Contract wins - Translink and Blackpool Transport

RNS Number : 0552D

Personal Group Holdings PLC

25 March 2014

 



Press Release

25 March 2014

Personal Group Holdings Plc

("the Company" or "the Group")

Contract wins with Translink and Blackpool Transport

Personal Group, a leading provider of employee benefits, employee related insurance products and financial services in the UK, is pleased to announce that is has won two contracts in the passenger transport sector.  Contracts have been secured with Translink, the main provider of public transport in Northern Ireland, and Blackpool Transport, the major provider of public transport services on the Fylde Coast of Lancashire, to provide comprehensive voluntary benefits programmes to their staff.

Translink employs 3,940 people across Northern Ireland, through its Metro, Northern Ireland Railways and Ulsterbus divisions. Personal Group will be implementing a programme entitled "Your Benefits" to provide employees with over 8,000 retail discounts, both online and offline, offering savings at well-known high street stores including Asda, Argos, Boots, Sainsburys, B&Q and New Look.  Employees will also be offered access to discounts across a range of items from travel and attractions, fashion and gifts and health and wellbeing to utilities and motoring.

The new scheme will be launched throughout Translink's 80 locations using a range of internal communication channels. Employees will also have the opportunity to participate in face-to-face presentations and demonstrations regarding the new benefits programme from Personal Group. 

Blackpool Transport employs 600 people who will be given access to a bespoke Personal Group web portal called "My Advantage Plus". The web portal has recently been developed in-house by Personal Group and it is a clear, easy to navigate site that gives discounts on everyday items. As part of Personal Group's communication process all members of staff are offered the opportunity of a face-to-face presentation through an iPad application which helps the employee understand what they are being offered. A hard copy benefits book will also be provided to cement the face-to-face presentation.

Mark Scanlon, Chief Executive of Personal Group, commented: "The Board is delighted to have been appointed by both Translink and Blackpool Transport to implement their employee benefits programmes.  Personal Group's significant experience in the transport industry, working with companies such as Network Rail and Stagecoach, will be of considerable benefit when implementing these programmes to both Translink and Blackpool Transport's disparate workforces, and we look forward to rolling out the benefits programme to their employees."

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For more information please contact:

Personal Group Holdings Plc
Mark Scanlon, Chief Executive	[phone]

Cenkos Securities Plc
Max Hartley / Stephen Keys (Nomad)	[phone]
Russell Kerr (Sales)

Media enquiries:

Abchurch Communications
Joanne Shears / Quincy Allan	[phone]
[e-mail]	www.abchurch-group.com

Notes to editors:

Personal Group Holdings Plc (AIM: PGH) is a leading provider of employee benefits, employee related insurance products and financial services established 30 years ago with blue chip corporate clients across the UK. 

The Group's integrated benefits and insurance programmes offer employers a cost effective means of attracting, retaining and motivating employees.  Personal Group's tailored employee benefits packages include insurance products such as hospital and convalescence plans, death benefit and income protection plans; lifestyle benefits such as holiday and retail discounts; flexible benefit programmes; and a range of tax efficient benefits such as childcare vouchers.  Personal Group is committed to encouraging small behavioural changes in utilising the benefits packages available that can have a significant impact on the monthly financial situation of an employee. 

The Group's approach to employee communications is fundamental to the success of its programmes, as the balance of face to face meetings and innovative use of technology is a key strength of the Group. In total Personal Group offers access to benefits to over 2.0 million employees and has a strong client base across a range of sectors including transport, where it works with the likes of Network Rail and Stagecoach, healthcare, where clients include Priory Group and Spire Healthcare and logistics, with companies such as TNT. Against a backdrop of the government's focus on increasing the responsibility of the individual in terms of lifestyle protection and insurance products, Personal Group enables the employer to put the structure in place for their employees to achieve this more easily. 

Personal Group is headquartered in Milton Keynes, listed on AIM in 2000 and today employs over 165 people.

For further information, go to www.personal-group.com.

About Translink

The integration of Citybus (now Metro), Northern Ireland Railways and Ulsterbus began in January 1995 when the government announced comprehensive changes to the provision of public transport. The principal objective was to promote the transfer from private car to public transport on a sustainable basis and the co-ordination of bus and rail services.

Among the many measures to be introduced was the new policy of co-ordination between the bus companies, Citybus (now Metro) and Ulsterbus, and the railway company, NI Railways. The aim was to improve services for the public by offering co-ordinated timetables, through-ticketing, feeder buses to railway stations and the joint development of transport facilities.

Translink is the brand name of the integrated public transport operation of Citybus, NI Railways, and Ulsterbus.

About Blackpool Transport

Blackpool Transport Services Limited is the major provider of public transport services on the Fylde Coast of Lancashire.  The Group runs an extensive bus network and the world-famous Blackpool and Fleetwood Tramway.

A long-established business, the tramway started in 1885, the Company was formed from the former local authority transport department in 1987.  Blackpool Council is the sole shareholder but Blackpool Transport trade independently of the Council and the staff are employed by Blackpool Transport Services Ltd.

Blackpool Transport is one of the area's larger employers, with a winter establishment of 500 rising to 580 in the summer.  The majority of employees are drivers and conductors and there is a large multi-skilled engineering team who maintain the fleet of 150 modern buses, 16 new trams and 25 heritage trams which date back to the 1930's.

Blackpool Transport is very active in the development of local regional and national public transport policy and has a high profile both locally and nationally.  In an industry dominated by large groups, the Group retains their identity as a local company providing services for local residents and the 17 million tourists who visit the town and its surrounding areas every year.  The services provide transport for a resident population in Blackpool of 150,000, with a similar number in the adjoining areas of Fleetwood, Cleveleys, Lytham and St Annes. Blackpool is also Britain's major tourist town and tourism is the largest industry in the area. 

 

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