First Bus North and West Yorkshire employee Michael Leech has been crowned 2025 UK Bus Driver of the Year (BDoY) after leading the winners’ list at this year’s National Final, which was held in Blackpool on Sunday 14 September.
Mr Leech, 46, works out of the operator’s Skircoat depot in Halifax and has been a bus driver for 25 years. He is a longstanding entrant into the contest and in 2025 competed against 100 other finalists representing 27 operators.
Also won by Mr Leech were awards for highest-placed competitor from a depot in England and highest-placed First Bus competitor. He took home £4,100 in prize money, with his victory in 2025 following a fourth-place finish at the 2022 National Final.
BDoY organisers note that Mr Leech shared the limelight of his victory with his wife and daughter and quickly agreed to an interview with ITV show This Morning.
Finishing in second place, just six points behind the winner, was Nick Perry of Go North East. He was also named highest-placed competitor for a company that is a member of The Road Operators’ Safety Council, and highest-placed Go-Ahead competitor. Mr Perry came away with £3,000 in prize money.
In third place was Maciej Herman of McGill’s Bus Group. In fourth was Simon Vincent of Plymouth Citybus. Rounding off the top five was David Nairn, a further entrant from First Bus North and West Yorkshire.
Awards were presented by Transport Benevolent Fund Chief Executive John Sheehy. The ceremony was held in the Imperial Hotel, where 300 supporters and family members joined competitors to hear the winners named.
UK Bus Driver of the Year Association Chairman Joe Mackie has congratulated all the 2025 winners and thanked both the dedicated volunteers who make the competition possible and industry sponsors for their generous financial support.
In addition to a host of presentations made to drivers (listed below), three operators each won a Bryan Constable Award for the best-presented vehicles to take part in the contest.
In the newly delivered or up to two years old category, Go North West was victorious with an Alexander Dennis Enviro200 in Bee Network livery. In the two to five years old segment, Lothian Buses won with an MCV Evora-bodied Volvo B8RLE. For vehicles over five years old, Blackpool Transport got the nod for a for an Alexander Dennis Enviro400.
Bus Driver of the Year 2025 winners’ list
Bus Driver of the Year 2025: Michael Leech, First Bus North and West Yorkshire
Second place: Nick Perry, Go North East
Third place: Maciej Herman, McGill’s Bus Group
Fourth place: Simon Vincent, Plymouth Citybus
Fifth place: David Nairn, First Bus North and West Yorkshire.
Highest-placed competitor from a depot in England: Michael Leech, First Bus North and West Yorkshire
Highest-placed competitor from a depot in Scotland: Maciej Herman, McGill’s Bus Group
Highest-placed competitor from a depot in Wales: Mark Baxter, First Cymru.
Best Theory Test Result: Gavin Justice, McGill’s Bus Group
Highest-placed competitor from a company in membership of the Road Operators’ Safety Council: Nick Perry, Go North East.
Highest-placed First Bus competitor: Michael Leech, First Bus North and West Yorkshire
Highest-placed Go-Ahead competitor: Nick Perry, Go North East
Highest-placed London Buses competitor: Joseph Jay, Go-Ahead London
Highest-placed McGill’s competitor: Maciej Herman, McGill’s Bus Group
Highest-placed National Express competitor: Lee Grantham, National Express West Midlands
Highest-placed Stagecoach competitor: Aleksei Solovjov, Stagecoach East Scotland.
Second-highest placed First Bus competitor: David Nairn, First Bus North and West Yorkshire
Second-highest placed Go-Ahead competitor: Simon Vincent, Plymouth Citybus
Second-highest placed London Buses competitor: Michael Rowley, Go-Ahead London
Second-highest placed McGill’s competitor: Gavin Justice, McGill’s Bus Group
Second-highest placed National Express competitor: Christopher Godridge, National Express West Midlands
Second-highest placed Stagecoach competitor: Phil Royle, Stagecoach Merseyside, Cheshire and South Lancashire.
Third-highest placed McGill’s competitor: Michael Morrison, McGill’s Bus Group.
