First West of England Managing Director and highly respected career busman James Freeman will retire in May 2021, when he reaches 65.
Mr Freeman took up the MD’s role in October 2014 after a successful spell as the leader of Reading Buses. He has since been credited with turning the West of England operation around, particularly by rebuilding relationships with local authorities. That has contributed to consistent year-on-year growth in passenger numbers of 6-10% during his tenure.
Other achievements that have been led by Mr Freeman have been the inauguration of the £230m Metrobus bus rapid transit network in Bristol and the introduction of a large fleet of biogas-fuelled double-deckers in the city.
Taking on the MD’s role at First West of England marked the pinnacle of a long career in the bus industry. It began in 1974 when Mr Freeman became a conductor. By the time he was 28, he had been appointed MD of Shamrock and Rambler Coaches in Bournemouth.
“I am a very lucky person in that I have been able to spend my career in a sector about which I am extremely passionate,” he says. “From an early age I was fascinated by buses and I felt then that I could help to make them run.
“Among my proudest achievements have been establishing First West of England at the forefront of sustainable developments in the industry to minimise the impact of our vehicles on the environment and enhance air quality in the areas that we serve; the digital innovations that we have introduced before and after coronavirus COVID-19, which are taking customer service to a new level; and the strong working relationships that we have forged with local leaders to ensure that buses are, and remain, a critical and prominent part of a sustainable mobility strategy.”
The decision to retire has not been made easily, adds James Freeman. However, “it is the right time to pass the baton. The business needs constant regeneration, and therefore fresh thinking, particularly in the wake of coronavirus COVID-19.”
First Bus MD Giles Fearnley has paid tribute to Mr Freeman’s achievements with the group. “Through his time [with First Bus], not only has patronage risen at record levels, but the role of the bus and the contribution it is making to the economic, social and environmental agendas has never been better understood across the West of England.”
In a communication to staff, Mr Freeman adds that after retirement will allow him to “find something to do elsewhere that will keep my cogs turning, but give me a bit more time to do my own thing.”
Besides his career in the bus industry, Mr Freeman is well known for being Chairman of the Friends of King Alfred Buses (FoKAB) preservation group. In 1985 he became a founder member of FoKAB. It maintains a fleet of buses that were once part of the King Alfred Motor Services fleet in Winchester.
