BRIGHTON and Hove has the best buses in the country.

Brighton and Hove Bus Company yesterday picked up the industry's equivalent of the Oscars, winning the title Operator Of The Year.

Earlier this month the company was named Best Operator in the South, and delighted managing director Roger French said: "The awards are just like the buses.

"You wait for ages for one and then a load come along in one go."

Mr French, who started off as a conductor in London 25 years ago, also picked up the the company's award for Marketing Initiative.

The bus operator award was judged on criteria including customer services, investment levels and staff relations.

And the marketing award comes for the branding and promotional work the company has done on its five busiest routes.

Mr French explained: "We started a Metro campaign to make our busiest routes more like the London Underground.

"The 1, 5, 7, 25 and 49 buses are now colour coded just like the lines there."

"It makes journey identification easier for customers."

The company has also standardised fares to make travelling more straightforward.

Tim Rees, 55, a bus driver with the company for eight years, said: "The management do all they can to improve the services in the Brighton and Hove area.

"They have invested heavily in new vehicles, with easy kerb access, so it is better for drivers and passengers.

"The fact I've been here so long is testament to it being a good company."

And 37-year-old Lee Edwards, with the company for three years, said: "The volume of traffic in the town has increased lately so it is difficult to keep everybody happy.

"But we have increased our services and tried our best to keep things running smoothly.

"The new buses are much more comfortable for passengers."

Passenger Edna Lower, of Grange Close, Brighton, who has been using buses in the town for more than 60 years and is a regular on the 59A and 5A, said: "The staff are nice and the service does seem to have improved in recent times.

"I get five tickets for six pounds which I can use on all the services.

"The drivers don't have an easy time of it, but I've never met a bad one yet."

The annual Belmont International Bus Industry Awards were held at London's Cafe Royal yesterday.

Brighton and Hove beat Stoke, Ipswich, Derby and Luton to the main prize.

ABrighton and Hove Council spokeswoman said: "We want people to think about every journey they take and decide whether a car ride is necessary."

"We have improved routes and bus stops.

"This has been a partnership of quality."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.