Edwards Coaches have been named Large Operator of the Year 2024 in the annual UK wide routeone bus and coach industry awards.
The awards were hosted by comedian Patrick Kielty in Birmingham. This year, the awards attracted a record number of high-calibre entries and a record-breaking 900 attendees.
To be considered for an award, candidates were nominated by industry peers and invited to submit entries demonstrating how they met specific category criteria.
Llantrisant-based Edwards Coaches were up against competition from Alfa Coaches, Bakers Dolphin and Skills Motor Coaches. The judges noted that Edwards Coaches stood out and excelled with an ‘innovative state of mind’.
This latest win follows Edwards Coaches securing the ‘Best Coach Livery’ award in August for their Red Dragon coach. This coach is the official Welsh Rugby team coach and operated on Edwards ‘Red Dragon Holidays’ in their extensive tour programme. The livery was praised by the judges for its cultural significance, patriotic design and sophisticated colour palette. T
he vehicle had been previously entered into the 2024 UK Coach Rally held in Blackpool in April where it won the 2024 Top Mercedes-Benz Touring Coach. In May, Edwards Coaches won Best Network Operator of the Year in the 20+ vehicle category and took home another Golden Spanner for consistently exceeding Engineering requirements in the National Express annual awards. Edwards also received a Sustained High Achievement Award for operating to Gold standard for the 13th consecutive year.
Mike Edwards, Chairman and Proprietor, said:
“We are overjoyed at winning the top prize at the routeone Awards. The Large Operator of the Year award is very much sought-after. We carry this massive achievement into 2025, our centenary year. Our continued success is down to the hard work and dedication of all staff and of course to our valued customers and clients who continue to choose Edwards Coaches.”
Edwards Coaches have been shortlisted for the Public Transport Award in the 2024 City Transport and Traffic Innovation awards at the end of November held in London and look forward to centenary celebrations in 2025.
