DAVID JENKINS reports from Bristol, where First West of England managing director James Freeman is nearly four years into a continuing transformation exercise that has sped up services, attracted significant new custom, introduced a new level of customer awareness and is cleaning up vehicle emissions
When I last met James Freeman in the summer of 2014, it was already known that he was leaving the top job at Reading Buses to take over at First West of England (Buses September 2014). At the end of the interview, I asked him how long I should give him before coming to see him in Bristol. He replied, ‘Four years’.
He has been in post for around three-and-ahalf when I catch up with him, in his office at Bristol’s Lawrence Hill depot. His judgment on progress? ‘It’s not where I want it to be, but it has come a long way.’ There is a much more positive atmosphere, by ‘behaving as part of the local community’. He says there are now ‘good constructive partnerships’ with the main councils and with the newly formed West of England Combined Authority. First also plays an active role in Business West, the local chambers of commerce organisation.
In summary, First is now seen as ‘okay’, which is a strong advance on …
