A NAILSEA coach company has been highly commended in a Making Buses a Better Choice category at a national award ceremony.

North Somerset Coaches, based at Coates Estate, in Southfield Road, beat 250 entries from across the country at the 2011 UK Bus Awards.

Staff were presented with their certificate, for the Nailsea and Backwell local bus service in front of 650 industry rivals at the glitzy Oscar-style bash at the Hilton Hotel, in London.

Congratulating the shortlisted entries, UK Bus Awards chairman John Owen said: “In these difficult and uncertain times, we’ve been both surprised and delighted by the number and quality of entries for the 2011 UK Bus Awards.”

Company proprietor David Fricker said: “I’m very proud that our buses have been recognised as amongst the best in the UK.

“Our local service was introduced in 2009 to parts of Nailsea and Backwell with no bus service, and designed around the principle of hail and ride, meaning the bus can stop anywhere safe.

“The friendly atmosphere, reliable service and culture of doing things differently has seen passenger numbers grow and the routes flourish.”

He said the award is ‘now hanging in pride of place on the Nailsea town bus’.