Stagecoach East Midlands Annual Performance Review

An attempt to get some free publicity and look good or being a responsible organisation updating stakeholders on progress? I'll let you decide after reading Stagecoach East Midland's Annual Performance Review.

http://www.stagecoachbus.com/uploads/annualperformanceSEM.pdf

Stagecoach East Midlands covers Stagecoach Hull, Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes, Stagecoach Lincolnshire (former RoadCar business) and Worksop and Mansfield depots. So East Midlands isn't the best name but geographically it makes sense as a grouping.

Getting onto the report it starts by outlining what Stagecoach has done in the area last year. Hull is seeing good growth of 3% compared to last year carrying 17 million passengers. Investment in Frequento services with new or cascaded low floor buses seems to be paying off.

Grimsby and Cleethorpes have seen higher growth at 10% and the report mentions the X1 New Waltham to Hull service via Grimsby which after past threats to it's future is performing well with a 15% increase in customers.

However no such claims for Scunthorpe which may indicate poorer performance. The report comments on changes to 'minimise the impact of loss making routes in Crosby and Berkeley'. Sadly the report makes no mention of interurban routes such as the 350 (Hull-Barton-Scunthorpe) or Lincoln services from Scunthorpe and Grimsby.

The report notes that £1 million has been added to the fuel bill in the last year and comments the trend is likely to continue. More fare increases on the way?

The report continues to cover issues such as Health and Safety, the environment and staff. Sadly the 'Looking Forward' section does not include any improvements or investment in the Humber region but commercial considerations could prevent that, or plans may not be finalised. From an interview in a trade magazine last year with the Stagecoach East Midlands Managing Director, we know investment was being considered, including doubling the 350 to half hourly with new buses (Something I would certainly welcome, but thats something for another time).