Go Thames Valley nominated for three national awards

Go Thames Valley has been shortlisted for three national awards at the prestigious UK Bus Awards 2026.

The major bus operator, alongside Oxfordshire County Council and partner operators, is a finalist in the Partnership for Excellence category.

Oxford Bus Company, meanwhile, has been shortlisted for Top Shire Operator, while Carousel Buses has been nominated for the Bus and the Community Award for its Brand the Bus partnership with Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

This summer, Oxford Bus Company took its total number of electric vehicles to 117, helping reduce nitrogen dioxide concentrations across the city.

Oxford Bus Company works in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council and Stagecoach to deliver a 173-strong electric bus fleet to the county, with Oxford Bus Company welcoming its first electric bus back in March 2020.

Carousel Buses announced Thames Valley Air Ambulance as the inaugural winner of its Brand the Bus competition in the summer of 2025, as the charity scooped a prize package worth £60,000.

As part of the award, Carousel Buses transformed one of its vehicles into a fully branded CPR awareness-raising bus, which was fitted with a life-saving defibrillator on board.

Carousel Buses worked further with Thames Valley Air Ambulance to support CPR training initiatives. Through this training, colleagues gained confidence in responding to medical emergencies, reinforcing a culture of community responsibility.

In 2025, Thames Valley Air Ambulance saw 1,230 call-outs for cardiac arrests, an average of three per day. Fewer than one in 10 people survive a cardiac arrest outside of hospital, but the chance of surviving more than doubles with early CPR and defibrillation.

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Go Thames Valley, said: “It’s fantastic to be recognised by industry experts and nominated for three brilliant awards.

“All three categories feature fierce competition and the entire shortlist for all the awards is packed with incredibly worthy nominations.

“The hard work that takes place across our business on a daily basis has been recognised with these nominations, and I’d like to thank all my colleagues for their remarkable efforts.

“Strong partnership working with Oxfordshire County Council has allowed us to deliver a significant electric fleet and seek initiatives to tackle Oxford’s congestion problem.”

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “The fleet of electric buses now serving Oxford and the wider county is a great example of working together to bring about huge benefits.

“Our partnership with the bus companies, including Go Thames Valley, in this project has now led to more than 170 electric buses on our roads, reducing air and noise pollution.

“As a council, we are always looking to develop closer relationships with our bus operators to help deliver the service that people in Oxfordshire need and it is wonderful to see this work being recognised.”

The presentation ceremony for the UK Bus Awards 2026 will take place at Troxy in London on Tuesday 24th November. 

Established in 1996, the UK Bus Awards are judged by an expert panel made up of senior industry stakeholders.

In 2022, Oxford Bus Company was shortlisted as one of the top six bus operators in the Supporting the Customer Experience category, winning the Bronze Award.

Go Thames Valley is the region’s largest bus operator, with its portfolio including Oxford Bus Company, Carousel Buses, Thames Travel, Pearces, Pulhams, City Sightseeing Oxford, and the airline coach service.