A Ferndown coach company has been nominated for the Route One Awards 2024 after it's win last year. 

Heathside Travel has been nominated for small coach operator of the year in the Route One Awards 2024 with hopes to win the award two years in a row.

Company director, Tim Southby, 40, has been left 'shocked' by the nomination and has linked the nomination to quality service down to the tiny details.

Tim said: "It's like our baftas so trying to explain to people locally, we are the best small coach operator in the country. To be nominated again this year is such an honour and its a shock. 

"We're nominated by our peers in the industry so Mrs Margaret Smith can't just ring up and say 'here's a good company'. This is the people like the commercials directors of Volvo Irizar UK where we buy our coaches."

Tim started HT in 2016 and in the eight years since has steadily increased the fleet of coaches on range offering 19 seat coaches to 55 seat. 

First nominated for the SCOTY at the Route One Awards in 2018, The team returned to win the award in in November 2023 in Birmingham.

Tim said: "I never drink, but I tell you what, I might have a few drinks if we win on the trot. It just shows that only did we do well last year, but it shows the level of commitment and investment in new vehicles and new holidays and new day trips. It makes it all worthwhile. 

"The key is all my staff and our ambassadors. If they weren't doing the job that they did, we wouldn't be where we were and it's just another tick in the box to say, what we're doing is absolutely right."

Heathside Travels is one of two Dorset coach companies with an international licence and offers trips across Europe and the UK including a brand new trip to the Dutch bulb fields. 

The business has also invested in a brand new 50-seat coach which is set to launch later this month.