The original tour wins Ukinbound’s special achievement award

The Original Tour – part of European transport servicesorganisation Arriva – has won the inaugural Chairman'sspecial achievement award at tourism trade association, UKinbound'sannual award ceremony. The award was made in recognition of TheOriginal Tour introducing the first ever wheelchair accessiblesightseeing vehicles to the capital.

The Original Tour has been providing open top bus tours toLondon's visitors for 55 years and in 2005 enhanced its reputationas a market leader by investing over £1.6 million in a newfleet of specially designed open topped vehicles.

The new fleet features environmentally friendly engine systemswhich exceed all current and planned emission standards. And forthe first time ever, access is available to all as the fleetfeatures the first open topped vehicles to offer wheelchairaccessibility.

Colin Atkins, commercial director at The Original Tour,said:

We are proud to have been the first company in theworld to offer the first open top sightseeing bus company in theworld, the first to engage with the inbound travel trade and now weare thrilled and delighted to be the first winner of the UkinboundChairman's Special Achievement Award.

Angela Shanley, chairman of UKinbound, commented:

I am delighted that the inaugural award goes to acompany that has been providing services for visitors to Londonsince the Festival of Britain in 1951. Today, while much imitatedaround the world, it has maintained its commitment to providingvisitors to London with the best possible touristexperience.

Ends

Notes to editors

• Arriva is one of the largest private sector providers ofpassenger transport in mainland Europe. Employing more than 30,000people and providing more than one billion passenger journeys everyyear.
• Arriva provides transport services including buses, trains,commuter coaches and water buses in eight European countries –Denmark, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Swedenand the UK.
• Arriva is the largest private bus operator in Italy, Denmarkand the Netherlands and is London's largest operator. Arriva wasthe first private company to be awarded rail contracts inDenmark.
• In the last five years, the turnover of Arriva's mainlandEuropean operations has increase by more than 250 per cent to£514.8 million (Euro €746 million).
• Arriva was the first UK transport company to become a signatoryof the European Road Safety Charter –http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/roadsafety/charter.htm.