Sweet success for Big Lemon bus founder

9:55am Thursday 15th February 2007

A young entrepreneur hoping to start his own bus firm has qualified as a transport manager.

Tom Druitt, a former care home manager, wants to set up the Big Lemon, a fleet of bright yellow buses to rival the successful Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company.

The 28-year-old, of Norfolk Street, Brighton, has passed a Certificate of Professional Competence in National Passenger Transport.

He can now be named transport manager for the Big Lemon, which was registered as a community interest company in January.

The status means the firm must reinvest 65 per cent of profits in the community, improving its own services or supporting other initiatives.

Mr Druitt hopes to launch a service this year, initially running at a single 25-minute route somewhere in Brighton and Hove.