Women in the bus industry celebrated as Transport Minister reaffirms commitment to bus revolution

Women’s achievements in the bus, coach and community transport industry have been celebrated at a special awards event attended by the Local Transport Minister.

During the Manchester-based event staged on 8th October, Simon Lightwood discussed Women in Bus and Coach’s key aims to stand in solidarity across the profession, uplift female role models in engineering, driving and management, and challenge industry policies that do not meet women’s needs.  

The awards come as the Government continues to overhaul the bus industry, by handing power back to councils to grow passenger numbers and deliver better services for all, no matter where people live.  

The Minister reiterated the Government’s commitment to ensuring the brightest minds in the industry are in the driving seat as these plans progress.

Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood said: “I was delighted to celebrate the incredible achievements of women in the bus and coach industry up and down the country. Our plans to deliver better buses will end the postcode lottery that has determined the quality and frequency of bus services for too long.  

“As we deliver this biggest overhaul to buses in a generation, the work of each and every driver, engineer, manager and the countless others who keep our country moving will be vital” 

The Minister also spoke to young engineers in the industry, following a panel event on opportunities for young women. He heard from women who work for a bus company who all discussed the barriers facing women in the industry and their experiences as engineers in a male-dominated sector.

The event marked another landmark in the roll out of bus franchising, as the Government’s month-long consultation on updating guidance to reduce barriers to franchising closed. This has seen the Government discuss franchising closely with industry, and the outcome will be announced in due course, alongside next steps for implementing the Bill.  

Attendees at the event also heard from Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who has overseen a dramatic transformation of regional bus services over the last year, with the introduction of the Bee Network.  

Mayor Burnham, said: “In Greater Manchester we’re bringing buses back into local control, with cheaper fares, better buses and, crucially, more reliable services all attracting more people onboard.

“Our success is down to the hard work and dedication of Bee Network staff, including the many brilliant women working tirelessly to deliver a great service to the people of Greater Manchester, whether that’s driving buses, working at our bus stations, interchanges or Travelshops, or leading our franchising programme.

“It was fantastic to see that recognised today, and as we grow the Bee Network and take forward our plans to transform technical education in Greater Manchester through the MBacc, we want to encourage even more women into the industry.”

The Network called time on the previous broken system of regulation and has set a new bar for urban bus services by introducing capped fares, integrating buses into a citywide transport network, and unifying services under a singular, recognisable identity.  

The Government wants to replicate this nationwide, as it seeks to drive growth and share opportunities by providing regular, reliable and affordable services for passengers.  

Louise Cheeseman, Chair and Founder of Women in Bus and Coach said: “I am proud to see the incredible achievements of women across our industry celebrated at the 2024 Women in Bus and Coach summit. This event not only highlights the inspiring individuals shaping the future of the bus,  coach and community transport sector, but also reinforces our collective commitment to breaking barriers and creating opportunities for women.

"We warmly welcome the Government’s plans to deliver the biggest overhaul of bus services in a generation, and we look forward to working together to ensure these changes empower a more inclusive, accessible, and innovative future for all.”