STAGECOACH has welcomed aboard its new Basingstoke engineering manager.

Alan Chivers has joined the team at the bus company’s depot in Rankine Road.

Stagecoach operates seven core routes in the borough, branded as the Jazz network, plus several rural and school routes, with 60 buses and 150 staff.

Alan’s new position at Stagecoach South gives him the responsibility of managing the engineering function at the bus depot. He is in charge of a team of 27 skilled engineers and cleaners who together maintain a fleet of 50 single decker and 11 double decker buses.

In 2012, Stagecoach carried more than 4.5 million passengers across the Basingstoke area, and in the last year have invested £2.1 million in 17 new vehicles.

Stagecoach engineering director Richard Alexander said: “Alan has over 25 years’ experience in the bus industry, having worked his way from apprentice to manager, and his extensive engineering knowledge will be invaluable in our commitment to continue modernising and improving our services and vehicles.”

Alan, pictured, succeeds Tom Large, a former engineering graduate, who has been promoted to fleet engineer for Stagecoach in Aberdeen.