IN the driving seat as new managing director for the North West division of bus company First is 49-year-old Andy Campbell.

He has assumed full responsibility for the division that provides bus services throughout the northern half of Greater Manchester, in Wirral, South Cheshire and in the Potteries.

Mr Campbell takes over the reins from former North West MD Garry Raven, who now moves to Glasgow, following his appointment as Scottish divisional director.

Mr Campbell has 33 years bus industry experience and, before moving to Manchester, was managing director of First's bus operations in Bradford, where he pioneered both the introduction of one of only a few successful guided Busways in the UK and a Smartcard system for easy fares payment. In two successive years, the Bradford company was shortlisted for the bus industry title Bus Operator of the Year.

He said: "I'm really looking forward to the challenges of the North West job and building on Garry Raven's successful legacy.

"There are a lot of exciting service initiatives in the pipeline that will benefit our customers and we'll be bringing these forward progressively over future months."