First Bus recognised at 2025 UK Bus Awards

The company grabbed five gold awards, five bronze and was a finalist and highly commended in eight other categories at the annual UK Bus Awards on Tuesday (November 25).

Among the accolades was First Bus London, which received gold in three categories; Bus Garage of the Year for its Tolworth Depot, Top London Bus Driver for Katarzyna Boczkaja, and Unsung Hero for John Cowell, from the company’s Fulwell depot. John, a Driver Trainer Supervisor, received the award for his exceptional dedication to supporting and rehabilitating bus drivers involved in serious no-fault incidents. As part of his role, John has made a personal commitment to help drivers rebuild their confidence.

Taking gold in the Partnership for Excellence category, for the second year in a row, was Portsmouth Buses Partnership, a collaborative effort between First Bus South, Stagecoach South and Portsmouth City Council, aimed at improving public transport in Portsmouth. 

Jonathon Hunt, First Bus East of England's Head of Operations took gold in the Manager of the Year category, and First Charge, which gives access to businesses, fleet operators and the public to its electric charging points, received bronze in the Environmental Innovation category.

The awards annually recognise, reward and inspire innovation across the UK’s leading bus companies.

First Bus’ winners joined more than 600 others from the bus industry at the awards ceremony at The Troxy in London. Among them were:

First Bus London         

GOLD:
London Bus Garage of the Year -  Tolworth Garage
Unsung Hero – John Cowell
Top London Bus Driver - Katarzyna Boczkaja

BRONZE:
Top London Bus Driver – Jay Songhurst
Contribution to Safer Driving – Perry Avery

FINALIST:          
Top London Bus Driver - Vincent Marcelo
Young Manager of the Year - Onyemaechi Akutu
London Bus Garage of the Year - Westbourne Park

First Bus East of England

GOLD:                
Manager of the Year – Jonathon Hunt, Head of Operations

FINALIST:             
Culture Change – Alzheimer’s Awareness

First Bus South

GOLD:                
Partnership for Excellence - Portsmouth Buses Partnership

First Charge

BRONZE:              
Environmental Innovation – First Charge 

First Bus North & West Yorkshire

BRONZE:           
Bus and the Community
Top Shire Operator – First Bus York

FINALIST:           
Engineer of the Year - Tony Spencer
Top City Operator

First Bus Scotland

HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Marketing for Growth - Free to Explore

Specialist Passenger Solutions

FINALIST:             
Bus and the Community
Contribution to Safer Driving

Janette Bell, Managing Director for First Bus, said: “We are incredibly proud of the outstanding achievements across First Bus at this year’s UK Bus Awards. Our gold awards in London, including Tolworth garage, our Unsung Hero and Top London Bus Driver, and a second gold in a row for our work with the Portsmouth Buses Partnership alongside the Manager of the Year win in the East of England, are testament to the exceptional talent and dedication of our colleagues across the country. 

“We are also pleased to see strong recognition across many other parts of our business, with awards and finalist positions spanning North & West Yorkshire, Somerset Passenger Solutions, and multiple London teams. From community impact and safety to engineering and young leadership, these results highlight the depth of professionalism and commitment within every region. 

“Our bronze award for First Charge in Environmental Innovation is another important milestone in our decarbonisation journey, reflecting the progress we are making in delivering sustainable, zero-emission transport solutions. 

“Together, these achievements reinforce our position as a leading national operator - one that is delivering excellence, driving innovation and making a meaningful difference for the customers and communities we serve.”