Merseyrail named Passenger Operator of the Year at National Rail Awards. Last updated: September 18, 2026 4:06 pm Merseyrail is celebrating being named Passenger Operator of the Year at the National Rail Awards, one of the rail industry's most prestigious and highly sought-after awards. The National Rail Awards, held in London, recognise excellence from across the UK rail industry, celebrating organisations and individuals that are delivering exceptional services for customers, colleagues and communities. Winning Passenger Operator of the Year is a significant achievement and recognises the dedication, professionalism and commitment shown by colleagues across the organisation every day. The award reflects the collective effort of teams across the network, from those supporting customers to colleagues working behind the scenes to deliver a safe, reliable and customer-focused railway. Alongside winning Passenger Operator of the Year, Merseyrail also received further national recognition, being highly commended in both the Outstanding Teamwork Award and Outstanding Contribution to Society categories. The Outstanding Teamwork recognition celebrated the huge effort involved in delivering Grand National 2025, with colleagues from across the network working together to safely and efficiently move hundreds of thousands of racegoers to and from Aintree. The Outstanding Contribution to Society accolade recognised Merseyrail's Second Chances Programme, delivered in partnership with the Rebuilding Futures Alliance, which provides employment opportunities and support for those within the scheme. Together, these achievements showcase the positive impact of Merseyrail's people, from delivering excellent services for customers to supporting local communities and making a real difference across the Liverpool City Region. Interim Managing Director of Merseyrail, Suzanne Grant, said: "To be named Passenger Operator of the Year is an incredible achievement. This award is recognition of the hard work, commitment and professionalism that our colleagues show every single day. Whether supporting customers, keeping services running, working with our communities or improving the experience of travelling on our network, everyone at Merseyrail has played a part in this success." "To also be highly commended in both Outstanding Teamwork and Outstanding Contribution to Society makes this recognition even more special. These achievements demonstrate the strength of our people, our culture and our shared commitment to making a positive difference for our customers, communities and each other." Chief Executive Officer at Transport UK, Dominic Booth, said: "We are immensely proud to see Merseyrail recognised as Passenger Operator of the Year on the national stage, following a remarkable year. Merseyrail is proof of what happens when expert teams and targeted investments come together to bring real value to passengers and communities across the Liverpool City Region. From launching the new Digital Tap & Go system, which has already reached 2 million journeys, to building on £1.4bn in social value generated, this recognition is a testament to the extraordinary hard work of the entire team. Transport UK, in our joint venture with Serco, is proud to drive and support the continued success across the Merseyrail network." Managing Director of Serco's Transport operations, Simon Bailey, said: "It is an honour for Merseyrail to be named Passenger Operator of the Year and makes me extremely proud of the dedicated colleagues who strive every day to deliver for passengers. It has been a privilege to operate Merseyrail for over 20 years, and we are consistently the best performing train company in the country and this further recognition is a credit to everyone involved in delivering for people across Liverpool and Merseyside." Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Do you need advertising, PR or media support? Please message Andrew Brown or email: [email protected]

Serco appoints second CEO in 12 months. Supplee was EVP at SAIC Barbara Supplee will succeed Michael LaRouche as CEO of Herndon-based government contractor Serco, the North American subsidiary of British parent company Serco Group, on Sept. 28, according to a Wednesday announcement. In June, Houston-based KBR, a science, technology and engineering company, announced LaRouche would join the company Sept. 24 to lead a planned spinoff of its Mission Technology Solutions business. LaRouche became Serco's CEO on Oct. 1, 2025, making his tenure a little less than a year. Supplee will lead Serco in North America as it provides services in autonomy, command and control, systems engineering and integration, modernization and other mission critical services. The division employs about 10,000 people, manages more than 700 contracts and generates more than $2 billion in annual revenue. It has approximately 100 sites across the U.S. and Canada. "Barbara brings a powerful combination of operational leadership, customer understanding and growth experience," Serco Group CEO Anthony Kirby said in a statement. "We have a clear strategy in place, and Barbara's experience aligns closely with many of the markets, customers and opportunities that are important to the delivery of that strategy." Most recently, Supplee served as executive vice president of the Army Navy Business Group at Reston-based federal contractor Science Applications International Corp., or SAIC. She joined the company in 2023. Prior to that, Supplee briefly worked at General Dynamics Information Technology, the Falls Church-based IT services business unit of Reston-based Fortune 100 aerospace and defense contractor General Dynamics. There, she served as vice president and general manager of GDIT's Navy and Marine Corps division. For more than three years, Supplee worked at Reston-based Fortune 500 government contractor CACI International. As senior vice president of CACI's engineering solutions and services business, she worked with the Navy's acquisition commands and public shipyards. Also at CACI, Supplee was the vice president of business development for engineering solutions and services and vice president of training and warfighter readiness. Earlier in her career, Supplee held numerous roles during a 15-year tenure at Arlington County-based defense contractor BAE Systems Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of British defense and aerospace company BAE Systems. She also worked for several years as a U.S. Navy intelligence specialist. Supplee earned a degree in management information systems from Park University in Missouri. In June, Serco announced that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services had awarded the company a contract with a total value of $109 million over a seven-year period to support the agency's Comprehensive Error Rate Testing program.