Popularity supports First choice

Published on Sunday 26 October 2003 01:00

EX-STAGECOACH employee Robert Ballantyne, in his article ‘Light at the End of the Tunnel’ [Business Agenda, October 19] on the ScotRail franchise, accuses First of being unpopular.

How ironic the charge should come the same week as First in Glasgow won Scottish Bus Operator of the Year, and First Great Eastern the National Rail Operator of the Year Award.

Moreover, this comes off the back of our Scottish plc Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2003 that recognised First’s commitment to safety, the environment, staff development and links with the communities we serve.

The strengths of First’s ScotRail bid are clear:

First would be a Scottish company delivering improvements to Scotland’s railways.

First is fully committed to multi-modal and information integration, as well as long overdue rail service improvements. This will harness the potential benefits of our railway that is so strongly supported by the Scottish taxpayer and the travelling public.

We are the UK’s second largest rail company and the operator of the UK’s only sleeper service. Our successes have been delivered by putting the passenger at the core of our operations.

As our Bus Operator of the Year award this week has shown, First has a record of delivering improvement for the travelling public in Scotland and increasing passenger numbers year on year.

If First is successful in winning the franchise, ScotRail will be no different.

Gordon Dewar, Commercial Director, FirstGroup