deliver a fantastic bus operation for our customers.”
Mark Mageean (34) has also been appointed as Commercial Manager for Stagecoach Manchester. Mark lives in Newton-le-Willows located in-between Liverpool and Manchester. Mark had previously completed his degree in Geography and Planning.
Mark also joined the Stagecoach Graduate Scheme in September 2009 and has since undertaken Operations Manager positions in a variety of depots such as Skegness, Middleton, Wigan and Hyde Road.
Mark commented: 'I am looking forward to applying the operational knowledge and experience from working with many of the great people at depots to my new position. I am looking forward to working with colleagues and stakeholders to help Stagecoach recover from the covid 19 pandemic and deliver a high standard of service to our customers.'
Michael Gaskell has also been promoted to Operations Manager for Wigan after 22 years in the business.
Joining as a part-time driver in January 2000 at the now closed Princess Road depot, Michael finished his college studies and went on to become a full-time driver. Over the 22 years, he has held various positions, including a Route Inspector on some of Manchester’s busiest bus corridors and management positions at the Stockport and Sharston depots.
Michael also spent four months on Secondment at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Speaking on his new appointment, Michael said: “I’m immensely proud to have been promoted to Operations Manager for Wigan. After starting as a driver part-time whilst studying, Stagecoach has supported my career growth every step of the way. I’m really looking forward to this next step in my career.”