Alex now Transdev Blazefield Chief Exec

Transdev Blazefield’s MD, Alex Hornby, has now become the company’s new Chief Executive. Alex, who joined the company in February, will replace Martin Gilbert who has held the position for the past seven years. Martin will move to a role of Non-Executive Chairman, where he will continue to provide support to Blazefield and the wider Transdev UK business. Transdev Blazefield operates 400 buses and employs over 1,000 people across Lancashire and Yorkshire.

The company’s development plan includes a spend of £4.6m on new buses this year with key initiatives including: changes to the network in Blackburn; investing in a £1.2m new fleet for Burnley Connect; bus refurbishments and service improvements in Keighley; York’s 24 hour bus route; investing £3.2m in new buses for the ‘industry pioneer’ 36 route between Leeds, Harrogate and Ripon and Yorkshire Coastliner’s 25th anniversary celebrations. The use of the company’s M-ticket products has doubled in the past year, with 5,500 registered users buying tickets each week.

Alex said, ‘My colleagues here have done exceptionally well to stabilise the business after a challenging few years. We are now in a good place to grow and develop by doing great things for both our staff and, not least, our customers who remain at the very heart of everything we do. I really believe that the innovative and customer-centric plans we are forming, thanks to the input of our team and our users, will develop the local transport offering further and make our products even more appealing and our company an even more exciting place to be.’