THE operator of the Lions, Leopard and Orange bus services has announced that its chief executive officer will be leaving at the end of July.
Reading Buses said that Martijn Gilbert will take up the role of managing director at the Go-Ahead Group’s North East bus business, based in Newcastle.
He joined the £33 million company in November 2014, taking over from James Freeman.
During his tenure he has overseen expansion of the services to the borough, most recently with the launch of the Sevens route that includes Spencers Wood and Three Mile Cross.
Mr Gilbert said: “It is with a degree of sadness that I will be leaving Reading Buses, which will always have a fond place in my heart, to take up a new and somewhat bigger challenge elsewhere in the UK bus profession. By the time I leave I will have done nearly four years in post and during that time I have been exceptionally privileged to work with a great team of people and so many enthusiastic and supportive stakeholders.
“Together we have been through many enjoyable and interesting times and achieved great things that I am immensely proud to have been a part of. The company also continues to be on an exciting journey in tackling and adapting to the challenges of growing congestion, emerging technologies, changing retail, work and travel trends, economic pressures and also pursuing new growth opportunities.”
And Mr Gilbert has also overseen introduction of contactless payments and a new app that allows people to buy bus tickets on their mobile phones.
“We have increasingly moved from being a local to a regional bus company across Berkshire, alongside continuing to invest in and develop our core Reading network, as the growth in Reading focused jobs and housing continues beyond the Borough boundary,” he added.
“All of this expansion is helping generate new income which adds value to our core Reading based business and helps offset rising economic pressures.”
Reading Buses has launched a process to recruit Mr Gilbert’s successor.
The company’s chairman, David Sutton, said: “Martijn has given Reading Buses four years of excellent and committed service, and has moved the company forward in many ways by his imaginative and positive leadership. Whilst we are very sorry to be losing him, we wish him all the best in his future career.
“There can be no doubt that he will have a great future in the bus industry, and we will watch his progress with interest, and some pride, as well as keeping in touch on a regular basis.”
