Two senior Stagecoach directors retire

TWO senior bus directors are to retire after a combined 96 years’ service to the bus industry.
Retiring from Stagecoach, Andrew Dyer, right, and Richard AlexanderRetiring from Stagecoach, Andrew Dyer, right, and Richard Alexander
Retiring from Stagecoach, Andrew Dyer, right, and Richard Alexander

Andrew Dyer, Stagecoach’s regional managing director, has headed up bus operations across West Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey since 1999.

He retired on Saturday, after a 45-year career which started in 1970, when he had a school holiday job at the age of 16 sweeping floors and bus conducting.

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Engineering director Richard Alexander is also retiring, after completing his 51st year of continuous service with Stagecoach and its predecessor, Southdown Motor Services.

Mr Dyer started his career in Oxfordshire and gained his first senior role in 1980, as transport manager. He then worked as a district manager in Exeter and Cheltenham, before becoming managing director of the Gloucestershire business, which was bought by Stagecoach in 1993.

He was appointed managing director of Stagecoach South in 1999, a post which he has held ever since.

“I have a passion for the industry and I would not have exchanged my long and varied career in passenger transport for anything,” he said.

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“I am proud of the improvements we have made at Stagecoach South in recent years, which has only been possible because of the great team we have here.”

Mr Alexander also joined the industry as a boy, taking a job as an apprentice with Southdown, based in the central workshops in Portslade, as a 15-year-old in Easter 1964.

“Engineering was clearly in the family genes, my father was a transport manager for an oil company and my elder brother was a successful marine engineer,” he said.

He became an engine fitter then moved to fleet management, working at bus depots from Brighton to Eastbourne then back at Chichester.

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He became fleet engineeer in 1985, before Stagecoach took over in 1989, promoting him to chief engineer two years later.

He became responsible for the engineering functions of all Stagecoach bus divisions across Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex and East Kent.

It was in 1993 that Richard was made up to his current role as engineering director for Stagecoach South.

He said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working for both companies and the entire 51 years has bought me into contact with many loyal and hard-working managers and staff, many of which have become very good friends.”

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Andrew Dyer will be succeeded by Mike Watson as managing director for Stagecoach South, while Chris Remnant will take over from Richard Alexander as engineering director.

Robert Montgomery, Stagecoach UK Bus managing director, said: “Andrew’s strong leadership and Richard’s unrivalled bus maintenance experience and knowledge have been core parts of the success of Stagecoach South during a period when it has attracted more and more people to bus travel.

“They have both earned a long, happy and peaceful retirement and leave their successors with very high standards to live up to.”

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