Phil Southall is now in charge of steering Oxford Bus Company in the right direction.

He is the company’s new operations director, taking over from Louisa Weeks.

Mr Southall was a divisional manager for sister company Go-North East, based in Newcastle. He said: “I am very pleased to be joining Oxford Bus Company at this exciting time in its long and proud history.”

Ms Weeks became the bus company’s operations director in 2005 and has left the company to pursue other interests.