Member Article

South Shields Bus Depot Welcomes New Operations Manager

Stagecoach North East in South Shields has welcomed a new operations manager to oversee the everyday running of the depot, following the retirement of long serving manager Brian Sleightholme.

Janine Fowley, 36, originally from Preston, joins the South Shields depot following three years as operations manager at the depot in Hartlepool, where she successfully ran the operations for bus services across the town.

After graduating from the University of Central Lancashire with a degree in International Business, Janine joined Stagecoach in 2010 as part of its Graduate Development Programme, which aims to recognise, nourish and encourage the best in the transport industry. She has since progressed up the career ladder, gaining experience at several other Stagecoach depots throughout the country, including Exeter and West Scotland, where she developed her managerial and operational skills.

The new role will bring fresh opportunities for Janine to develop her skills and expertise further, with the South Shields depot offering a larger fleet of buses and a team of over 200 staff to cover a wider geographical area. Janine commented on her new role: “I am excited by the prospect of working with big events such as Great North Run and the Airshow which will provide additional challenges to the daily operation but I am looking forward to working with a great team and maintaining the high standards set by Brian.”

Colin Newbury, Operations Director, Stagecoach North East, said: “I would like to congratulate Janine on her appointment; she has worked hard and demonstrated her success in her first role as operations manager. She will be an asset to the team, bringing her experience, enthusiasm and expertise to the depot in South Shields and we wish her all the best for the future.”

Stagecoach North East operates local bus services in Newcastle, South Shields, Sunderland, Hartlepool and Teesside. The company, which has more than 1,500 employees, runs around 470 buses and carries 63 million passengers a year.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Kathryn Clapham .