When Go South Coast subsidiary Morebus stepped in to coverYellow Buses services in 2022, only a single day of bus operation was lost. Managing director of 2023’s UK Bus Operator of theYear, Andrew Wickham tells JAMES DAY the story of how brilliant planning and preparation ensured minimal disruption to passengers
In November 2023, Go South Coast was recognised as UK Bus Operator of the Year at the UK Bus Awards. While the awards reflect high overall performance and standards at a bus company, the company’s edge in the contest must have been its actions to step in and support two of the areas it serves, when large operators left the area.
Two of the many bus operations under the Go South Coast umbrella, Morebus and Bluestar, found themselves replacing services operated by Yellow Buses and First Southampton respectively. Both takeovers were done in such a way that any negative impact on passengers was limited, serving as a great example of the potential problem solving capabilities of commercial bus operators.
In a timely interview a few weeks before the awards, I spoke to Go South Coast’s veteran managing director Andrew Wickham to learn more.
Wickham has long held an interest in transport. With buses…
