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Hat trick of wins for top London driver

Marios Louca, the Winner of Arriva London Bus Driver of the Year 2011Arriva London crowned Wood Green driver, Marios Louca as their driver of the year for the third time at the local finals on Saturday (July 2).

Marios was just one of 65 entrants who had been battling it out since February to take the prestigious honour and In his fifth London final he was very proud to make it a hat-trick of wins.

He has been a winner twice before, and runner-up twice in his 11 years as a driver. Last year was his best showing in the national final, finishing a creditable 20th overall. “I would have liked to have done better,” claimed Marios, “but it was good just to be competing with other top drivers,” he added.

Testing conditions through a chicane of conesThe final consisted of three disciplines, the first a driving skills test including tricky manoeuvres around traffic cones both forwards and reverse; then a service drive on the local roads surrounding the garage. This took in bus positioning road craft and stopping position at bus stops. Finally it was into the classroom for the Highway Code and vehicle safety test.

The full results are as follows:

South London Drivers
A. Seeley – Brixton - 3rd
G. Smoliga – Brixton - 2nd
G. Scialanga – Croydon - 1st

North London Drivers
J. Hall – Edmonton - 3rd
R. Biesiadecki – Wood Green - 2nd
M. Louca – Wood Green - 1st

Best manoeuvre - J. Thompson – Thornton Heath
Best Highway Code / PCV knowledge - R. Biesiadecki – Wood Green

The three London North winners will now be representing Arriva London at the national event in September
The 22 Arriva London drivers who competed

Published: Fri 15 Jul 2011Modified: Sat 16 Jul 2011Archived: Sat 27 Aug 2011

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